Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now double as clinical-grade hearing aids

Apple today released a software update for AirPods Pro 2 that transforms the wireless earbuds into clinical-grade hearing aids, marking the company's first comprehensive hearing health solution.

The update introduces three key features: Hearing Protection to reduce exposure to loud environmental noise, an at-home Hearing Test capability, and a Hearing Aid function for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Developed at Apple's state-of-the-art Audio Lab in Cupertino, California, the technology aims to address a global health challenge affecting approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, according to World Health Organization statistics.

"We created an innovative, end-to-end hearing health experience that's both simple to use and adaptable to a wide range of needs," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health. "We knew the results would literally change people's lives — and democratise access to treatment."

The features were extensively tested in the company's specialized facilities, including the Longwave anechoic chamber and Fantasia Lab, which uses 50 loudspeakers to simulate real-world environments. Engineers conducted thousands of clinical-grade audiometry tests in three permanent audiometric booths before moving to clinical validation studies.

Kuba Mazur, Apple's hearing health lead engineer, emphasized the comprehensive testing process: "From the quietest sounds we can hear for the Hearing Test feature, to speech in noisy restaurants for the Hearing Aid feature, and even concert levels for Hearing Protection, we can bring the real world into our acoustics facilities."

The development involved collaboration across multiple teams, including software and hardware engineering, design, health, accessibility, clinical operations, and regulatory departments, to ensure the features met clinical testing requirements while remaining user-friendly.

The update is available starting today, though some features may not be available in all regions.