Apple’s Move to Transform AirPods into Hearing Aids Highlights Ambition in Health Market

Apple’s recent development of turning AirPods Pro into personalized hearing aids is a significant leap in integrating consumer electronics with healthcare solutions. The feature, announced by Sumbul Desai, Apple’s Vice President of Health, leverages a new software update to enhance AirPods Pro into devices that cater to individual hearing needs. This functionality allows users to perform a hearing test using their iPhone, which then customizes their AirPods Pro to amplify sounds that they might have difficulty hearing. The enhancement can boost specific audio frequencies such as speech or environmental sounds, tailoring the auditory experience to the user’s unique hearing profile.

This move is part of Apple’s broader strategy to penetrate the health sector, a market expected to reach $15 trillion by 2030, according to RBC Capital Markets. Apple CEO Tim Cook has emphasized the company’s commitment to health innovations, viewing them as pivotal contributions to improving human well-being. This approach includes integrating FDA-cleared health features into Apple products, aiming to replace more expensive, specialized medical devices. Since 2020, Apple has introduced several health-focused features in its Apple Watch, including notifications for irregular heartbeats, an atrial fibrillation reader, and an electrocardiogram reader, all cleared by the FDA.

The new hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro is part of this strategy and will be available as a free update for certain AirPods models and included with the $249 AirPods Pro 2. This offers a more affordable alternative to traditional hearing aids, which can range from $99 to several thousand dollars. Barbara Kelley, Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association of America, praised the initiative for making advanced hearing technology accessible at a mainstream price, potentially transforming how hearing aids are perceived and used.

This feature could also help boost AirPods sales, which have faced a decline in recent years. By adding health-related features, Apple aims to expand the market for its AirPods, appealing to a broader audience. Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management noted that while the hearing aid function serves a specific need, it opens new market opportunities for AirPods.

To use the new feature, AirPods Pro users must have an iPhone and complete a hearing test via the Settings app. The test involves listening to various tones and creating a hearing profile based on the user’s responses. This profile is then used to adjust the AirPods Pro settings, enhancing specific audio frequencies according to the user’s hearing needs. The process is based on scientific research, including a 2019 study involving 160,000 participants, ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of the hearing test.

The timing of this feature coincides with recent regulatory changes that allow for over-the-counter hearing aids. These hearing aids, which are generally less expensive due to at-home testing and software-driven adjustments, are now more accessible to consumers. However, Apple’s AirPods Pro will not replace all hearing aids, especially for individuals with severe or profound hearing loss. Additionally, the six-hour battery life of AirPods Pro limits their use for all-day wear compared to some traditional hearing aids.

The FDA cleared Apple’s hearing aid feature after reviewing data that showed the hearing test results were comparable to those from professional fittings. The clearance was granted through a De Novo process, which is used for new medical devices without clear predecessors on the market. While the Hearing Industries Association welcomes the increased focus on hearing health, they recommend consulting with a hearing care professional for more complex hearing needs.

Apple’s foray into the hearing aid market is not without controversy. Joe Kiani of Masimo, a medical device company embroiled in a legal dispute with Apple, criticized the Apple Watch’s pulse oximeter feature as misleading. Following a patent-related lawsuit victory, Masimo succeeded in having Apple disable the pulse oximeter on new Apple Watch models, highlighting ongoing tensions between technology companies and traditional medical device manufacturers.

Overall, Apple’s introduction of hearing aid functionality in AirPods Pro represents a significant shift towards making advanced health technology more accessible and affordable. It reflects a growing trend of merging consumer electronics with healthcare solutions, though its impact on the broader medical device industry remains to be seen.