Apple announced on Monday that a version of its newest AirPods earbuds will come with built-in hearing aids, designed to assist over 1 billion people globally. The feature on the AirPods Pro, described as equivalent to an over-the-counter hearing aid, is meant for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. After taking a hearing test on iOS devices, the AirPods will make personalized adjustments to help users hear their immediate environment better, with sounds boosted to prescribed levels in real time. The settings are applied to all media being listened to and the hearing test takes about five minutes, with results stored privately in the Health app.
The AirPods Pro will use the personalized hearing profile to adjust any sounds in real time, including during phone calls, music, and other media. Additionally, a passive noise-reduction feature is included to dampen loud ambient noises while maintaining audio quality. Apple highlighted that 1.5 billion people globally live with hearing loss and expressed their focus on designing products for all users, with the new AirPods Pro features promoting awareness about hearing health and providing customizable tools to help individuals stay connected.
Apple also unveiled new features on the Apple Watch to detect sleep apnea, using a “Breathing Disturbances” metric to prompt notifications. This feature is anticipated to be available soon pending approval from health authorities such as the FDA. Overall, Apple continues to prioritize accessibility and health innovation in their products to benefit a wide range of users.
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