During its back-to-school keynote, Apple unveiled several features on the Airpods Pro 2 to preserve users’ hearing. These new features should be available this fall.
This year, Apple’s back-to-school keynote was all about health. While the Apple Watch Series 10 now detects sleep apnea, the Airpods Pro 2 are becoming real everyday health companions.
And the tech giant’s goal is clear: to make the Airpods Pro real hearing aids to prevent your hearing from being damaged.
A listening test validated by scientists
The company promises “the world’s first all-in-one hearing health experience with AirPods Pro,” said a September 9 press release.
“On AirPods Pro, powerful features put people’s hearing health first, offering new ways to test and get help for hearing loss,” added Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of Health.
The wireless headphones are therefore equipped with several features, including a tool to prevent excessive noise that damages the ear. An algorithm will automatically reduce excessive noise. On the other hand, sounds during live events, for example during concerts, will not be reduced.
A listening test validated by scientists is also part of the game. It will allow you to test your hearing level in just 5 minutes. For this, Apple has integrated an application where the user will have to tap on the screen as soon as they hear a noise. At the end of this test, a detailed report will allow you to understand the result and, if necessary, make an appointment with a doctor.
“A clinical hearing aid”
Finally, a voice-amplifying hearing aid is coming to the Airpods Pro 2. It will allow users with mild to moderate hearing loss to transform the wireless earbuds into a “clinical hearing aid.” In concrete terms, the microphones will capture the audio signal and automatically adjust it based on the user’s hearing profile established through the test. Enough to help users better hear the voices around them.
“The feature is automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across all their devices, without having to adjust any settings,” Apple said.
Regarding data protection, the tech giant assures that all health information will be encrypted and “stored privately and securely in the Health app.” It can also “be shared with a healthcare provider” if needed.
According to Apple, these hearing test and hearing aid features “are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon.” They should be available next fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including France, via a simple software update.
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