Apple today announce new hearing health features for AirPods Pro 2, coming in a fall software update.
With Hearing Protection, this feature is only available in the US and Canada, when AirPods Pro 2 are paired with a compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac running iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia.
The feature is on by default and lowers exposure to loud noises, while still allowing you to hear your music for your AirPods Pro 2.
While Canada is lucky enough to join the US only for Hearing Protection, we do miss out on the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features touted on Apple.com and not Apple.ca.
Apple says its Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are “expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon.”
The company said the features will arrive this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, specifically mentioning the U.S., Germany and Japan. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are pending FDA approval and are intended for people ages 18 or older, those with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
Apple is likely working to expand this Hearing Test and Hearing Aid feature to Canada, but the lack of mention on Apple.ca and no mention of us anywhere else, suggests it may be coming later in the future, and not as soon as this fall like other regions.
In Canada, hearing aids aren’t available over-the-counter like in the US. Here, we need to get a licensed hearing professional to get you hearing aids, through a prescription. Health Canada also needs to approve any devices classified as a hearing aid.
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Are all the listed countries places where hearing aids are available over the counter? Allowing OTC hearing aids was a big change in the US just a few years ago. I'll bet that this won't be available in Canada until OTC hearing aids are allowed here.
Probably. And that might take years, if ever. It would disrupt existing businesses/status quo, which regulators in Canada seem generally allergic to. Removing protections for vocal interests seems to happen very rarely here.
Again Canada gets screwed by regulations. Apple Cash/Card, Hearing Aids, Sleep Apnea and a few other health related features. I upgraded my watch from a Series 8 to 10, specifically for apnea.. Hopefully it gets approved. Along with other features
Any chance this appears on airpods by changing region to us. Apple card appears for me like this when i change region to us. (Although can’t get one due to us bank ac req)
My region & language are set to USA, as I am running Apple Intelligence on my 16 PM
and where someone is speaking about Apple Intelligence in this thread ?
Kazim said, any chance this appears on airpods by changing region to US. I replied by saying I am set to US region, as Im running AI, so CLEARLY changing the region to US wont initiate the airpod feature, outside of that region.
I was just reading on reddit that the hearing aid feature is region locked by GPS, so region changes and even VPNs won’t help.
I was just reading on reddit that the hearing aid feature is region locked by GPS, so region changes and even VPNs won’t help.