AirPods Pro take the hearing aid market to Apple

Apple’s AirPods Pro in-ear headphones get a handy feature with the new update: They’ll help people with mild to moderate hearing loss perform better in everyday life.

Marc Bodmer / ch media

The most cynical might judge Apple’s latest innovation harshly: first they damage ears, and now they sell the source of the problem as a cure by transforming the popular AirPods into a hearing aid.

But Apple is doing a lot to defend itself from this criticism. For more than six years, the iPhone, combined with the Apple Watch, has measured ambient noise, which is particularly useful during concerts or in nightclubs. In addition, the volume of the headphones can be limited via the Health app for four years, effectively protecting hearing. Now the second generation of Airpods Pro can also help with mild to moderate hearing loss. Apple headphones therefore also become a hearing aid.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from some form of hearing loss, noticeable from a decrease of 20 dB. In Switzerland, this concerns around 1.3 million people, According to Heike Zimmermann, co-director of Pro Audito, the umbrella organization of Swiss associations of hard of hearing people: “But only half of them use a hearing aid.” According to the WHO, around one billion young people are at risk of preventable hearing damage. Studies have shown that hearing loss can lead to serious consequences, such as reduced vocabulary and social withdrawal. These effects decrease quality of life and increase the risk of dementia.

The iPhone will be able to do hearing tests

The iOS update, released this Monday, October 28, includes a hearing test whose effectiveness has been demonstrated in a clinical study conducted with 200 participants. For the second generation AirPods Pro (available since 2022), a firmware update is required so that their H2 chip can be driven differently. Before starting the ten-minute hearing test, the fit of the earplugs is checked. Different sizes come with the AirPods Pro and can be replaced accordingly.

For the test, you must find a quiet place, because extraneous noise disturbs and interrupts the measurement. If the hearing test results are already available, they can be scanned. The test results serve as the basis for adjustments to AirPods Pro. Fine adjustments can then be made via the iPhone. The new operating system is compatible up to iPhone X (2017).

Anyone who wants to take the speed test on the go will fail and will be amazed at the amount of noise that surrounds us every day. We chat at the next table (60-69 dB), a refrigerator hums (50 dB), not to mention construction sites (110-119 dB). The noise level in a busy restaurant can quickly reach 80 dB. According to Suva Insurance, measures should be taken from eight o’clock at 85 dB.

The eye-catching design is both an opportunity and a liability

Apple considers that its customer base is in the mild (26-40 dB) to moderate (40-60 dB) deafness category, thus opening up a significant market. During our test, the hearing test showed whether we were part of the potential customer base: if we do not hear the test tones, it is impossible to validate the required confirmation. If there is no response for a prolonged period, the test is terminated.

When Apple announced the new feature, shares of Swiss hearing aid manufacturer Sonova temporarily lost up to 4% of their value. The situation was similar for Danish suppliers GN Store Nord and Demant. Which is surprising, because the AirPods Pro, with a battery life of around six hours, have a significant disadvantage compared to the designated competition, whose battery life is between 3 and 22 days depending on the model. But hearing aid manufacturers may also have remembered that the Apple Watch is now the best-selling watch in the world.

The distinctive design of the crisp white AirPods is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Traditionally, there is a tendency to hide hearing loss: hearing aids are hidden in the ear or behind the pinna in a discreet manner. However, “we observe at trade fairs and increasingly on the street that hearing aids are designed as fashion accessories,” says Heike Zimmermann of Pro Audito. On a daily basis, we come across many people who wear their headphones all the time.

From isolation to active listening

It’s still unusual to engage in conversation with someone wearing these headphones, as the earplugs suggest a lack of willingness to listen. However, Apple products have a transparency mode allowing you to converse without having to remove the headphones. In addition, the filter functions, which also enable the famous noise reduction, help to reduce annoying noises and focus on voices. The new technology therefore entails a complete reversal of current usage — from isolation to “listening”.

According to market analysts at Comparis, 47% of the Swiss population uses an iPhone, a large part of which chooses AirPods Pro for wireless calling. If any company can turn the tide in increasing acceptance of (visible) hearing aids, it’s Apple. Time will tell if she succeeds. We keep our eyes and ears open.

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Translated and adapted by Noëline Flippe