It’s a work in progress, but it could potentially lead to something helpful and awesome.
TechCrunch recently demoed an incomplete version of Apple’s forthcoming Hearing Test app following the company’s “Glowtime” media event. The test shares key similarities with its clinical predecessors, prompting people to tap the display when they first hear gradually rising tones of different frequencies.
The Hearing Test app will be incorporated into iOS 18, although Apple is currently awaiting FDA approval for both it and its forthcoming hearing aid feature for AirPods. Users will need to have mild to moderate hearing loss in order to enable the feature, though that diagnosis doesn’t have to come directly from the app. They’ll also be able to upload results from a third-party test. The Hearing Aid feature will not be enabled for users with no hearing loss or for anyone whose hearing is labeled severe or profound.
As for specs, the feature will only be available for the second generation of AirPods Pro earbuds at launch. This is due to both the passive noise canceling that the Pro’s ear tips provide and the inclusion of the H2 chip, which is missing on the original Pros.
As might be expected, the feature will be accessible in iOS through settings and will occur once a pair of AirPods has been paired and inserted into the wearer’s ears. The full version should take around five minutes to complete its setup. Once the feature has been enabled, it will build a custom sound profile based on the test results, which will serve as the default not only for conversations but also for other media like movies and music. Once complete, users can fine-tune their settings as needed.
Via TechCrunch