Apple AirPods Pro 2 will offer medical solutions for hearing impaired individuals

Apple has announced a series of important updates focusing on the hearing health of AirPods Pro 2 users, including a new feature that acts as a “medical-grade hearing assistant” for users with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Apple held its annual event today at the company’s headquarters in the United States under the title It’s Glow Time, where it unveiled the new iPhones, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, along with the new generation of its smartwatches, Watch Series 10, in addition to the new earbuds, AirPods 4.

During the event, Apple revealed upcoming features for the AirPods Pro 2 that were launched last year, and explained that the new hearing-assistance feature for the hearing impaired will be coming soon.

This feature is still awaiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it is expected to receive approval soon, along with approvals from other regulatory bodies.

When this feature is activated, specific sounds like speech and environmental noise will be immediately enhanced to improve the listening experience in different environments.

As part of the new update, Apple will provide a clinically certified built-in hearing test to detect hearing problems, which users can perform using AirPods Pro 2 and an iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 in a test lasting less than five minutes.

The test will require users to listen to sounds of various frequencies and follow the instructions displayed on the screen.

In addition to the hearing assistant feature, Apple will introduce a new mode of negative hearing protection that automatically reduces noise in loud environments, and this feature will be permanently activated, targeting users who are regularly exposed to high levels of noise, such as music concerts.

These updates are expected to reach more than 100 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, and Germany, with a free update for AirPods Pro 2 set to be released in the upcoming fall.

Through these new features, the company aims to provide practical and effective support for users with hearing problems, enhancing the use of its earbuds as a tool not only for entertainment, but also for maintaining hearing health.