Apple Claims AirPods Pro 2 Can Function as 'Clinical-Grade' Hearing Aids for Enhanced Auditory Support

Apple has announced that its latest flagship wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro 2, will feature a “clinical-grade” hearing aid capability. While this innovative feature is not yet cleared by the FDA, the company anticipates approval will come “soon.” The AirPods Pro 2 were unveiled at the Apple “It’s Glowtime” event.

When activated, the hearing aid feature enhances specific sounds in real-time, allowing users to better hear conversations and environmental sounds. It also utilizes a personalized hearing profile—more details on that below—applied across music, movies, and phone calls on multiple devices.

Apple emphasizes that this will significantly improve users' ability to engage in conversations and remain attuned to their surroundings.

Additionally, Apple has introduced a five-minute certified hearing test set to debut in iOS 18 and on AirPods Pro 2. This test will help users evaluate their hearing health. Participants will tap on their smartphone screens after hearing a series of tones at varying volumes and frequencies. Apple developed the test using insights gathered from large-scale hearing studies based on real-world data.

Upon completion of the hearing test, users will receive results in a personalized hearing profile, which also informs the previously mentioned hearing aid feature. These results will be saved in the Apple Health app, with an option to share them with healthcare providers.

The hearing profile can be effectively combined with a feature called Media Assist. This feature enhances certain speech frequencies during phone calls or highlights specific instruments in music tracks. Apple asserts that even those with minimal to no hearing loss can benefit from these frequency adjustments.

Both the AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid feature and the hearing test for iOS 18 are scheduled to launch this fall through a software update in more than 100 countries and regions.