The iPhone 16<\/a> may have been the focal point of Apple’s Monday event, but Apple had another announcement to pair with its new $799 smartphone<\/a> \u2014 a free update to the $250 AirPods Pro 2, which Apple refreshed last year<\/a>, to make the earbuds double as hearing aids.<\/p>\n “We’re really excited to announce that this fall, AirPods Pro will have a clinical grade, over-the-counter hearing aid feature,” Dr. Sumbul Desai<\/a>, vice president of health at Apple, said at the event<\/a>, specifying that the feature addresses mild to moderate hearing loss.<\/p>\n Related:<\/b> FDA Finalizes Rule To Make Hearing Aids Over-the-Counter<\/a><\/p>\n After a software update this fall, anyone with a pair of AirPods Pro 2 and an updated iPhone will be able to access a five-minute, at-home, clinically validated hearing test. All they have to do is tap their iPhone screen in response to auditory cues. Based on the results of the hearing test, Apple promises<\/a> that the AirPods will become personalized hearing aids sensitive to their needs.<\/p>\n Apple also added an “on by default” for everyone hearing protection mode, which actively filters out loud background noise, like the sound of a lawn mower, for hearing health.<\/p>\n Around 20% of the world’s population, or about 1.5 billion people, experience hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization<\/a>. In the U.S.<\/a>, about 36 million people have mild to moderate hearing loss, while 1.8 million people experience severe hearing loss.<\/p>\n Related:<\/b> Why Investing in the Accessibility Space Is a Smart Business Move<\/a><\/p>\n Hearing aids can be expensive, priced anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000<\/a> per pair, though some over-the-counter devices can cost as little as $30<\/a>. The price variation arose in 2022 <\/a>after the FDA passed a rule allowing for over-the-counter, lower-cost hearing aids. Though the quality and fit<\/a> of over-the-counter options may be less satisfactory than prescription options, “very few<\/a>” insurance policies cover the cost of prescription devices. So over-the-counter could be the affordable alternative.<\/p>\n Apple isn’t the first to offer affordable hearing aids. Sony has multiple<\/a> self-fitting, FDA-cleared hearing aids ranging between $799 and $1,099, with its first two options released in 2022<\/a>. Sennheiser introduced its own over-the-counter hearing aids in August 2023<\/a> and priced them at $999.<\/p>\n Apple differentiates the AirPods Pro 2 by saying that the device’s hearing updates form “the world’s first end-to-end hearing health<\/a> experience.” About 100 million people<\/a> around the world use AirPods, emphasizing the broad reach of hearing updates Apple could roll out in the years to come.<\/p>\n The AirPods Pro 2 has been available since 2022<\/a> but the company refreshed the product last year with USB-C charging <\/a>and adaptive noise control. The earbuds did not get any hardware changes this year; Apple announced this free software update instead.<\/p>\n Related:<\/b> 5 Ways ChatGPT Is Empowering People with Disabilities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.entrepreneur.com\/images\/misc\/1725991407_Airpods-2-GettyImages-1243027361.jpg?width=1000\")
The Apple AirPods Pro 2. Photographer: Nic Coury\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/i><\/sup><\/p>\n