There's options to turn on "media assist" which does the former, and "hearing aid" which adds general hearing aiding.
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Testing the New iOS 18.1 Hearing Aid Functionality
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I don't wear hearing aids (getting close to needing some) but have several family members who do. They are a major headache to deal with.
I know others replied, but I want to reiterate the points being made. You could buy 10 or 20 sets of AirPod Pros for the cost of "real" hearing aids worth buying (typically in the range of $2000 - $4000, although you can get some good ones for less than that through Costco or similar stores). Those "real" hearing aids also only last on average about 3 - 7 years.
So let's say someone needs to replace AirPod Pros every 2 years. That person pays a full price of $250. Throw in AppleCare+ and you spend $280. Do that 5x in 10 years (not likely that you will need to buy new ones every 2 years, but I'm being extra liberal with estimates) and the person has spent $1400.
Compare that to $2000 (or $3000 or $4000 or more!) hearing aids that generously last 7 years (5 would be more typical), plus you need to replace batteries (which is hard for many people requiring hearing aids), although the batteries are inexpensive. So in 10 years you are looking at maybe $3000 to $5000 with "real" hearing aids.
There are potential benefits to other hearing aids (size is one), but what's most important is having a set that you will use.
Financially, you will almost always come out ahead with AirPod Pros. They will not be the best option for everyone, but they will be a great option for many people.
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I also have the same questions concerning a parent who may want to use your iPhone for the test but then use them as hearing aids with no iPhone near her.
Another source I read indicated it wouldn't be beneficial, or materially beneficial, for tinnitus. I have it so time will tell.
I think the hearing aid feature is dependent on the better hardware of the AirPods Pro 2. But I
wish Apple would also allow the hearing test on the first generation AirPods Pro. I don’t see why they couldn’t do it since the AirPods are just used to reproduce sound from the iPhone in the test. I can imagine the audio response is not exactly the same for both generations, but it’s not like Apple doesn’t have the data to adapt the wave generator parameters (or the sound files) used to each AirPods Pro. They could even port this feature in an app for macOS (Catalyst should be enough for this). Hey! I think they could also use the audiogram generated to adjust the frequency output of iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs to boost the frequencies that are not heard well.
If they did this, even only the test part, I would not mind one second if in the results, in addition to the recommendation to consult with an audiologist, they would inform the user that new AirPods Pro could help them in certain situations. This would not only help marketing new AirPods Pro, but also make people take their message about how health is important and how Apple wants to help more seriously, and not think it is only a marketing ploy to sell new devices.
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wish Apple would also allow the hearing test on the first generation AirPods Pro. I don’t see why they couldn’t do it since the AirPods are just used to reproduce sound from the iPhone in the test. I can imagine the audio response is not exactly the same for both generations, but it’s not like Apple doesn’t have the data to adapt the wave generator parameters (or the sound files) used to each AirPods Pro. They could even port this feature in an app for macOS (Catalyst should be enough for this). Hey! I think they could also use the audiogram generated to adjust the frequency output of iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs to boost the frequencies that are not heard well.
If they did this, even only the test part, I would not mind one second if in the results, in addition to the recommendation to consult with an audiologist, they would inform the user that new AirPods Pro could help them in certain situations. This would not only help marketing new AirPods Pro, but also make people take their message about how health is important and how Apple wants to help more seriously, and not think it is only a marketing ploy to sell new devices.
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If you're in Europe, then maybe you should blame the decades and decades of socialism that are keeping you from having nice things.
Could there not be a difference in the sounds in your ears from the 2's that could impact the test? All ear bud speakers are not the same.
So I get my KitchenAid dishwasher ready to go and hit Start. Then I eventually have to open it and place another dish in. If I forget to hit Start again, it beeps (and eventually won't start). Is there a way to turn this idiotic feature off? Once I press Start (with a 4 or 8 hour delay), I want it to RUN, even if I place another dish in it and forget to press Start.
Yes, it’s possible, that’s why I wrote: “I can imagine the audio response is not exactly the same for both generations, but it’s not like Apple doesn’t have the data to adapt the wave generator parameters (or the sound files) used to each AirPods Pro.”
Now, there could also be something else I know nothing about that prevents the first generation AirPods Pro to be used for the test (I’m not an audio engineer nor an audiologist), and then I would be genuinely interested in knowing what it is.
My hearing loss reaches the severe level at very high frequencies. The wording of the feature suggests that I won't be offered the feature. I hope this isn't the case - I'd be very happy with Better hearing even if it's not Best hearing.
My hearing aids were $1500 at Costco. Charge in case and last multiple days. they are virtually invisible behind my glasses and I don’t look like a dork with my AirPods in all day.
I have somewhere between severe and profound hearing loss. Will this work for me?
With iOS 18.1, Apple is adding a new set of hearing health features to the AirPods Pro 2. The iOS 18.1 release candidate for developers and public beta testers includes the full hearing aid functionality, so we thought we'd give it a try to see just how it works.
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To use the new hearing health features, you need to connect your AirPods Pro 2 to an iPhone running iOS 18.1, or an iPad with iPadOS 18.1. From there, if you tap into the AirPods Pro section, you'll see an option to take a hearing test, which should be your first stop.
Apple's hearing test mimics the hearing tests you might have had conducted at a doctor's office or by an audiologist, and it's meant to determine whether you have any hearing loss. If you do have hearing loss, the test determines which frequencies you're struggling with.
With the AirPods in your ears, you can tap "Get Started" to take the hearing test. The test takes approximately five minutes, starting first with the left ear and then moving on to the right ear. You'll hear a series of tones at different frequencies and sound levels, and the idea is to tap the iPhone's screen whenever you hear a sound. The tones that you hear test for four frequencies, including 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, and 4kHz.
Apple puts your iPhone in Do Not Disturb mode for the test, and also uses your AirPods to make sure it's quiet enough for the test to be conducted. The test is designed for adults that are 18 years or older, and it shouldn't be done when you have allergies, a cold, an ear infection, or a sinus issue, which can affect the results. Apple also recommends waiting to take the test at least 24 hours after you've been exposed to loud noise like a concert or construction, as this can also impact the hearing test.
After going through the hearing test steps, you'll get your Hearing Test results, with separate decibel levels detected for each ear. If you get a 5 dBHL reading for each ear, for example, you have little to no hearing loss and will not need adjustments to your AirPods.
Apple says that results up to 25 dBHL indicate little to no hearing loss. 26 to 40 dBHL is a sign of mild hearing loss, while results of 41 to 60 dBHL suggest moderate hearing loss. 61 to 80 dBHL is severe hearing loss, and a result above 80 dBHL is considered profound hearing loss.
For context, a whisper is around 20 decibels, while a person breathing is somewhere around 10 decibels. Rainfall is 50 decibels, and a standard conversation is 60 decibels. With no hearing loss, you can hear a whisper, and with mild loss, you can still hear and repeat words spoken in a normal voice from three feet away. With moderate loss, you can hear and repeat words spoken in a raised voice from three feet away.
If your test shows mild to moderate hearing loss, you'll have the option to turn on the Hearing Aid feature of the AirPods Pro. With this enabled, the AirPods Pro can use the data from your test to boost the frequencies that you have trouble hearing, making it easier to hear voices and other sounds around you.
There's also a Media Assist feature that goes along with the Hearing Aid function, and it adjusts music, videos, and calls so you can hear them better. You can also turn on the Hearing Aid feature using an audiogram from an audiologist if you don't want to take the test on the iPhone.
Note that if your test showed no hearing loss, Apple will not recommend changes to your AirPods tuning, and there will not be an option to turn on the Hearing Aid feature.
To see even more information from your Hearing Test, you can go to the Hearing section of the Health app and tap into the test to see a graph of which frequencies you had the most trouble with.
Along with Hearing Assistance, the AirPods Pro 2 also offer Hearing Protection as part of Apple's Hearing Health feature set. This includes a Loud Sound Reduction option that is enabled automatically. Loud Sound Reduction listens for loud noises around you in Transparency and Adaptive Modes, and reduces the level of the noise to prevent hearing loss.
If you're at a concert, for example, Loud Sound Reduction will drop the noise to a healthier level so that it won't impact your hearing. The same goes for other loud sounds like nearby construction work.
Apple says that in Transparency Mode, you'll see 11-15 decibels of sound reduction in an environment where the noise level is at 100 decibels, while in Adaptive Mode, noise reduction will range from 25 to 29 decibels. With Active Noise Cancellation, noise reduction is 25 to 30 decibels.
The amount of noise reduction can vary based on the fit of the AirPods Pro 2 and the environment that you're in. The AirPods Pro 2 don't provide enough sound reduction for "extremely loud impulse sounds" like gunfire, jackhammers, or fireworks, nor do they work well enough for sustained noise levels louder than 110 decibels.
In the Health app under the Environmental Sound Reduction section, you can see the amount of sound reduction you've gotten from your AirPods Pro from hour to hour.
If you have the iOS 18.1 developer or public beta and AirPods Pro 2, you can try out the new hearing test and hearing aid feature right now. Otherwise, this functionality is set to become available to the public when iOS 18.1 launches next week.
What do you think of the new Hearing Health features for the AirPods Pro 2? Let us know in the comments below.
Article Link: Testing the New iOS 18.1 Hearing Aid Functionality
Socialism tends to give you nice things too, like free or low-cost education, universal medical care, affordable housing, etc.
The sounds used in the audio tests are very simple, doesn't require much in terms of sophistication from the ear buds/headphones you use. There are in fact many hearing test apps in the App Store that works with any type of headset/ear buds. There's no technical reason why Apple couldn't offer the hearing test on all their AirPods and Beats, it's just that they've chosen to position this test as part of the set-up process for the hearing aid functionality, which is only available on AirPods Pro 2. I guess they wanted to avoid the confusion of people taking the test then finding their AirPods / Beats don't actually function as hearing aids.
The AirPods won't boost sound as much as you need. But if you want *some* sound boost, I've seen people say you can edit your audiogram or upload an audiogram, so it shows mild to moderate hearing loss. That may or may not meaningfully impact your hearing experience. I plan to give it a try (I have moderate to severe hearing loss) once the feature is officially released.
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UK and EU are not averse to Fintech at all. Some of the biggest fintech companies in the world are based in UK/EU such as Revolut, Wise, and Fnality. I think that is more likely to be the reason Apple has not launched those products here - there is a lot more competition with better terms.
Yeah. Not sure if decades of socialism keep Europe from having a hearing aid in an earphone…
But the truth is, is that the US with its risk-taking culture took much better advantage of the zero-interest environment after 2008. Europeans did not grasp what opportunity it was to throw money at the craziest ideas - of which 0.1% tuned out not to be so crazy after all. Europe will struggle with this for many decades.
I'd ask you not be negative with this. Some people cannot afford $1,500 dollars for hearing aids. Some people may not need full fledged hearing aids yet. AirPods Pro 2, something a lot of people already have, now have an excellent feature that should not be downplayed or minimized because you spend $1500 vs $250 for nearly the same thing. Notice how I said "nearly". This is a WONDERFUL thing they introduced and made available. THIS is the future. It's going to help many people, including myself.
If someone finds them helpful and they want something more permanent, it will give them time to save up for behind the ear hearing aids.
Do they only offer BTE? My Widex ITE was much more than $1500 a decade or so ago and I only needed one. I now need one for the other side and it looks like I would be out $5000-6000, which makes my Prime day $169 APP2 much more affordable while I figure out how to swing the expense.
This is an important thing to consider doing, because testing at only 4 points on the spectrum seems ridiculous, especially with the highest point at only 4kHz. It might be good enough for speech (though I think modern speech-optimized codecs usually go higher, to 6 or 7kHz, for example), but not for many genres of music.