U.S. health authorities granted Apple approval to install a new feature on some of its wireless AirPods, enabling them to function as hearing assistance devices for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Users will be able to test their hearing themselves in just a few minutes by downloading the latest software update for free on their iPhones or iPads.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that the headphones can then “amplify sounds” based on the results, allowing users to adjust the “audio settings.”
Michelle Tarver, an official with the FDA, noted that “hearing loss is a significant public health issue affecting millions of Americans.” The approved product was tested on adults aged 18 and older in a clinical trial involving 118 participants.
Results showed that those who adjusted the settings themselves “received similar benefits to those whose settings were adjusted by a professional using the same device,” according to the FDA.
In 2022, the FDA allowed for the purchase of hearing aids directly from stores without a prescription or assistance from an audiologist, aiming to lower prices and improve access to these devices.
Apple announced on Monday that the compatible headphones for this new feature are the AirPods Pro 2, priced at $249 before taxes.
Apple expects this feature—once licensed by local health authorities—to be available starting “this fall in over 100 countries and regions,” including Germany, Japan, and the United States.
