Apple Has The Hearing Aid Market In Its Sights With A New AirPods Pro Feature

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without seeing someone using a pair of Airpods. But what if these ubiquitous earbuds could go beyond playing your favorite music and podcasts or allowing you to take a phone call on the go?

Apple says there’s more the second generation of its AirPods Pro can do … and its plans were on display during an event earlier this week.

Hearing is believing

Individuals with varying degrees of hearing loss have long been able to turn to over-the-counter hearing aids as a way to boost the volume. And this market has become saturated with various products that serve as both hearing aids and earbuds.

So it might not be surprising to learn that Apple wants a piece of the action, but it doesn’t mean that the Big Tech company plans to release an all-new product. Instead, the plan is to simply add new technology to existing AirPods, thereby allowing them to also function as hearing aids.

Like other devices available without a doctor’s visit, Apple says consumers who use this new AirPod feature will be able to program their earbuds based on their own unique needs. An iPhone app is expected to serve as the test, allowing users to tap when they hear a noise through the AirPods and giving the device sufficient data to adjust volumes to the optimal level.

More than conversations

The real game-changer for those who currently use other over-the-counter hearing aids is that the AirPods Pro technology will also amplify various forms of media — from streaming services to video games to phone calls — in addition to ambient sounds.

Best of all, with a retail price of $249, these earbuds are less expensive than most hearing aids on the market.

Chris Agee September 12th, 2024

Share this story: