Apple AirPods Pro 2 new update can offer users hearing aid capabilities

Starting on Monday, Oct. 28, some Apple AirPods wireless headphones can function as a hearing aid with the download of a new update. The new AirPods update is available with the AirPods Pro 2 model only, and individuals will need an iPhone or iPad to set up the new function, which begins with built-in tests.

Ruth Reisman-Aguilar, an audiologist, said, “So, it allows you to actually go through the steps of checking or screening your hearing.”

If the device finds the person has hearing loss, they’ll be prompted to set personalized amplification settings.

Around 30 million Americans report having hearing loss in both ears, but data reveals millions of these people have never tried hearing aids or said they have tried them but cannot afford them or do not like the way they fit or look. However, some believe the software update from Apple could be a game changer for Americans with mild to moderate hearing loss.

The Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association for America Barbara Kelley says, “You know, we’re all wearing these types of earbuds anyway, so now, the FDA has authorized them to have the software to become an over-the-counter hearing aid. So, it’s just mainstream, and anybody who is concerned about a little stigma and they just want to look like everybody else, you will, because we all have a set of these in our pockets.”

Audiologists also say that it alleviates some of the concern regarding cost, while a decent pair of over-the-counter hearing aids will run a person anywhere from $400 to $500, a pair of Apple headphones costs just $249.

However, audiologists do note that there are some drawbacks to using AirPods as a hearing aid. For instance, unlike hearing aids designed to last the whole day, AirPods are not capable of doing that because of a limited battery life.

Doctors also say that severe hearing loss is likely to require more than an over-the-counter device.

Reisman-Aguilar said, “Over-the-counter hearing aids will only meet the needs of those with mild to moderate hearing loss. So, with those complex hearing losses, severe hearing losses, hearing losses that have some form of medical concerns attached to it, prescription hearing aids is really the way to go.”

The new technology comes two years after the federal government allowed hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter.