Key Takeaways

• The FDA has approved software for the new AirPods Pro 2 that turns the earbuds into hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
• The software will be available in the coming weeks. 
• The earbuds don’t look like hearing aids, which could make them appealing to people searching for an inconspicuous way to address their hearing loss.
• Cost is about $249 vs $2,500 or more for hearing aids

https://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-hearing/fda-approves-airpods-as-non-prescription-hearing-aids/

https://www.soundly.com/blog/airpods-as-hearing-aids

So are AirPods Pro 2 a hearing aid alternative?

Volume: AirPods don’t help without turning the transparency volume way up. Even at max volume, I could have used some more boost. 

Clarity: I was impressed with the sound quality and clarity. AirPods are powerful, and they did a great job picking up voices and cutting background noise. I went back and forth between my premium hearing aids and my AirPods, with comparable speech clarity and noise reduction.  

Comfort: AirPods aren’t comfortable enough to wear all day, but they are fine for a few hours. I’ll continue to wear my behind-the-ear style hearing aids day to day. 

Form factor: I loved the flexibility of a great earbud with noise cancelation and volume boost during travel, but I won’t be wearing my AirPods to dinner with friends anytime soon. The social dynamics would be confusing.