'Apple Hearing Study' Insights Shared Ahead of World Hearing Day

Apple today shared key insights from its Apple Hearing Study to encourage others to better understand and manage their hearing health. The data comes from thousands of participants across the United States.

apple hearing study featured
For example, Apple said 25 percent of participants experience a daily average environmental sound exposure like traffic, machinery, or public transportation that is higher than the WHO's recommended limit. In addition, Apple said nearly 50 percent of participants in the study now work, or have previously worked, in a loud workplace.

Other insights shared by Apple:

  • Average weekly headphone exposure for one in 10 participants is higher than the WHO's recommended limit.
  • About 10 percent of participants have been diagnosed with hearing loss by a professional. Of these, 75 percent do not use assistive support such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
  • 20 percent of participants have hearing loss when compared to WHO standards, and 10 percent have hearing loss that is consistent with noise exposure.
  • Nearly 50 percent of participants haven't had their hearing tested by a professional in at least 10 years.
  • 25 percent of participants experience ringing in their ears a few times a week or more, which could be a sign of hearing damage.

Apple explains how its products can help protect a person's hearing. With the Noise app on the Apple Watch, for example, users can enable notifications that alert when environmental noise levels might affect their hearing health.

Apple is sharing these findings just ahead of World Hearing Day on March 3, which aims to address hearing loss and related issues. By 2050, the WHO estimates more than 700 million people globally will experience profound hearing loss, according to Apple.

The Apple Hearing Study, available through Apple's Research app, is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and data is being shared with the WHO's Make Listening Safe initiative.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

farewelwilliams Avatar
57 months ago
Did Siri participate in the study?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jimmy James Avatar
57 months ago
Apple’s work in health related topics meshes well with their privacy stance. There is some real innovation and meaningful quality of life improvements possible here. I know a guy who didn’t need to wear a daily holster monitor for cardiac monitoring because his doctor was ok with using Apple Watch data. That’s huge!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Localcelebrity Avatar
57 months ago
I'm enrolled in the Heart & Movement Study, and I genuinely enjoy knowing that my data is going towards good research and not being data mined. I honestly wish there were more studies available.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
57 months ago
It would be cool if they added resistance to the digital crown - I have accidentally sent the volume on my airpods to full when the crown rubs against my sleeves/gloves.

It would be cool if the direction of the volume sliders on the iPhone widget screen were different from the way you swipe. I have accidentally sent the volume on my airpods to full by trying to swipe to the home screen but 'grabbing' the volume bar instead...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
57 months ago
The is a very good partnership with WHO. Pure innovation Apple.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wmadan Avatar
57 months ago

My condolences to you from a fellow sufferer.
And mine, too, from a fellow sufferer with tinnitus caused by nerve deafness in my left ear.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)