Apple revealed its new iPhone last night with typical fanfare, along with a nifty little feature for its earphones that are already on the market.
A software update to the firm’s £229 AirPods Pro 2, first released in 2022, will let wearers use them as a clinical-grade hearing aid.
The feature boosts specific sounds in real time without a lag – such as another person’s speech or environmental noises like traffic.
Apple hopes it will shake up the market for hearing aids, which typically cost £400 or more.
It will be available as part of iOS 18, Apple’s new software update coming later this month.
The hearing aid function will be available later this month as part of iOS 18, Apple’s new operating system
According to Apple, one in three people are are regularly exposed to loud environmental noise levels that can impact hearing, while three quarters of those diagnosed with hearing loss go untreated.
The tech giant hopes its new hearing aid capability for AirPods Pro 2 aims to increase awareness and prevention of hearing loss.
‘Hearing health is an essential part of our overall wellbeing, yet it can often be overlooked,’ said Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of health.
‘We’re thrilled to provide breakthrough software features with AirPods Pro that put users’ hearing health front and centre, bringing new ways to help test for and receive assistance for hearing loss.’
With the new software update, wearers will first be able to have a ‘scientifically validated’ hearing test to first see if they actually need the hearing aid feature.
‘A clinical-grade hearing aid’: The health update is coming to the AirPods Pro 2, first released in 2022
First, a hearing test involves users tapping the screen when they hear a variety of sounds at different volumes and frequencies
The test involves users tapping the screen of a paired iPhone when they hear a variety of sounds at different volumes and frequencies through their AirPods.
When a user completes the test, they will see a summary of the results in the Health app on their device.
Users can also share the results with their healthcare providers for ‘more informed conversations’ about their hearing, according to Apple.
Using the results from the hearing test, the new feature transforms AirPods Pro into a hearing aid by boosting surrounding sounds in real time.
‘This helps users better engage in conversation and keeps them connected to the people and environment around them,’ Apple said in a statement.
Apple says: ‘AirPods Pro add a clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid capability for users with mild to moderate hearing loss’
Adjustments will also be made to music, movies, games, and phone calls across an iPhone, without users needing to change any settings.
Hearing aid and hearing test are still yet to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities, but Apple said this should happen ‘soon’.
Apple has also announced £129 AirPods 4, its latest earphones in its standard AirPods line, which are cheaper than the existing AirPods Pro line.
AirPods 4 includes noise cancellation abilities and ‘the most advanced audio experience’, but not the new hearing function.
Apple also revealed a new edition of its smartwatch that will tell users if they have sleep apnea – a disorder when breathing stops and starts during sleep.
AirPod Pro 2 will feature noise reduction technology to provide hearing protection, with the devices also becoming able to perform a clinical hearing test in just five minutes to check its user’s hearing health
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were the first two smartphones unveiled at the event, with Apple claiming they ‘mark the beginning of a new era for iPhone’
It detects small movements at the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep.
But the biggest announcement of the day from Apple was the iPhone 16, which comes with a new camera button and new AI capabilities.
The iPhone 16, starting at $799/£799, comes in two sizes – 6.1 inches, and 6.7 inches for the Plus model.
The phones are powered by new A18 chips, which feature a 16-core neural engine designed for generative AI-linked tasks and Apple Intelligence.