The hearing aid features will be available if you own the AirPods Pro 2
of ConsumerAffairs
In Apples September product rollout, it introduced a new set of AirPods, the AirPods Pro 2. Among the new features, the company promised clinical-grade hearing aid functionality, a user-friendly hearing test, and better hearing protection.
Those new features will be activated next week and the media outlets that got a sneak listen are in near agreement that the features live up to the billing. According to The Verge, a technology website, the release could mark a watershed moment for hearing health awareness.
Apple is about to instantly turn the worlds most popular earbuds into an over-the-counter hearing aid, the Verge reviewer wrote.
Ashley Capoot wrote at CNBC.com that she tested the technology and it saved me a long-overdue trip to the audiologist.
The Airpods Pro 2 is the latest version of Apples Bluetooth headphones introduced two years ago. The latest version sells for $249. Apple calls it the worlds first all-in-one hearing health experience and says it will be available with a free software update to iOS18.1.
Heres how Apple says it will work
Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation and the inear seal on your AirPods Pro 2 simulate the conditions needed to evaluate and provide you with insights into your hearing. Just find a quiet, comfortable place and launch the test from your AirPods settings or the Health app. The system will automatically check the fit of your AirPods Pro 2 and assess background noise levels before getting started.
When you hear the tones, you tap the screen. Some animations, tapback effects, and progress indicators guide you through the experience, which takes about five minutes.
You will get immediate results. After completing the test, you will see a personalized profile with results and insights about your hearing. If you have little to no loss, but could still benefit from hearing certain frequencies more clearly, youll be able to adjust your Media Assist settings for enhanced audio on media and calls. And if you have mild to moderate hearing loss, youll be prompted to set up the Hearing Aid feature.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that only 25% of Americans who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them. Over-the-counter hearing aids were approved last year, but according to the Wall Street Journal, these low-cost options are being returned at high rates, due to a lack of satisfaction.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-22 00:03:03
