Apple's new AirPods Pro double as hearing aids
Apple announced an array of new features in its latest product lineup this week, including innovations to the iPhone maker's new generation of the AirPods Pro that could be a game changer — and a bargain — for people with hearing loss.
The AirPods Pro 2, which will be available starting Sept. 20, doubles as a hearing aid for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. And at $245, it could serve as an alternative to prescription hearing aids that can cost thousands of dollars.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 1.5 billion people now living with hearing loss, and Apple's own research found that only a fraction of those folks are receiving care for their condition.
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So, the tech giant developed a Hearing Test feature for users, too, which provides a summary of their results that can be stored in their Health App and shared with their health care provider, along with a customized hearing profile for Airpods Pro.
"Hearing health is an essential part of our overall wellbeing, yet it can often be overlooked — in fact, according to the Apple Hearing Study, a staggering 75 percent of people diagnosed with hearing loss go untreated," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health.
"We’re thrilled to provide breakthrough software features with AirPods Pro that put users’ hearing health front and center, bringing new ways to help test for and receive assistance for hearing loss," Desai added.
Apple's new hearing aid feature comes two years after the Food and Drug Administration finalized a historic ruling allowing hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter, improving access to hearing aids for people with perceived mild-to moderate hearing loss by eliminating the need for a medical exam, prescription or a fitting adjustment by an audiologist.
But since the new rules, the hearing aid market has become increasingly competitive.
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Several retailers now offer over-the-counter hearing aids, and last year, Apple's rival, Google, announced a partnership with various organizations in health care service delivery and research technology to develop personalized hearing aids using artificial intelligence.
FOX Business' Bradford Betz and Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.