Apple is working behind the scenes to get ready to introduce Hearing Assistance functionality to the AirPods Pro 2. The latest iOS 18.1 beta does not have the feature enabled at the current time, but it is hidden in the update and Apple could potentially activate it in a future iOS 18.1 beta.
We were able to access the hidden AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Assistance feature set in the fifth iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas, and we tested it out.
When Hearing Assistance launches, users will be prompted to take a hearing test or upload an audiogram from an audiologist. Apple says the results will be used to turn on a hearing aid feature for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, but for all users, it can be used to make sound adjustments to improve music, video, and call clarity.
The test takes approximately five minutes to complete, and it prompts users to tap the screen each time they hear a tone. The AirPods Pro 2 are only recommended for mild to moderate hearing loss, and those with more serious hearing loss likely won't be able to use the Hearing Aid feature.
After the hearing test, users will have the option to turn on the Hearing Aid option if it is required. Hearing Aid adjusts the voices and sounds around the user to account for the tones and frequencies that are not able to be heard.
Apple has already received FDA authorization for the AirPods Pro 2 to function as an over-the-counter hearing aid, and it could be rolled out at any time. Apple has said the feature will come out this fall, so it would make sense for it to be introduced in a future iOS 18.1 beta.
Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing.
For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report.
ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services.
The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
Monday December 9, 2024 7:36 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia.
The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Amazing. My dad could really use a hearing aid but insurance doesn't cover it and buying a hearing aid is obnoxiously expressive. This could be a useful alternative in certain circumstances.
iOS 18.1 isn't needed for hearing aid functionality--it's only needed to access Apple's FDA approved hearing test. AirPods Pro have supported hearing aid functionality for at least 2 years--and it's been great! Just go to Accessibility>Audio & Visual>Headphone Accommodations and Customize*. You can either use the quick and easy A vs. B test Apple provides or enter an audiogram, the latter of which will tailor AirPods Pro for each ear separately. 3rd party apps like Mimi will allow you to test your hearing and automatically provide an audiogram you can choose to use.
In my opinion, Music, speech and Transparency Mode all sound far more natural and pleasant with AirPods Pro than with hearing aids costing far, far more. Plus AirPods Pro support automatic switching between Apple devices and press-to-activate Active Noise Cancellation.
*I believe prior to iOS 18.0, the location of Headphone Accommodations was Accessibility>Headphone Accommodations.
Not for me and I wear hearing aids - I don't want people think I'm listening to music or other stuff cause they see AirPods on me. Yes hearing aids are ridiculously expensive and who knows why other than greed. An iPhone costs !000 but hearing aids that only do 1 thing costs over 5,000
Apple's overt* incursion into the hearing aid market will make wearing AirPods Pro for hearing assistance far more common and acceptable. (Remember when AirPods first came out and how dorky people looked? They don't any more.) If you're still worried about other people's perception, just wear the device in one ear (while the other one charges in the case perhaps). An iPhone 16 Pro Max plus AirPods Pro costs less than one set of Costco hearing aids.
*AirPods Pro have already supported audiogram-adjusted hearing for at least 2 years or since at least iOS 16. Apple just didn't say anything about it.
