Apple Gets FDA Authorization for AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid Feature

Apple will soon allow the AirPods Pro 2 to serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid, and the company has now received FDA clearance for the feature.

airpods pro 2 hearing aids
As noted by TechCrunch, the FDA today announced that it has authorized Apple to add OTC hearing aid functionality to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, and it marks the first product that the FDA has allowed to serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid software device.

An update coming to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will add the Hearing Aid functionality. Users will take a short Hearing Test using the AirPods and an iPhone, and if hearing loss is detected, a personalized sound profile is created that allows the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to make dynamic sound adjustments to increase sound as needed.

Apple says that the clinical-grade hearing aid feature will help people better engage in conversation and stay connected to the people and environment around them.

Personalized hearing profiles are automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls without the need to adjust any settings. For those with little to no hearing loss, the Hearing Test will also help with specific adjustments at individual frequencies.

Apple plans to roll out the Hearing Aid feature for ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 this fall.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

CloneBB Avatar
8 months ago
This is gonna be huge.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonjames505 Avatar
8 months ago
We used the AirPods Pros as a form of hearing aid with my grandmother before she passed. We could speak into the iPhone and it would amplify in her ears through the AirPods. It was amazing watching her light up when she could finally hear us again.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
8 months ago
Amazing Apple. Saving lives and health helping everyone. Thank you Tim and Apple!
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
8 months ago
Just FYI - this means you can likely* use FSA/HSA funds from your insurance to purchase them.

https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/ear/are-hearing-aids-fsa-eligible

*YMMV.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FoxBJK Avatar
8 months ago

Wonder what markets this will cut into.
https://www.inc.com/reuters/hearing-aid-makers-shares-slip-after-apple-air-pods-release.html

There's no stigma wearing AirPods all day, and by contrast no one wants to wear hearing aids. This could be devastating for the market.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joshwithachance Avatar
8 months ago
This is HUGE... And arguably the best thing to come out of Monday's keynote.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)