AirPods Given FDA Approval to Be Hearing Aids
At Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event, while the iPhone 16 took the spotlight, the most notable update was a software enhancement for the AirPods Pro 2. Apple announced that these earbuds could now serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid, pending FDA approval.
The FDA has since granted approval, making this the first over-the-counter hearing aid software for a consumer product. This follows the FDA’s 2022 decision to allow hearing aids to be sold without a prescription. The new feature, available in iOS 18, adjusts frequency levels to amplify sounds, particularly human voices, for users with mild to moderate hearing loss.