All posts tagged: AirPods Pro

AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid and Hearing Test Features Approved to Launch in Canada

AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid and Hearing Test Features Approved to Launch in Canada

Health Canada on Wednesday issued Apple licenses for the hearing aid and hearing test features available on the AirPods Pro 2. Apple is now permitted to launch these features in Canada, and that will likely happen in the coming months. With the clinical-grade hearing aid feature, AirPods Pro 2 can amplify the sound around you. The feature is intended for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, according to Apple. There is no additional cost to use the feature in countries where it is available, as it is rolling out through free software updates. Meanwhile, the five-minute hearing test allows adults to identify if they have hearing loss by measuring their ability to hear different frequencies of sound. Afterwards, the results will show a hearing loss classification and recommended next steps. The hearing health features first launched in the U.S. and select other countries in late October. The just-released iOS 18.2 update for the iPhone expanded the hearing test feature to France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Czechia, and the UK, and both the …

Testing the New iOS 18.1 Hearing Aid Functionality

Testing the New iOS 18.1 Hearing Aid Functionality

With iOS 18.1, Apple is adding a new set of hearing health features to the AirPods Pro 2. The iOS 18.1 release candidate for developers and public beta testers includes the full hearing aid functionality, so we thought we’d give it a try to see just how it works. To use the new hearing health features, you need to connect your ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to an iPhone running iOS 18.1, or an iPad with iPadOS 18.1. From there, if you tap into the ‌AirPods Pro‌ section, you’ll see an option to take a hearing test, which should be your first stop. Apple’s hearing test mimics the hearing tests you might have had conducted at a doctor’s office or by an audiologist, and it’s meant to determine whether you have any hearing loss. If you do have hearing loss, the test determines which frequencies you’re struggling with. With the AirPods in your ears, you can tap “Get Started” to take the hearing test. The test takes approximately five minutes, starting first with the left ear and …

AirPods 4 With ANC vs. AirPods Pro 2

AirPods 4 With ANC vs. AirPods Pro 2

Apple last week released the AirPods 4, and one version of the new earbuds has Active Noise Cancellation included. ANC means the ‌AirPods 4‌ have a feature set that rivals the AirPods Pro 2, so we thought we’d compare the two for those undecided on which to get. The ‌AirPods 4‌ are Apple’s first open-ear earbuds to include ANC, and the major difference between the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and the ‌AirPods 4‌ is the silicone tips. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 have silicone tips for a tighter seal in the ear, while the ‌AirPods 4‌ don’t. You’re not going to get the same level of ANC with the ‌AirPods 4‌ that you get with the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 because there’s no sealing mechanism to block out noise, but the ‌AirPods 4‌ still perform impressively well. The new earbuds are able to cut down on plane and road noise even without the tight ear seal. Sound quality is about the same because the ‌AirPods 4‌ now have the same H2 chip as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The …

Apple Shares 5 Helpful AirPods Tips and Tricks

Apple Shares 5 Helpful AirPods Tips and Tricks

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Gurman: AirPods Pro to Gain ‘Hearing Aid Mode’ in iOS 18

Gurman: AirPods Pro to Gain ‘Hearing Aid Mode’ in iOS 18

AirPods Pro will gain a new “hearing aid mode” with the release of iOS 18 later this year, according to the latest report by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Writing in the subscriber edition of his regular Power On newsletter, Gurman claims that the “big news” for AirPods Pro in the near term will be support for a hearing aid-style function when iOS 18 drops in the fall. To be clear, this isn’t the first time we have heard a potential hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro. The first rumor appeared in a 2021 Wall Street Journal report, but it was previously framed as a feature that would be exclusive to a next-generation model of AirPods Pro. However, Apple in September 2022 released the second-generation AirPods Pro, while the company more recently released a refreshed model with a USB-C port. AirPods Pro already offer a Conversation Boost feature, which boosts the volume and clarity of people directly in front of the wearer, but Apple has not advertised the earbuds as a hearing aid device, because this would …

Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2

Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2

Apple today introduced a new beta firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, both the USB-C and Lightning versions. The new firmware is version 6E188, up from the prior 6B34 firmware released in December. Apple does not often provide details or notes on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware, so it is unclear what’s new. Note that this software is limited to developers at the current time. There are no clear cut instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌‌AirPods‌‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to an iOS device or Mac should force the update. You can check your ‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ firmware by following these steps: Connect your ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ to your iOS device. Open the Settings app. Tap General. Tap About. Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌. Look at the number next to “Firmware Version.” If we learn more about what’s new in the firmware update, we’ll update …

AirPods Pro Were Almost Named AirPods Extreme

AirPods Pro Were Almost Named AirPods Extreme

In the months leading up to Apple announcing the AirPods Pro in October 2019, the company considered changing the name of the wireless headphones to AirPods Extreme, according to internal information obtained by MacRumors. The name AirPods Extreme was floated by at least one member of Apple’s leadership team, but the company ultimately decided to move forward with AirPods Pro branding after many employees objected to the change, we have learned. Apple has used “Extreme” branding in the past for its discontinued AirPort Extreme router and wireless card for Macs, first released in 2003. In the end, the name AirPods Pro is more consistent with Apple’s branding for several product lines. In addition to AirPods, Apple offers both regular and Pro versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and there will likely be a regular version of the Apple Vision Pro headset in the future. Nevertheless, Apple has used a few other suffixes for higher-end products over the years, such as the AirPods Max and the Apple Watch Ultra. Apple went on to release second-generation …

Apple Releases Updated Firmware for First-Generation AirPods Pro

Apple Releases Updated Firmware for First-Generation AirPods Pro

Apple today introduced a new firmware update for the first-generation AirPods Pro. The new firmware is the same 6A321 version that was released for the third-generation AirPods last week and is up from the 6A300 firmware introduced last September. Apple’s AirPods firmware updates often do not come with details on new features, so it is unclear what might be included in the software. For last week’s AirPods 3 update with this firmware version, Apple listed only “bug fixes and other improvements.” Apple also does not offer instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌‌AirPods‌‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to an iOS device or Mac should force the update. You can check your ‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ firmware version by following these steps: Connect your ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ to your iOS device. Open the Settings app. Tap General. Tap About. Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌. Look at the number next to “Firmware Version.” If …

Apple Releases Special AirPods Pro and More for Year of the Dragon

Apple Releases Special AirPods Pro and More for Year of the Dragon

In celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year on February 10, Apple has released limited-edition second-generation AirPods Pro with a Year of the Dragon engraving on its online store in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Macao. They are also available in South Korea, where it is the Year of the Blue Dragon. The special AirPods Pro have a dragon engraving on the USB-C charging case, and there is a red dragon printed on the box they come in. Otherwise, these AirPods Pro are unchanged in terms of features and pricing compared to the regular ones. Apple has previously offered limited-edition AirPods Pro in some Asian countries for the Year of the Ox, Year of the Tiger, and Year of the Rabbit. Apple also shared a Chinese New Year gift guide in the countries and regions listed above, along with Malaysia. As we previously reported, Apple is offering limited-time savings on a variety of products in China from January 18 through January 21. From January 18 through February 13, free Today at Apple sessions …