How’s Your Hearing? Apple’s Latest AirPods Pro 2 Update Can Let You Know

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The fashion designer Sandy Liang has teamed up with Beats, and high-end brands like CHANEL are releasing luxury headphones such as the Première Sound Watch for $15,000 USD. This shows that headphones have moved beyond being just a tool for listening to music and have become a part of our personal style and self-expression. The market for earbuds and headphones has grown substantially in recent times, with Credence Research predicting that this trend will continue, and the industry could be worth a staggering $218.2 billion USD by 2032 – an increase of more than twice its current size of $71.5 billion USD in 2023.

Headphones have become more than just gadgets for listening to music; they are now fashion statements and a way for us to express ourselves. The market for these devices has grown a lot in recent years, and it’s expected to keep growing, potentially reaching over $218 billion USD by 2032 – almost double its current size of around $71.5 billion USD in 2023.

The surge in popularity has brought ear health into sharper focus, an area often neglected, even among the health-conscious youth. A lesser discussed consequence is a rise in hearing problems among young adults. Historically linked to old age, this condition is now more prevalent than ever among today’s young population. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that “over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, preventable hearing loss due to unsafe listening habits.

Among countless iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, Apple also manufactures the world’s top-selling earbuds – AirPods. The distinctive small white dots of this tech leader are easily recognizable, and as per Bloomberg forecasts, they are expected to generate over $22 billion USD in revenue for Apple during their 2024 fiscal year.

So, let’s consider a situation where a company, like Apple, produces a product that seems to be at the heart of a rising health concern – yet, surprisingly, it steps up as a champion in combating this issue. To make things clear from the beginning, AirPods have not been identified as causing hearing loss, but rather, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), instances of hearing loss are on the rise due to extended exposure to loud sounds, be it through headphones or otherwise, in recreational settings, which essentially means listening to music at high volumes.

2023 marks a significant achievement for Apple, an accomplishment that many of its 2.2 billion users might not realize: it’s been 40 years since the company started focusing on accessibility. This initiative began when Apple established its Office of Disability in 1985, a fact that Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s long-term Global Head of Accessibility, takes great pride in. To underscore this, Herrlinger shared with TopMob that Apple’s decision to create a division dedicated to making accessibility an integral part of their corporate ethos and product development actually happened five years before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed.

Hearing Test on the AirPods Pro 2, which have been certified as “clinical-grade hearing aids”.

Apple’s products have adapted along with technological progress, often offering more functionalities than one might initially expect. For instance, the Apple Watch can display the time and also monitor your heart’s electrical activity. In terms of auditory assistance, Apple’s premium AirPods Pro 2 are now recognized as high-grade hearing aids. This week, Apple, based in Cupertino, broadened the health-related capabilities of its earbuds to additional markets such as the U.K., further emphasizing their versatility.

Apart from catering to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, Apple’s new features also extend to general health and wellness. For instance, much like the Apple Watch alerts users about irregular heartbeats as a potential warning sign, AirPods Pro 2 introduces proactive health features that the company hopes will be utilized by everyone.

Among these features, the standout one is aptly named Hearing Test. This quick assessment, lasting roughly five minutes, evaluates your auditory capabilities across different frequencies. The results are given in decibels (dBHL) and are categorized into five levels: “Little to No Loss” (-25 to 25 dBHL), “Mild Loss” (26 to 40 dBHL), “Moderate Loss” (41 to 60 dBHL), “Severe Loss” (61 to 80 dBHL) and “Profound Loss” (81 dBHL and above). Although it’s not meant to replace professional medical attention, this feature allows users to monitor their hearing health from the comfort of their homes. As Apple’s Sarah Herrlinger puts it, it’s a “medical-grade hearing test accessible on iPhone or iPad.” Currently, AirPods Pro 2 users can access this functionality.

Apple’s Music Haptics feature lets you experience the music physically.

Apple has recently broadened its Haptics for Music function, a feature introduced last year allowing users to physically experience music. The Haptics for Music makes use of the iPhone’s Taptic Engine to generate taps, textures, and precise vibrations that mimic a song’s rhythm and flow, serving as a tangible enhancement to the audio experience. Initially designed for the deaf or hearing-impaired community, this feature can now be enjoyed by everyone, with Apple constantly enhancing the already vast library of “millions” of songs on Apple Music that have been equipped with this feature.

It appears that, regarding hearing issues, Apple is very attentive. A twist on the old saying might be “An Apple a day keeps the audiologist away.” If you’re an AirPods Pro 2 user and concerned about your hearing health, why not give Hearing Test a spin right now?

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2025-03-05 21:26