(Washington) Apple, which is seeking to increasingly integrate the health of its customers into its devices, took a new step on Thursday with the authorization in the United States of a functionality allowing some of its wireless headphones, the AirPods, to be transformed into hearing aids.
The device is being developed for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement announcing its approval.
Users will be able to test their hearing themselves in just minutes by downloading the latest software update for free to their Apple phone or tablet (iPhone or iPad).
The headphones will then be able to “amplify sounds” based on the result, and the user will be able to fine-tune “volume and tone settings,” the FDA wrote.
“Hearing loss is a significant public health problem that affects millions of Americans,” said Michelle Tarver, an official with the health agency.
The authorization of this non-prescription device “on a widely used audio product is a new step that advances the availability, accessibility and acceptability of hearing aids,” she added.
The product was tested in a clinical trial involving 118 people.
The results showed that those who performed the adjustments themselves “achieved a perceived benefit similar to those who received professional adjustments to the same device,” the FDA wrote.
The compatible headphones will be the AirPods Pro 2, which are priced at $329 CAD, Apple announced on Monday.
The Apple company explained that the device works by “increasing frequencies so that sounds are clearer.”
Apple expects the feature to be available – subject to local health authority approval – as early as “this fall in more than 100 countries and regions,” including Germany and Japan in addition to the United States.
“Step forward”
In the latter country, Apple benefits from an FDA decision dating from 2022. The agency had then authorized the purchase of certain hearing aids directly in stores, without a medical prescription or adjustment with a hearing aid professional, in order to bring about a reduction in prices and improve their accessibility.
The cost of hearing aids in the United States can run into several thousand dollars.
“We are very pleased with Apple’s announcement,” said Barbara Kelley, executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). “It is a huge step forward for a product that millions of people already own to provide hearing support and protection.”
The self-test consists of a series of sounds that the user listens to and responds to by tapping on the screen, Apple explains on its website.
The feature can also be used by people who do not necessarily suffer from an identified hearing loss, but who want, for example, to increase certain sounds to better hear conversations.
Hearing loss can be caused by a number of factors, such as aging or exposure to loud sounds.
It can impact the well-being of those affected and their relationships with others. Wearing hearing aids has been shown to slow cognitive decline and depression in older adults, according to the FDA.
Dr Apple?
More generally, “Apple continues to push into the health sector,” noted Carolina Milanesi, an independent analyst, to AFP, emphasizing the benefit of this strategy in terms of revenue for the company.
On Monday, Apple also unveiled a new feature for its smartwatch, which should be able to detect whether its wearer suffers from sleep apnea.
“We are hoping for the green light from the FDA and other regulators very soon,” said Sumbul Desai, the group’s vice president of healthcare.