Apple Confirms AirPods Pro 2 To Gain New Upgrade ‘In Coming Weeks’ – Forbes
Updated Jan. 20 with more details about the hearing health capability and an AirPods Pro 2 feature that helps improve it. Last fall’s hardware updates for the Apple headphones line were focused on two new sets of AirPods and AirPods Max with USB-C. AirPods Pro 2 went unchanged, but updated software was introduced and now the U.K. will benefit from the cool hearing aid features in a matter of weeks. More details have now emerged about the feature and a neat extra that helps it work.Apple AirPods Pro 2.First, Matt Bolton at Tech Radar has confirmed why the hearing health features are restricted to the AirPods Pro 2 and not the new AirPods Pro which come in versions with or without Active Noise Cancelling.“Apple says that this is because those models lack an in-ear seal to improve noise isolation, which is necessary for its technology to be effective. The mode will not come to previous models of AirPods either – though I would expect it to be part of the feature list of the AirPods Pro 3, which is rumored to arrive later in 2025,” Bolton explains.AirPods Pro 2 already unveiled the Hearing Test feature, so users can take a validated home hearing test to see if they would benefit from hearing aid assistance.But while these features are already live in the U.S., for instance, some countries, including the U.K., didn’t have regulations in place to permit the earbuds to go on to be used as hearing aids.The British Health Secretary, Wes Streeting said, “Britain can be a powerhouse for medical technology, but only if we rip out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation,” according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.The report also quoted a statement from Apple. “With the new policy guidance from the U.K. Department of Health and Social Care, we look forward to bringing the hearing aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 in the coming weeks to help improve the daily lives of so many U.K. users,” Apple said.In other words, Apple will release an updated version of software for the U.K., likely in iOS 18 but possibly with new firmware for the AirPods Pro in cahoots.Then, AirPods Pro 2 can be used as a hearing aid to help those with mild to moderate hearing loss.Oh, and about that neat extra: if you hear a chime from the AirPods Pro 2 case while it’s charging, it turns out that it’s a feature designed to ensure the microphones and speakers are working properly, “for example to help provide high-quality hearing test results,” Apple says in a support guide.Of course, the battery life can’t match regular hearing aids and so will need to be taken out to be recharged periodically. And it could look like you’re listening to music or making a call when you’re wearing them.But for some people it could overcome the social stigma of having a visible hearing aid while allowing them to hear better.As for timing, Apple’s comment of “the coming weeks” suggests January or February to me. For some, this could be a real boon.One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:So, how can you be a power user?Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.
