Apple's move to market AirPods as hearing aids highlights their push to tap into the vast health industry.

• The AirPods Pro 2 headphones from Apple will soon receive FDA clearance as a hearing aid.
• Individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss can utilize their Apple earphones to boost specific sounds for improved hearing.
• Apple is continuing to expand its presence in the health industry, which is projected to be worth $15 trillion.

In the near future, individuals using AirPods may not be blocking you out completely; instead, they may be wearing them to enhance their ability to hear you.

Apple has announced that its AirPods Pro 2 headphones will soon receive a software update, allowing them to be classified as FDA-cleared hearing aids. This means that adults with mild or moderate hearing loss, which is approximately 30 million Americans, will be able to use Apple earphones to amplify specific sounds they want to hear better.

In the feature's launch video, Apple's vice president of health, Sumbul Desai, stated that after taking a hearing test, your AirPods Pro become a personalized hearing aid that enhances specific sounds in real time, such as parts of speech or environmental elements.

Apple's latest announcement is a testament to its strategy to enter the health industry, a potential $15 trillion market by 2030, as stated by RBC Capital Markets. According to Cook, health features are Apple's most significant contribution to humanity.

Apple has been developing FDA-cleared features for its wearable products, including an irregular heartbeat notification service, an atrial fibrillation reader, and an electrocardiogram reader, since 2020.

Some AirPods models will receive a free software update, which will be included with the $249 AirPods Pro 2.

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, many over-the-counter hearing aids are priced higher, with some costing as much as thousands of dollars, despite some OTC hearing aids being available for as low as $99.

The Hearing Loss Association of America's executive director, Barbara Kelley, stated that what is truly impressive about Apple's recent announcement that their AirPods can be used as over-the-counter hearing aids is that it showcases technology innovation at an affordable price point and in a widely popular product.

Apple is trying to jump-start AirPods sales after a few soft years.

The company does not provide individual AirPods sales data, but its Wearables category experienced a 2% annual decline in sales for the most recent quarter. Analysts suggest that incorporating health features, such as a hearing aid, could increase the device's market appeal and potentially boost sales.

"According to Gene Munster, founder of Deepwater Asset Management, the hearing aid piece is a unique application of AirPods, which accounts for approximately 5% of Apple's total revenue. This opens up a new market for the product."

How it works

An iPhone and a pair of Apple AirPods Pro headphones are necessary for Apple's hearing health experience.

The device's Settings app contains a built-in hearing test that plays tones for about five minutes. The user must tap the screen when they hear a tone.

The Health app stores a profile of various frequencies and volume settings that may be difficult for the user to hear, which can be used to personalize the AirPods Pro as hearing aids.

In the promotional video, Apple demonstrated a mother using AirPods to improve her ability to hear her son on his birthday.

Over the counter

Apple's launch has been boosted by a recent regulatory change.

In 2022, the FDA allowed over-the-counter hearing aids that were less expensive due to the use of audio testing software or at-home fittings.

However, Apple's AirPods won't immediately make other hearing aids obsolete.

The battery of the hearing aid lasts only six hours, which is not sufficient for all-day wear compared to some OTC hearing aids.

The AirPods Pro are suitable for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, who struggle to distinguish speech in noisy environments. However, those with severe or profound hearing loss still require the assistance of a licensed audiologist, according to experts.

Additionally, Apple's hearing aids still need FDA clearance.

The FDA requires premarket clearance for devices that use technology or software to customize hearing aid fit or settings, including those being developed by Apple, which is awaiting clearance from both the FDA and regulators worldwide.

Apple's entry into the market can increase awareness of hearing health, but many hearing loss situations still require a doctor-based approach, according to Bridget Dobyan, executive director of the Hearing Industries Association.

"Hearing aids may be suitable for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, but consulting a licensed hearing care professional can help determine unique hearing health needs," Dobyan said.

Critics often argue that Apple's health initiatives are not a substitute for authentic medical equipment.

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani earlier this year stated that the Apple Watch's pulse oximeter feature is not a trustworthy medical pulse oximeter.

In January, Masimo compelled Apple to disable the pulse oximeter on newly purchased Apple Watch devices following a legal triumph over patents.

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