The iHearingAids? New Technologies in the Hearing World

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Dec 30. doi: 10.1002/ohn.1121. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Apple's new hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2 was released this Fall of 2024, allowing any user with a compatible iPhone and AirPods Pro 2 to perform hearing tests and use the device as a hearing aid for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. This innovation may increase accessibility to hearing testing and hearing augmentation for the public but there are many potential drawbacks that will impact hearing loss care. The advent of AirPods Pro 2 and the inevitable arrival of similar devices to the market will alter the clinical practice. It is crucial for our field to learn about this technology and prepare for changes in practice.

Keywords: hearing aids; hearing technology; innovation.