Apple’s Hearing Test feature is now available on AirPods Pro 2 in the United Kingdom.
Approximately 1.5 billion people around the world live with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization, which projects the figure to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.
Research has shown that untreated hearing loss can affect a person’s overall health and wellbeing, including an increased risk of social isolation and dementia.
This intuitive Hearing Test, based on a gold-standard clinical approach called pure-tone audiometry, can be taken with AirPods Pro 2 and a compatible iPhone or iPad in about five minutes from the comfort of a user’s home.
The feature leverages advanced acoustic science and provides users with a simple and convenient interactive experience. When the test is complete, an easy-to-understand summary of results is shown, including a number representing the hearing level in each ear, a classification, and recommendations.
The results, which also include an audiogram, are stored privately and securely in the Health app, and can be shared with a healthcare provider to have more informed conversations.
Due to regulatory restrictions, Apple is unable to release the new Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 in the U.K. at this time. Where available, this feature supports hearing assistance for users with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Apple is working with health officials in the U.K. with the hope of making this experience available as soon as possible.
Additionally, in order to help users minimise exposure to loud environmental noise while preserving the entire dynamic range of what they’re listening to, Loud Sound Reduction is available on AirPods Pro 2.
The ear tips help provide passive noise reduction, while the H2 chip contributes to actively reducing louder noise at 48,000 times per second. On by default in Transparency and Adaptive Audio listening modes, Loud Sound Reduction can be helpful in a variety of settings.
Plus, with an all-new multiband high dynamic range algorithm, sounds at live events like concerts remain even more natural and vibrant.
These latest features add to Apple’s existing suite of products and services that support hearing health and accessibility.
Built-in tools include the Noise app and notifications on Apple Watch, Headphone audio levels and notifications, Music Haptics, Sound Recognition, Live Listen, Sensory Alerts, Closed Captions, and Transcriptions.
Hearing Test data is privately and securely stored in the Health app on a user’s device. The feature is supported on AirPods Pro 2 with the latest firmware paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 18.2 or iPadOS 18.2 and later, and is intended for people 18 years or older.
