While Apple introduced the AirPods 4 at its iPhone 16 event and also gave the AirPods Max a small upgrade — adding USB-C and some new colors — it also announced some new features coming to the AirPods Pro 2. The biggest feature coming to the headphones is the ability to use them as over-the-counter, clinical-grade hearing aids.
The only thing Apple needed was FDA approval for this feature, and now the company has it. In a press release, the FDA announced that it has granted clearance to AirPods Pro 2 to serve as a hearing aid. In the announcement, the agency said: “Once installed and adjusted to the user’s hearing needs, the hearing aid feature enables compatible versions of AirPods Pro to serve as an OTC hearing aid designed to amplify sounds for individuals 18 years of age or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
Michelle Tarver, M.D., Ph.D., acting director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement that “today’s approval to sell over-the-counter hearing aid software on a widely used consumer audio product is another step that improves the accessibility, affordability and acceptability of hearing support for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.”
There’s even more coming to AirPods Pro 2
The hearing aid industry is huge. According to the FDA, “more than 30 million American adults report some degree of hearing loss,” so this is an industry ripe for disruption, and Apple is the perfect place to do it.
While the ability to use your AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid is certainly the biggest feature coming to headphones this fall with iOS 18, there are two other major health features on the way. The first is Hearing Protection, which is turned on by default and ensures that you don’t make the sound so loud that you permanently damage your ears. In fact, you can now use AirPods Pro 2 as earplugs at live concerts.
Another feature coming to AirPods Pro 2 is a hearing test that anyone can take from home to test the health of their hearing. Apple says the test is “clinically validated” and can be performed in just five minutes at home. The company says the test uses real-world data and builds on insights it has gained through its Apple Study programs. Once you complete the test, you will receive a personalized hearing profile.
While the AirPods 4 may be the only “new” AirPods the company is releasing this fall, the AirPods Pro 2 may even feel new with all these new features. Yay, headphones are becoming upgradeable products!