With the AirPods Pro 2, Apple is taking a giant leap for hearing health. The new headphones come as part of new hearing aid functionality with built-in tests to help calibrate and personalize hearing; plus enhanced hearing protection, reinventing how we enjoy music and how we protect and manage our hearing. It will be available in iOS 18.1 – sort of a watershed moment around the world in terms of awareness for hearing health.
The Next Level of Hearing Health Technology
Apple’s recent announcement included three significant hearing health upgrades for AirPods Pro 2 users:
- Clinical-grade hearing aid capabilities
- A built-in hearing test on iPhones
- More robust hearing protection
These features, available to all users with iOS 18.1, put the AirPods Pro 2 far beyond simple wireless earbuds as it looks to potentially become a real tool for personal wellness. Being already known for transparency mode and noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro 2 will be an over-the-counter hearing aid option-making hearing protection and aid a reality than ever before.
This might also signify a shift in view on the use of earbuds 24/7 in society. However, many people think it is rather impolite to leave inserted earbuds while talking with somebody. But these new improvements might shift these views around. Since most people will now wear their AirPods Pro like hearing aids, the usage culture will likely change.
Hearing Protection: A New Standard for Earbuds
The AirPods Pro has already become somewhat of a replacement for earplugs at loud spaces, such as concerts. Now Apple is completely endorsing that usage with iOS 18.1. The new update brings continuous hearing protection across all modes: noise cancellation, transparency, and adaptive audio. Apple’s “multiband high dynamic range algorithm” promises to let the sounds stay as natural as possible, even in very loud environments, such as concerts, still managing protection.
However, the thing is that this is a feature not limited to concerts but for daily noise exposure as well. Being specifically engineered to take away the worst impact of very loud levels without sacrificing good sound quality, the AirPods Pro 2 were designed to be defensive against the effects of harmful sound levels. While perhaps there will always be limits where Apple has said it’s going to warn through its website that extremely loud and sudden noises, such as gunfire or even fireworks, will still be too much for the AirPods to handle, there’s still this level of substantial protection for most environments.
For more about how the AirPods Pro 2 hearing protection works, visit Apple’s official page.
The Revolutionary Hearing Test
Perhaps the most exciting feature of the new AirPods Pro 2 update is the hearing test, which could make regular hearing checks far more convenient. The test, which you can take through your iPhone, checks for hearing loss by playing three-beep tone sequences that vary in volume and frequency. It takes about five minutes, and the results are stored in the Health app.
Apple’s hearing test is designed to mimic a professional hearing exam, but with the convenience of being available at home. Results are categorized as follows:
- Little to no hearing loss: Up to 25 dBHL
- Mild loss: 26–40 dBHL
- Moderate loss: 41–60 dBHL
- Severe loss: 61–80 dBHL
- Profound loss: Above 80 dBHL
Apple’s hearing test feature is bound to raise awareness about hearing loss, as 80% of adults in the U.S. haven’t had their hearing checked in over five years. This easy-to-access hearing test could help turn the tide on that statistic.
If you want to learn more about the hearing test, you can read the official guide on the Apple Health app.
Hearing Aids: Now Inside Your AirPods Pro 2
Now, for mild to moderate hearing loss, AirPods Pro 2 can function as hearing aids when using the new hearing aid mode. When a user turns on this mode, you are allowed to adjust amplification, tone and balance sliders to appear on the settings menu or the Control Center. You can as well use touch controls available on the AirPods Pro to adjust the amplification-very convenient in switching between environments.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, at $250, compares very favorably against the inflated prices of thousands of dollars in the case of traditional hearing aids. Even though it does not operate as an advanced hearing aid for most people suffering from severe loss of hearing, it still offers a very good functional over-the-counter option for those with mild cases.
Users can even personalize the operation of their hearing aids depending on the results from their hearing test. To this end, the volume settings will be adjusted concerning the music, phone calls, and video streams, accordingly, to optimize it based on the hearing ability.
For more information on how the AirPods Pro 2 can assist with hearing loss, visit this Apple AirPods FAQ.
The Future of Hearing Health Tech
What’s happened now is Apple’s great leap into hearing health, but probably only an entry point. Other technological leaders, such as Google and Samsung, are sure to jump on this bandwagon and add hearing health features to their wireless earbuds in the near future. Over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from hearing loss, reports the World Health Organization.
Therefore, the new hearing features in AirPods Pro 2 not only are an impressive step in technology but also speak to broader trends toward integration of health functionalities into devices we use every day. As people become increasingly more aware of their hearing health through the integration of such features, we can reduce avoidable hearing loss and way of thinking about hearing aids and hearing protection.
Conclusion: A Game-Changer for Hearing Health
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 is now more than just a premium pair of wireless earbuds. With features like hearing aids, a hearing test, and improved hearing protection, they are shaping the future of hearing health. For anyone concerned about their hearing, or those looking for affordable hearing aid options, the AirPods Pro 2 presents an innovative solution. While not suitable for everyone, especially those with severe hearing loss, it’s an affordable and accessible option for many.
To stay ahead in hearing health innovation, keep an eye on Apple’s latest updates.
