Apple is working behind the scenes to get ready to introduce Hearing Assistance functionality to the AirPods Pro 2. The latest iOS 18.1 beta does not have the feature enabled at the current time, but it is hidden in the update and Apple could potentially activate it in a future iOS 18.1 beta.
We were able to access the hidden AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Assistance feature set in the fifth iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas, and we tested it out.
When Hearing Assistance launches, users will be prompted to take a hearing test or upload an audiogram from an audiologist. Apple says the results will be used to turn on a hearing aid feature for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, but for all users, it can be used to make sound adjustments to improve music, video, and call clarity.
The test takes approximately five minutes to complete, and it prompts users to tap the screen each time they hear a tone. The AirPods Pro 2 are only recommended for mild to moderate hearing loss, and those with more serious hearing loss likely won't be able to use the Hearing Aid feature.
After the hearing test, users will have the option to turn on the Hearing Aid option if it is required. Hearing Aid adjusts the voices and sounds around the user to account for the tones and frequencies that are not able to be heard.
Apple has already received FDA authorization for the AirPods Pro 2 to function as an over-the-counter hearing aid, and it could be rolled out at any time. Apple has said the feature will come out this fall, so it would make sense for it to be introduced in a future iOS 18.1 beta.
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 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...
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"...
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...
Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
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 ...
Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
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.
...
Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Amazing. My dad could really use a hearing aid but insurance doesn't cover it and buying a hearing aid is obnoxiously expressive. This could be a useful alternative in certain circumstances.
iOS 18.1 isn't needed for hearing aid functionality--it's only needed to access Apple's FDA approved hearing test. AirPods Pro have supported hearing aid functionality for at least 2 years--and it's been great! Just go to Accessibility>Audio & Visual>Headphone Accommodations and Customize*. You can either use the quick and easy A vs. B test Apple provides or enter an audiogram, the latter of which will tailor AirPods Pro for each ear separately. 3rd party apps like Mimi will allow you to test your hearing and automatically provide an audiogram you can choose to use.
In my opinion, Music, speech and Transparency Mode all sound far more natural and pleasant with AirPods Pro than with hearing aids costing far, far more. Plus AirPods Pro support automatic switching between Apple devices and press-to-activate Active Noise Cancellation.
*I believe prior to iOS 18.0, the location of Headphone Accommodations was Accessibility>Headphone Accommodations.
Not for me and I wear hearing aids - I don't want people think I'm listening to music or other stuff cause they see AirPods on me. Yes hearing aids are ridiculously expensive and who knows why other than greed. An iPhone costs !000 but hearing aids that only do 1 thing costs over 5,000
Apple's overt* incursion into the hearing aid market will make wearing AirPods Pro for hearing assistance far more common and acceptable. (Remember when AirPods first came out and how dorky people looked? They don't any more.) If you're still worried about other people's perception, just wear the device in one ear (while the other one charges in the case perhaps). An iPhone 16 Pro Max plus AirPods Pro costs less than one set of Costco hearing aids.
*AirPods Pro have already supported audiogram-adjusted hearing for at least 2 years or since at least iOS 16. Apple just didn't say anything about it.
