One of the biggest releases alongside Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 16 series was Cupertino's announcement of the AirPods Pro's hearing aid feature called the 'Hearing Health' but reports now claim it will be in limited availability. Thisis because it was revealed that the AirPods' new health tech feature will be exclusive to the North American countries of Canada and the United States only.
The latest feature is coming alongside the iOS 18.1 update which will deliver the Apple Intelligence experience, with users now given the chance to turn their AirPods Pro devices into hearing aids, especially for those with hearing problems.
Apple's AirPods Pro 'Hearing Health' Feature is Exclusive to US, Canada
As recently spotted on a footnote over at Apple's official webpage for the Hearing Health feature, the latest technology will be exclusive to the United States and Canada regions for its upcoming release next week. Apple previously revealed that it will bring the Hearing Health experience for users who have an AirPods Pro 2 via iOS 18.1's update, joining the revolutionary Apple Intelligence.
The good thing is Apple will not charge users any subscriptions or fees to access Hearing Health, and it will only require the AirPods Pro 2 device, whether it has the Lightning or USB-C charging case and an eligible device that can update to iOS 18.1.
Under its Hearing Health, Apple will bring the likes of 'Hearing Test' that will help users determine if they have issues with their auditory perception and 'Hearing Protection' as part of the latest feature.
Here's Why Apple is Limiting the Hearing Health Feature
It was revealed by 9to5Mac that Apple limiting the Hearing Health feature on the US and Canada only during its upcoming release is because these are the only countries that already have regulatory approval for the latest feature.
The FDA already approved Hearing Health for the US as 'clinical grade' hearing aids, as Apple already endorses the feature as such. It remains unknown what is the status of Hearing Health among other countries' health regulators, but it is expected to expand its availability in the future.
Apple's Hearing Aid Plans for AirPods
Reports from as early as last year July have claimed that Apple is already working on turning the AirPods wireless Bluetooth earphones into hearing aids, with Mark Gurman claiming that Cupertino will soon deliver the new feature. There are plenty of features rumored to be coming that eventually turned out to be true, and this includes its integration with Vision Pro, and the latest announcement with iOS 18.
There have been multiple reports from analysts and insiders that further corroborated these claims, with the AirPods bringing forth the Hearing Aid mode as a tool to help users pick up better sounds from the outside world. It was also clarified by earlier leaks that this feature will be exclusive to the AirPods Pro lineup, but it will only be available to the second generation of the wearables.
The hearing aid revolution first saw consumer tech companies joining in with their audio devices that were offered as over-the-counter options which expanded more of accessibility for those in need. Now, users who already have an AirPods Pro 2 and iOS 18.1 installed on their devices may enjoy what the Hearing Health feature offers, but it will be exclusive to North America for now.
