Apple's new clinically approved hearing test and hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 will automatically sync across devices to also support movies and music.
Approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide live with some degree of hearing loss, according to the WHO.
Apple's new hearing aid feature, which they call the world's first software-based hearing aid, can help with mild to moderate hearing loss.
The hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro 2. Photo: Apple
- "Apple is providing the world's first all-in-one hearing health experience with AirPods Pro with active Loud Sound Reduction, a clinically validated Hearing Test feature, and an over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature. The first-of-its-kind software-based Hearing Aid feature helps make access to hearing assistance easier than ever at an approachable price point. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon, and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the U.S., Germany, and Japan," Apple stated.
Clinically approved features
The hearing test can be done directly on iPhone
The hearing aid feature will roll out this fall with a free software update for the existing AirPods Pro 2 which cost $250, way less than a typical hearing aid. However, battery life is shorter.
Both the hearing test and hearing aid feature are clinically approved and must first be approved by local health authorities.
The hearing test, based on pure-tone audiometry, can be taken directly on iPhone or iPad and takes about 5 minutes. The results (including an audiogram) show the degree of hearing loss in each ear, classification, and recommendations. Alternatively, an ear doctor's test can be imported as a hearing profile to the Health app on Apple devices.
Works with movies & music
In addition to amplifying sounds, including voices, around the user in real-time, it automatically works with movies, music and phone calls – but apparently not games – across all the user's devices, according to Apple, without any additional setup required.
This feature is called Media Assist and provides a certain degree of user customization.
The hearing aid feature also works with movies and music across Apple devices. Photo: Apple
- "To help provide the best listening experience, Media Assist is an all-new feature that helps boost certain parts of speech on a phone call or instruments within a soundtrack to help an even broader population," Apple explained.
The company emphasized compatibility with "all" Apple devices, but the footnotes specify only iPhone, iPad, and Mac with iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia or newer. How it will work on Apple TV, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro remains to be seen this fall.
There is precedent for syncing the hearing profile across devices with Apple's current Personalized Spatial Audio, where the ear is scanned using the iPhone's camera (Apple's guide here) so that AirPods optimize sound based on the user's ear shape. This hearing profile syncs automatically for use with, for example, Apple TV, where it can be adjusted by holding down the remote's homescreen button and selecting 'Personalized Spatial Audio'.
The features are expected to be introduced this fall with iOS 18.1 or 18.2.