AirPods Pro 2 owners get much more than they paid for with iOS 18

Consumers love Apple as much as they hate it, and for good reason. Apple relentlessly pursues hardware sales and has been embroiled in many a controversy. This fall, however, it pulled a very un-Apple-like move and released a tremendous feature for its two-year-old AirPods Pro 2. With iOS 18, Apple made the AirPods Pro 2 the first FDA-approved, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid earbuds.

I would have expected Apple to reserve this feature for the AirPods Pro 3. Instead, Apple released it for free. Within the Apple ecosystem, this is a huge win for listeners with manageable hearing loss. And if you walk freely beyond Apple’s gates, it may also signal a shift in the industry’s approach to consumers.

The AirPods Pro 2 function as clinical-grade hearing aids

Each iOS 18 upgrade has added impactful features to the AirPods Pro 2 repertoire. Apple’s hearing health options are among the most impactful. As approved by the FDA, the AirPods Pro 2 meet the criteria as proper OTC hearing aids. Full disclosure, this is specifically for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. If you have severe hearing loss, the hearing aid feature won’t be of much help and you’ll need to consult a professional. For the rest of us, though, this is a big value add.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) 2023 OTC Hearing Aid Survey, the average cost of OTC hearing aids was $233. The AirPods Pro 2 retail for $249. This feature nearly doubles the value of the AirPods Pro 2. I’ve yet to find data indicating where the AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid performance falls relative to the bulk of OTC offerings. However, some OTC products cost thousands of dollars, which would only add to the AirPods Pro 2 value.

Make no mistake, you still need a modern iPhone or iPad to use this feature. In typical Apple fashion, the setup process is a breeze. The hearing test emits a series of test tones. When you hear a tone, tap the screen. If a tone plays and you don’t tap the screen, this indicates that you cannot perceive that specific frequency. The test takes about five minutes and is informed by over 150,000 real audiograms and millions of simulations.

Immediately after taking the test, the results populate on screen informing you of your left and right ear’s performance. You can then choose to read up more on hearing loss and how a hearing aid can help. You may also enable the hearing aid abilities of the AirPods Pro 2 right from your phone. If you want to tweak the programmed settings even further, go right ahead.

From Apple’s Health app, you can view your audiogram. This is a particularly cool feature for those who want to perform a casual longitudinal study on themselves. Over time, the audiograms can reveal how your hearing abilities change.

Whether or not your hearing test results indicate hearing loss, you’ll want to preserve your hearing abilities. Apple’s third high-value iOS 18 feature is Hearing Protection. This feature works across all listening modes and protects your ears from loud environmental noises. All this to say, not only are Apple’s Hearing Health features helping you today, but they’re protecting you for years to come.

Apple isn’t alone, others add value to their buds over time

Apple is the first big earbud manufacturer to make its earbuds clinical-grade hearing aids, but it’s not the only company going the extra mile. The original Pixel Buds Pro lacked a custom EQ upon release. Well, within a few months, Google addressed this and more. The company gave Pixel Buds Pro owners a multi-band custom EQ option. Listeners also received spatial audio support and conversation detection. Similar to Apple’s addition of hearing aid functionality on the AirPods Pro 2, these are features I expected Google to save for the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Samsung has also rolled out high-profile updates for its earbuds that buyers didn’t expect upon purchase. Take the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. These buds received 360 Audio Recording with compatible Samsung devices. This unique feature is great for creators who want to record immersive audio for their content. Samsung also treated its older Galaxy Buds Live earbuds to a significant firmware update. Two years after their debut, Samsung added 360 Audio support.

Now, most earbud manufacturers with companion apps release firmware updates to their devices. Oftentimes, these updates are fairly basic. They address connection stability and improve the mic and sound quality. This is why it’s commendable when companies release significant updates to their buds. Again, it’s especially notable because they could have just as easily said, “No, you have to buy the next-gen product to access X feature.”

Will we see an industry shift away from planned obsolescence?

Should this trend continue, which I hope it does, we consumers may start feeling more valued by big-name brands. No company is perfect, but no matter how you slice it, Apple has received near-universal commendation for its hearing aid certification on the AirPods Pro 2.

I’m not saying every company can or should make their earbuds hearing aids. I simply hope this serves as a sign to the competition: to retain customers in this highly competitive market, you must offer value throughout a product’s life cycle. Perhaps this will spark real pushback against the trend of planned obsolesce. (Ironic that Apple is an example of a force pushing against this given its history.)

Of course, it would be silly to think Apple is adding such a big feature to its years-old earbuds solely because it loves its customers. Intentions aside, the fact is that Apple released a major update to years-old earbuds. Lest we forget, this update doubles the original value of the earbuds at a minimum. Seeing Apple, Google, Samsung, and others expand the functionality of their earbuds throughout their lifecycles is a positive development for us consumers. Ideally, a development that begets a shift in how the industry values customers.

Not all is just, well, and good though. There are potential downsides to this as well. As mentioned, the companies that can perform such updates to their earbuds also manufacture matching smartphones. Having control over every aspect of production is a huge boon to companies that want to pull off update feats. This gives big-name brands yet another edge over less-resourced competition.

With the future being unknown, I only hope that Apple’s play motivates others to consider more consumer-friendly ways. Perhaps we’ll see more companies continue to improve product performance years into a product’s lifespan. Who knows, we may find ourselves out of the planned obsolescence hole of today and into a consumer-centric future.

Frequently asked questions about the AirPods Pro 2