Tim Cook confirms hearing aid features for AirPods Pro 2 coming today

Apple has just started rolling out new hearing-focused features for the AirPods Pro 2, and Tim Cook couldn’t be more excited. “Hearing is a vital part of our health,” he said in a statement today. “Our new holistic approach to hearing health with AirPods Pro 2 allows people to improve, protect and better understand their hearing. We’re thrilled that these new features are launching today and will have a real impact on people’s lives.”

So what’s in this update? For starters, AirPods Pro 2 now come with a built-in hearing test that’s quick and easy to use right from your iPhone or iPad. It is designed to provide users with a personalized hearing profile using a proven clinical method, meaning it is not just a quick test. The results are saved in the Apple Health app, and you can also share them with your doctor, making it more than just a feature—it’s a true health tool.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Apple has added a hearing aid mode to the AirPods Pro 2. This allows people with mild to moderate hearing loss to use their AirPods as personalized hearing aids. After passing a hearing test, AirPods automatically adjust to amplify the sounds around you, so conversations or background sounds are clearer. This feature isn’t just for calls; it will work with any audio you listen to, such as music, videos and games, with settings you can adjust with the help of an audiologist if needed.

Another cool feature is Loud Sound Reduction, which helps cut out sudden loud noises that you prefer to avoid. Whether you’re on a busy street or in a noisy environment, AirPods are smart enough to filter out unexpected bursts of sound. This feature works in the background when you use Transparency or Adaptive Audio modes, so you don’t have to do anything to activate it.

For music lovers and those who make a lot of calls, Apple also added Media Assist, which can enhance parts of speech during a call or highlight certain instruments in a song. This can be especially useful if you want to catch every word or enjoy the details of your music.

Apple’s privacy promise also remains in effect. All hearing data remains secure on your device, and Apple Compute’s private cloud handles any processing while keeping your information safe. These new hearing aids are already available worldwide in more than 100 regions, and Apple plans to release new updates later this year. With these features, Apple takes a big step toward making hearing support accessible and easy to use right from the devices you already own.