Apple is preparing a few hearing assistance features for the AirPods as part of iOS 18, according to a new report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
With iOS 18, AirPods will support a new hearing test feature that can give users a general overview of the quality of their hearing. The feature could tie into the current Headphone Level feature that provides users with a decibel reading of currently playing audio and issues a warning if the audio is too loud.
Apple is also preparing a new hearing aid mode that would turn AirPods into a true replacement for specialized hearing aid accessories. However, the report warns that this feature could skip WWDC and instead be announced later this year alongside new AirPods models in the fall. A hearing aid mode could also build on top of Conversation Boost, an accessibility feature for AirPods Pro that makes it easier to hear others in face-to-face conversations.
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Last year, iOS 17 introduced significant upgrades for AirPods. New features included Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, Conversation Awareness, and faster Automatic Switching between Apple devices. While the rumored new features for iOS 18 seem more health-centric instead of consumer-facing, they nevertheless reflect Apple’s devotion to introducing new AirPods capabilities without having to rely on new hardware.
