With the new update, iPhone users can perform hearing health test on AirPods Pro 2.
Credit: Apple
As per the latest World Health Organisation report, 1.5 billion-plus people are living with hearing loss globally. As hearing loss worsens gradually over time, most people lead their lives unaware of the issue until it's too late.
To bring awareness among people, WHO's Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness hosts International Hearing Day events on March 3 every year worldwide.
Apple, one of the most valuable technology companies in the world, has launched several innovative ear health tracking and accessibility features in the iPhone, the Watch, iPad and the AirPods to assist people with hearing loss.
It should be noted that a medical-grade over-the-counter hearing aid is super expensive. This is a major factor for most people to continue to live in isolation without any assistive support. An AirPods Pro 2 (review) costs significantly less than them.
In late 2024, Apple rolled out iOS 18.1 with firmware (v7B19) to AirPods Pro 2. With this, users can check their hearing health status and if needed, can turn their AirPods Pro 2 into a hearing aid as well.
There are other notable hearing features in Apple devices. Here they are:
Sound Recognition
Sound Recognition feature on Apple devices listens for certain sounds and uses on‑device intelligence to notify the user when they are detected.
It can recognise 15 different sounds. Even the user can train the device to listen for electronic sounds that are unique to his/her environment, like the beeping of appliances in the kitchen, specific types of alarms or doorbells.
On HomePod, Sound Recognition can also detect the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm.
Recently, Apple introduced support for Sound Recognition in CarPlay in select compatible cars. The iPhone will listen for and detect sirens and horns. It will connect with the display dashboard of the car to push a notification. This will help the car driver to make space for the police vehicle or an ambulance to move ahead.
Transcriptions
Transcripts offer full-text versions of whatever the user is listening to, making everything more accessible for people with hearing disability. Users can get a full transcript of the podcast on Apple Podcasts right on the iPhone or iPad.
Noise app
The Noise app on the Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad can track decibel levels of the ambient sounds around the owner. If the sound level a crosses beyond a normal level, it will flash a notification to move away from the place.
Also, it can help you identify when sound levels in the headphones, which could negatively affect the hearing in the long term.
User has to just configure the Noise app on Apple Watch and connect compatible headphones, Control Centre shows if the sounds playing through the headphones reach unsafe levels. And all the information is stored securely in the Health app on iPhone for easy access to the data whenever the user needs it.
Live Listen
Live Listen is an assistive listening feature that helps the user have conversations in loud places.
The user has to wear the AirPods and just turn on the feature on iPhone. And, move the device towards the people he/she is talking with. Audio is picked up by the device’s microphone and sent to the wireless headphones or hearing devices (supported only on devices 'Made for iPhone'). This way the users can hear what the other person is saying more clearly.
Sensory Alerts
Apple device lets the owner know when something’s up, in a way they’ll notice. They can choose visual or vibrating alerts for incoming Phone and FaceTime calls, text messages, new and sent mail, and calendar events.
User can set an LED light flash for incoming calls or have the iPhone display a photo of the caller.
On the Mac, the feature makes the screen flash light, when the apps such as iMessages, FaceTime, and Phone app need the owner's attention.
If the owner is on the go, the Taptic Engine on Apple Watch gives a gentle tap every time a notification comes in.
Closed Captions
As the name suggests, the Closed captions feature transcribes dialogues in a video played on the screen. The text transcription displayed on screen will be correctly in sync with a video’s dialogue and action.
In addition to transcribing speech in a scene, they also capture non-verbal communication, music and sound effects as well. Currently, the Closed Captions are supported in apps such as the Apple TV app. It is available in more than 40 languages for movies, TV shows, videos and podcasts — just look for the CC icon. Users can also customise captions with different styles and fonts, including styles that are larger and outlined for better legibility.
Music Haptics
Music Haptics syncs the iPhone with Taptic Engine. The latter creates the vibration on the device in sync with the rhythm of songs. The Music Haptics works with millions of songs across the Apple Music catalogue.
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