Apple Watch Hypertension Alerts and AirPods Hearing Aid Feature Expand to More Countries - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Watch Hypertension Alerts and AirPods Hearing Aid Feature Expand to More Countries

Apple today said Hearing Aid features are now available for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 in Italy, Romania, and Czechia, while Hypertension alerts have expanded to Israel.

AirPods Hearing Aid Thumb 1
The Hearing Aid option allows the AirPods Pro to be used as an over-the-counter alternative to a traditional set of hearing aids. The AirPods Pro can improve sound to mitigate mild to moderate hearing loss, adjusting voices and sounds around the user to improve hearing. It can also set music, videos, and phone calls to optimal sound levels using a personalized hearing profile created after taking a Hearing Test.

Loud Sound Reduction also prevents hearing damage from loud ambient noise by cutting down on high-decibel sound when using Transparency and Adaptive modes.

Hearing Aid capabilities are available with the AirPods Pro 2 and ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ when paired with a device running iOS 26/iPadOS 26 or later.

In Israel, users will be able to get an alert if the Apple Watch detects signs of chronic high blood pressure. Alerts use data collected from the heart rate sensor over a 30-day period.
Hypertension alerts are available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, Apple Watch 11
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

youtube iphone apple watch health ad 2026

New Apple Ad Sells the iPhone and Apple Watch Health Pairing

Thursday April 23, 2026 11:18 am PDT by
Apple has published a new ad to appeal to customers in the market for an iPhone and Apple Watch pairing, highlighting the insights it can offer for your health. Titled simply "Health with iPhone + Apple Watch," the half-minute ad focuses on a woman waiting in line at a cafe who begins receiving unsolicited health and fitness advice from other people in the queue, as well as local residents,...
watchos 26 gradient light

This New Apple Watch Face Is Coming in watchOS 26.5

Friday April 24, 2026 5:51 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5 will have a new Pride Luminance wallpaper and Apple Watch face when the updates are released in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a brief tweet, Gurman revealed that Pride Luminance will "Celebrate the vibrancy and individuality of the LGBTQ+ community and customize your watch face with colors from Pride flags." iOS 26.5 has been in...
modular ultra training load

watchOS 27 to Offer New Watch Faces, Including 'Modular Ultra' Variant

Monday May 4, 2026 5:58 am PDT by
For watchOS 27, Apple is testing new Apple Watch faces, and one of them is a simpler version of an existing Apple Watch Ultra watch face that could be coming to standard Series models. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is testing multiple new faces for watchOS 27, code-named "Orchid." One of them is said to be a "simplified take" on the...

Top Rated Comments

4 days ago at 11:31 am
Good to know. Getting permission from required authorities is taking time and should be the only reason why launch is delayed in certain regions.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4 days ago at 12:50 pm
Big thumbs up for this one - really excited for my mom to finally try out the hearing aid feature.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
4 days ago at 11:34 am
I love this side of Apple using existing tech integrated with the health app providing interesting and useful information across a variety of health metrics.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3 days ago at 05:00 pm

It is still incredibly annoying that… "As of May 2026, the clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 and 3 is not officially activated in Canada due to provincial regulations on over-the-counter (OTC) devices, though Health Canada approved the technology in late 2024" - is this ever going to be activated in Canada? - this seems so highly unusual, and is so frustrating for so many people.
It may be coming soon to Ontario. The Provincial Government announced a 30-day consultation on April 28, 2026. Individuals, industry partners, health organizations and others will be invited to provide feedback on the proposed changes through Ontario’s Regulatory Registry.

Following the consultation period, the government will consider feedback received through the consultation before making any future policy and regulatory decisions.

SOURCE:
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007363/ontario-supporting-access-to-over-the-counter-hearing-aids
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3 days ago at 02:25 pm

It is still incredibly annoying that… "As of May 2026, the clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 and 3 is not officially activated in Canada due to provincial regulations on over-the-counter (OTC) devices, though Health Canada approved the technology in late 2024" - is this ever going to be activated in Canada? - this seems so highly unusual, and is so frustrating for so many people.
Depending on where you are in the country the feature can be activated. I was in the states in January 2025 and it unlocked for me. Since then I have done all iOS updates, replaced my phone and AirPods and still have them working. Other users have said just being along or near the border was enough to activate it. For the record I am in ns.

I agree though that people shouldn’t have to go to these measures to get them working.

Attachment Image
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeatsByTim Avatar
4 days ago at 01:47 pm
airpods hurt my ears after like 30 minutes. I can't imagine relying on them as hearing aids.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)