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The iPhone 16 may have been the focus of Apple’s Monday event, but along with the new $799 smartphone, the company also announced a free update for the $250 AirPods Pro 2. Last year’s refreshallowing the earphones to double as hearing aids.
“We’re excited to announce that AirPods Pro will come with clinical-grade, over-the-counter hearing aid functionality this fall.” Dr. Sumbul DesaiApple’s vice president of healthcare, Speaking at the eventIt is stated that this feature is intended for mild to moderate hearing loss.
Related: FDA finalizes rules for over-the-counter sales of hearing aids
After a software update this fall, anyone with AirPods Pro 2 and an updated iPhone will be able to take a five-minute, clinically validated hearing test at home by simply tapping the iPhone screen in response to auditory cues. Based on the results of the hearing test, Apple will promise AirPods will become personalized hearing aids that are sensitive to the user’s needs.
Apple has also added a “default on” Hearing Protection mode for all users that actively filters out loud background noises like a lawnmower for hearing health.
Approximately 20% of the world’s population, or approximately 1.5 billion people, experience hearing loss. World Health Organization. In the United StatesApproximately 36 million people have mild to moderate hearing loss, and 1.8 million experience severe hearing loss.
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Hearing aids are expensive and the price $2,000 to $7,000 Per pair, some commercially available devices Just $30The price change came in 2022 when the FDA passed rules allowing over-the-counter, lower-cost hearing aids. Quality and fit Over-the-counter options may be less satisfying than prescription options.”Very few“Insurance will cover the cost of prescription devices, so over-the-counter medications can be an affordable alternative.”
Apple AirPods Pro 2. Photo: Nic Coury/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Apple isn’t the first company to offer affordable hearing aids. Sony multiple The first two options for the FDA-cleared self-fitting hearing aids, priced from $799 to $1,099, have been released. 2022Sennheiser has launched its own over-the-counter hearing aid. August 2023 The price was $999.
Apple says the AirPods Pro 2 hearing update is “the world’s first end-to-end hearing aid” Hearing Health About “Experience” 100 million people The adoption of AirPods around the world highlights the breadth of hearing updates Apple will roll out over the next few years.
AirPods Pro 2 has been released 2022 and beyond But the company revamped its product last year. With USB-C charging and Adaptive Noise Control. The earbuds didn’t get any hardware changes this year, instead Apple rolled out this free software update.
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