Apple Highlights Hearing Health Issues Leading Up to Super Bowl LIX

Apple and the University of Michigan have released new results from the Apple Hearing Study highlighting the increase in noise levels seen around recent Super Bowl games. The results come just ahead of Super Bowl LIX taking place in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9.

apple hearing study blue
Based on data collected from over 115,000 users via the Noise app on Apple Watch in the Apple Hearing Study, researchers found that study partipicants were exposed to noise levels about 1.5 to 3 decibels higher over the past four Super Bowl games compared to the following Sundays.

While the study's authors note that a 3 dB increase may be "barely noticeable," given the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale it equates to up to a doubling of sound energy that can be detrimental to hearing health.

apple hearing study super bowl
Noise levels were significantly higher for users in states where the Super Bowl was played and whose teams participated in the game each year, compared to those in other states, likely representing a higher number of users in those states gathering for the game, potentially in larger groups and louder environments.

Alongside the results, Apple has highlighted some of the hearing health features offered through the company's devices, including the Noise app on Apple Watch that can alert you to high environmental sound levels and the Hearing Protection feature of AirPods Pro 2 that can reduce your sound exposure in loud environments.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 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 March 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 ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...

Top Rated Comments

Cameront9 Avatar
9 weeks ago
As a deaf person I love Apple for doing this even if the motivation is to sell more AirPods.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
9 weeks ago
AirPods Pro really came in handy last month when I walked into a Sam’s Club and the fire alarm went off. One of the loudest sounds I’ve ever heard, but the AirPods reduced the sound. Even with transparency on.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
System603 Avatar
9 weeks ago
Apple must be fun at parties.

No, it's a good cause and interesting statistics. Tinnitus is a real P.I.T.A., and unnecessary permanent hearing loss, however slight, is no less. The chart shows average that's more than okay, but I get the idea about the first decile... air horns, people screaming into each other's ears, fireworks...

I love using AirPods Pro at random concerts. And the fact that I can check both the original and AirPods' adjusted noise level on my Apple Watch.



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
System603 Avatar
9 weeks ago

AirPods Pro really came in handy last month when I walked into a Sam’s Club and the fire alarm went off. One of the loudest sounds I’ve ever heard, but the AirPods reduced the sound. Even with transparency on.
I can relate. During a fire drill at my workplace, the alarm was so loud that instead of making me act faster, it almost shut me down - I just kept walking automatically, like I was on autopilot. Apple Watch buzzed (loud environment notification), that helped me to snap out of it, I put on my AirPods Pro, and left the building feeling much calmer.

No life saving story here, obviously, but boy was I really glad that I have these gadgets. Sure, I could use fingers in my ears and save a bunch of $$$, but still. Also, my brain evidently did not brain that day... maybe because I rely on too many Apple gadgets! ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
v0lume4 Avatar
9 weeks ago
Tinnitus and hearing loss isn’t a joke. Protect your hearing, friends! That way you can still hear the TV and have fun with your buddies at 50, 60 and beyond.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
9 weeks ago
One of my favorite features of the iPhone combined with AirPods is how it keeps track of making sure I’m not listening too loud
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)