I'm deaf on one side. It'd be really great if Apple set up Live Listen so the AirPod on my deaf side could be used as the source instead of an iPhone. Seems like it'd be an easy addition to that feature but it'd help a LOT.
Apple's AirPods could gain more prominent hearing health features in the next year or two, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
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Apple's Conversation Boost feature on the AirPods Pro.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that he believes Apple will "upgrade the AirPods to become a health tool in the next year or two," adding "the ability to get hearing data of some sort."
Apple has already added several hearing-focused features to the AirPods in recent years such as Live Listen and Conversation Boost, but Gurman noted that such features are not yet FDA approved or designed to serve as a hearing aid replacement. Given Apple's health objectives, he expects AirPods to take on these sorts of functions "more officially" in the near future.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously highlighted the company's intention to add biometric health monitoring capabilities to future AirPods models. Apple patent filings have described an earbud-based fitness monitoring system that integrates an advanced biometric sensor to detect physiological metrics including temperature, heart rate, perspiration levels and more, through skin contact and via built-in motion sensors. Apple's vice president of technology, Kevin Lynch, has also hinted that AirPods could be a source of additional health data in the future.
New hearing health capabilities would not necessarily be contingent on new AirPods being released, since current models already contain speakers and microphones to support such features, and they could be pushed to existing devices via a firmware update.
Article Link: Gurman: AirPods to Gain Hearing Health Features Over the Next Two Years
I'm completely deaf in my right ear too -- normal hearing in my left. I just left a comment suggesting that extending Live Listen to use the right AirPod as a source would be awesome. It probably can't beat a good hearing aid as you suggest, but I'd love the option. Solidarity!I have profound hearing loss, I'm completely deaf in my right ear and more than half deaf in my left (nearly completely deaf when I don't wear hearing aids). I've worn hearing aids all my life and currently use a BiCros hearing aid in my non-hearing ear, which transmits sound to the aid in my hearing ear. The AirPods are not powerful enough for my needs, but I'm glad they are an option for those that have mild-moderate hearing loss. Good hearing aids are expensive, lol
My Boss: Take off your AirPods. We're in a managers' meeting. I told you that those are inappropriate and unprofessional.
Me: I'm not listening to music. These are my hearing aids!
My Boss: Yeahhhh right. I said take them off.
I love the conversation boost in APP2. With the noise canceling and conversation boost in a noisy environment, like the bar where we play trivia once a week, it means I can actually hear the other people! I’m able to carry on a normal conversation for the first time in many years in that kind of environment. My only complaint is that the conversation boosting features are buried so deep into the menus that it’s confusing and difficult to get setup. I wish there was an easy top level way to get it setup!
I am aware of that. My issue is that my worst hearing impairment is in my left ear, and that's where the mic failed/is failing. What's dumb is that if you use the setting you specify, iOS/AirPods will ALWAYS use that mic… even if that AirPod is in the case, and not in your ear. So… that's a non-starter.You can set the AirPod mics to left-only or right-only in settings. If you do that, it's easy to check if either has a problem using Voice Memo. And that setting also serves as a workaround when one of the mics is indeed broken. I had to do that with two pairs already, unfortunately. I don't know how the AirPods could reliably detect there's a problem by themselves, though maybe they could.
I'd be amazed if Apple actually spent the extra fifty cents and put real microphones in Airpods. I might even get a pair, since I could then make intelligible phone calls with them.I stream audio (podcasts, music, teleconferences, audio from my Mac at work) to my hearing aids literally, all day. Once in a while I put in my AirPods and it SOUNDS way better… but the battery life & the external microphones don’t give me what I need. I’d LOVE to be able to replace the aids with AirPods, at least some of the time.
Better frequency adjustments, that is, A FREAKING GRAPHIC EQ like every halfway decent sound system had in the FREAKING 1970s, FREAKING 1980s, and FREAKING 1990s, would be better for EVERYONE, including tinnitus sufferers. But Mommy Apple says no. We're not old enough.Tinnitus is internal, how would you go about fixing it?
Tinnitus is a neurologic issue. You can't just noise blank it like external sound waves. If it is ever solved, it will be medically. Sleep better (thousands of web pages about how to do this), drink lots of water, cut down on (ideally eliminate) stimulants and depressants (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, meth, etc). Those are the only things proven to help. Then accept it and go on with life. It is the only proven way currently. Eventually your brain will just ignore it 99% of the time. There is one weird treatment out there, something about playing the exact frequency of your personal tinnitus, slightly louder, several hours a day, supposedly makes your brain shut it off internally when the external sound is turned off. I guess you could argue that is a medical treatment utilizing electronics... I don't know if it actually works.If thet find a way to reduce tinnitus I wil buy one straight away