Gurman: AirPods Pro to Gain 'Hearing Aid Mode' in iOS 18

AirPods Pro will gain a new "hearing aid mode" with the release of iOS 18 later this year, according to the latest report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

AirPods Pro
Writing in the subscriber edition of his regular Power On newsletter, Gurman claims that the "big news" for AirPods Pro in the near term will be support for a hearing aid-style function when iOS 18 drops in the fall.

To be clear, this isn't the first time we have heard a potential hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro. The first rumor appeared in a 2021 Wall Street Journal report, but it was previously framed as a feature that would be exclusive to a next-generation model of AirPods Pro. However, Apple in September 2022 released the second-generation AirPods Pro, while the company more recently released a refreshed model with a USB-C port.

AirPods Pro already offer a Conversation Boost feature, which boosts the volume and clarity of people directly in front of the wearer, but Apple has not advertised the earbuds as a hearing aid device, because this would require FDA regulatory approval.

As per the FDA, a hearing aid is defined as "any wearable device designed for, offered for the purpose of, or represented as aiding persons with or compensating for, impaired hearing." This definition encompasses both air-conduction and bone-conduction devices in a variety of styles (for example, behind-the-ear, in-the-canal, or body worn).

Notably, in August 2022 the FDA approved a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids that do not have to adhere to the same strict legal requirements. The new category is called Personal sound amplification products (PSAPs). PSAPs are defined as any "electronic product that is intended for non-hearing impaired consumers to amplify sounds in certain environments, such as for hunting or other recreational activities, and is not intended to aid persons with or compensate for impaired hearing."

Unlike hearing aid devices, PSAPs are "not intended to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent disease, and are not intended to affect the structure or function of the body." As such, there is no regulatory classification or product code for these products, and there are no requirements for legal registration by manufacturers or listing of these products with the FDA.

It is not yet clear whether Apple will need FDA clearance in order to make explicit or implicit claims about the rumored "hearing aid mode," which may not even adopt this exact name. If, for example, Apple subsequently suggests that AirPods Pro are for users with certain types or severity of hearing loss/impaired hearing, or for use as an alternative to a hearing aid, then they will require FDA regulatory approval to be marketed as such.

Apple is set to preview iOS 18 in June at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and will inevitably release the major software update when the iPhone 16 series is launched, which is likely to be sometime in September.

Related Roundups: AirPods Pro, iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forums: AirPods, iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Top Rated Comments

gsurf123 Avatar
15 months ago
This is grim news for the hearing aid companies. I am always happy when old line businesses, who have been gouging customers because of lack of competition, start feeling the heat. There is slow growing bow wave that is going to take out the medical device companies. It is not the case here, but when you see lawyers backing the medical supply companies the writing is on the wall.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JonnyMacx86 Avatar
15 months ago
I know of at least a few people in my life that would benefit from this. I don't know that AirPods would replace hearing aids, but they'd certainly be a welcome addition for a lot of people.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gregory_H Avatar
15 months ago
Agree with gsurf123, this is great news and hopefully will exterminate the predator like hearing aid companies.
They have gouged and robbed those with hearing issues for decades!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lozion Avatar
15 months ago
Interesting..
I have tinnitus. Wonder if with an uploaded audiogram, the new version could generate a tone out of phase to mitigate the frequency feedback..
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uptownjimmy Avatar
15 months ago

I know of at least a few people in my life that would benefit from this. I don't know that AirPods would replace hearing aids, but they'd certainly be a welcome addition for a lot of people.
"Real" hearing aids are expensive, and insurance companies love to not pay for them. Apple would be doing the lord's work if they made real inroads into this market, it would be a blessing for a lot of people.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stevemiller Avatar
15 months ago
reasons why i don't have a lot of faith in any new features from apple:

-will it be limited to airpods pro 2 with usb c because of the upgraded h2 chip? (having two versions of airpods pro 2 with differing functionality is not great)
-conversation boost is so convoluted to set up, apple doesn't make things straightforwards anymore.
-apple is buggy as all get out with absolutely everything these days. after finally setting up convesation boost, i hit the option to enable and disable it - i can hear the audio change, but the checkmark doesn't turn on or off. no way to keep track of whether its actually active.



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Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)