If you’re not hearing quite as well as you used to and would like some help, you might not have to look any further than your iphone AirPods. Apple claims its new technology will improve hearing for millions of people. The AirPods Pro 2 is about to become a medical device, reports Ben Cohen for the Wall Street Journal.
Some audiologists believe that the new AirPods Pro 2 technology will be a terrific way for Americans who do not wear hearing aids to improve their hearing at little cost. Some 30 million Americans could benefit.
Apple’s technology is for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, not people with severe hearing loss. Most people with some hearing loss, who can still hear, tend not to do anything about it. But, wearing AirPods is so normal, that the new technology is likely the best option for people who are not looking for help with their hearing.
Apple’s hearing aid technology is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA says it improves “the availability, accessibility and acceptability of hearing support.” One hearing expert called the Apple technology a “game-changer,” because of its convenience and people’s trust in Apple.
The Apple AirPods with hearing aids is a breakthrough product in large part because about 22.5 million Americans who would benefit from hearing aids are not using them. Why would they us them, given how expensive hearing aids are and the time it takes to get fitted for one. Apple’s hearing aid, the AirPods Pro 2 will cost $249, its current cost.
One drawback of Apple’s new hearing aid is that its battery life is shorter than the battery life of other hearing aids. One benefit is that Apple’s technology also can give users a short hearing test.
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