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On Monday (September 9), Apple announced a groundbreaking update to its AirPods Pro, adding built-in hearing aid capabilities designed to help over one billion people worldwide with mild to moderate hearing loss.
The new feature will enable users to better hear their surroundings and engage in conversations more effectively because of its real-time sound adjustments.
Apple's New AirPods Pro Comes With Hearing Aid Feature
According to NBC News, the latest AirPods Pro will include a function the same to an over-the-counter hearing aid. Users with hearing difficulties can take a quick, five-minute hearing test in their iPhones of iPads running iOS 18.
The AirPods will automatically adjust sounds to optimal levels, allowing users to hear their surroundings more clearly. The customization helps users stay connected with the people and those around them.
Apple's hearing aid feature not only boosts environmental sounds but also adjust audio settings for media such as music, phone calls, and other content, to ensure a more comfortable listening experience for users.
To set up the hearing aid function, users will complete a confidential hearing aid test. The test is designed to be user-friendly, requiring just a few taps on the screen after hearing a series of tones. The results will create a personalized hearing profile stored in the Health app in their device.
The profile will help AirPods to make the necessary sound adjustments based on the person's hearing needs.
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Apple emphasizes that the hearing profile can be shared with healthcare professionals if users want, but it will remain private by default. The hearing profile also worked with Media Assist, a tool that enhances specific audio segments, like speech during phone calls or parts of music tracks, according to TechCrunch.
In addition to the hearing aid functionality, the new AirPods Pro includes a passive noise-reduction feature that helps reduce loud background noises during live events. This function aims to prevent hearing loss by maintaining audio quality while minimizing disruptive sounds.
Apple will roll out software update this fall to introduce the hearing test for iOS 18 and the new hearing aid features for AirPods Pro 2. The update will be available in over 100 countries, expanding access to these life-changing tools.
Apple also announced new sleep apnea detection tools for the Apple Watch. The updated device will use a "Breathing Disturbances" metric to alert users to potential sleep apnea, pending approval from health authorities like the US Food and Drug Administration.
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