Tech Desk 
Feb 24, 2025
Apple's AirPods Pro 2 has gone a long way in assisting individuals who have hearing problems, as the coveted earbuds now have a hearing aid feature, meaning that people with mild or moderate hearing impairment can conveniently use them like normal hearing aids.
This latest upgrade has now rolled out in the UK, providing a free software update to customers, which is part of Apple's continued efforts to increase the product's functionality.
British users have so far only been able to conduct a hearing test on their AirPods Pro 2, which informed them whether they had any hearing issues. But with this update, AirPods Pro 2 now act as clinical-grade hearing aids.
AirPods Pro 2's hearing aid feature
The hearing test plays a sequence of sounds and requests users to tap the screen whenever they can hear them. This makes the test untamperable.
Apple facilitated this new feature due to a policy change in the UK Department of Health and Social Care. Now, individuals with hearing impairments are able to customise the personalised hearing profile on their AirPods to suit their requirements.
Moreover, the earbuds can be readjusted conveniently at any given time. Where conventional hearing aids are to be worn every day, AirPods Pro 2 will have to be charged after several hours, though just 5 minutes of charge adds a one-hour listening capability to the device.
AirPods Pro 2's hearing aid feature availability
The AirPods Pro 2's hearing aid feature is accessible immediately without requiring an iOS update since Apple implements the changes directly by way of a server-side update.
Additionally, AirPods Pro 2 allow users to avoid the stigma often associated with traditional hearing aids, making them a popular alternative.
