Apple AirPods could be the future of health as the brand is set to introduce high tech hearing aid features to its AirPod Pro 2 device in a matter of weeks.
This feature is designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss and will be available for free via a software update on apple devices. It is already available in countries such as the US, but due to changes in strict rules about what can be sold as a hearing aid and how, the UK will eventually get this feature.
According to Which?, the only options originally available in the UK are either sophisticated hearing aids that cost several thousands of pounds and are only available through an audiologist assessment, or cheap and basic amplifiers that just make everything louder.
However, this could all change with the AirPods latest feature. You can currently take a hearing test with your AirPod Pro 2’s alongside your iPhone or iPad, as long as your device has been updated to iOS 18 or later. This test is similar to normal hearing assessments as tones will be played at different volumes and frequencies.
To test your hearing, you simply need to tap the screen when you hear the noise. From here, the assessment will adapt the settings in your AirPods every time you use them, whether or not you are connected to a device.
Once it is available in the UK, Brits will be able to use ‘Hearing Health’ controls to adjust a range of settings, such as left-right balance, tone, ambient noise reduction and conversation boost for when you are speaking to someone face-to-face. All adjustments can be applied to videos, music and phone calls.
However, as much as this feature could help many people who already have the device, what about the people who don’t? Is it worth the money?
Currently, the AirPod Pro 2 is selling for £199 on Amazon and for the same price at Argos, making them not a cheap option as an over-the-counter hearing aid.
Over-the-counter aids are not available in the UK but have been approved hearing devices in the US since 2022. These normally have quite low prices and are a good DIY option. However, by purchasing these and conducting your own hearing assessment, you will not be professionally checked by an audiologist and won’t receive a diagnosis for your specific type of hearing loss.
Audiologists use real-time sound measurements which means they will be able to customise your hearing aids so you can hear more clearly, as well as being fitted with programs that are suited to your favourite activities, such as walks in the windy countryside.
Some experts are arguing that these self-fitting hearing aids can also be adapted to your particular needs, even if they aren’t offering all of the advantages as a professional consultation. Additionally, they may reduce the stigma of wearing hearing aids, meaning more people will get their ears checked.
However, health professionals at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People are concerned about the feature. While they agree it is good to embrace innovation and having more accessibility to hearing aids, they fear that people with more severe cases of hearing loss will be put off getting hearing aids as they may get the mistaken impression that they won’t fully work for them.
Joanna Pearl, Which? hearing aid expert, said: “If you already have the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and a suitable Apple device, such as an iPhone or iPad, their new hearing aid features may be something to try, and could be an easy option.
“However, don’t be under the impression that you’re getting all the benefits and customisation of hearing aids. Remember that if you do need hearing aids, they are available free on the NHS. Your GP can refer you for an assessment. You also have the option of buying hearing aids privately.”
It should be remembered that AirPods won’t be able to look in your ears and spot any problems like excess ear wax that needs to be removed, so if you experience sudden hearing loss you should go to your GP.