AirPods hearing aid feature live in five provinces

Apple’s hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro is now live in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan, while the companion hearing test is available across Canada, MobileSyrup reported Monday.

The feature works on AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2 and is intended for people 18 and older. It is switched on only in provinces that permit over-the-counter hearing aids, and Apple said it is working with the remaining provinces to extend approval.

Ontario has announced it will change its law to allow over-the-counter hearing aids, so the feature is likely to be enabled there soon. Canada News Media reported on Ontario’s plan on Oct. 22.

Users can start with the hearing test, which is found in the Health app or in AirPods settings. It takes about five minutes, plays tones that the user responds to on screen and produces a personalized results profile. People whose results suggest mild to moderate hearing loss are prompted to set up the hearing aid feature. Test data is stored in the Health app.

The hearing test, hearing aid and hearing protection features work with AirPods Pro 2 and later paired to an iPhone or iPad running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 or newer. The hearing aid feature uses Apple’s H2 chip to boost frequencies for clearer sound, and the AirPods Pro 3 add better voice clarity and automatic conversation boost. Apple said the hearing aid can be used for up to 10 hours.

Dr. Vincent Lin of the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto said in support of the rollout that hearing loss “can have a real impact on people’s everyday lives.” He said making these tools available on a device people already use can help make hearing care more accessible.

Apple’s AirPods are also a common pick for Canadians shopping for earbuds. Our guide to the best noise-cancelling earbuds under $100 covers cheaper alternatives, though those models do not include a hearing aid mode.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.

Source: MobileSyrup.