AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Health Features Hands-On

2 weeks ago 10

While the latest AirPods 4 unveiled astatine Apple’s Glowtime event didn’t truly impressment us, different audio-related announcement did: the AirPods Pros’ proceeding health update. Apple announced astatine its latest lawsuit that its two-year-old AirPods Pro 2 are getting 3 proceeding wellness features.

First, they tin treble arsenic proceeding immunodeficiency for folks with mild to mean proceeding loss. Second, they present diagnostic a large dependable simplification feature, which, arsenic the sanction suggests, turns exceptionally large and harsh sound (at a concert, for example) a notch down truthful your ears don’t acquisition damage. Third, you tin instrumentality a proceeding trial connected your iPhone and adhd its results to the iOS Health app. The trial volition pass you astir the authorities of your proceeding and automatically alteration the proceeding immunodeficiency to diagnostic if you deliberation you request them.

Pre-requisites for the AirPods Pro 2’s Hearing Health Features

To entree the proceeding wellness features connected the AirPods Pro 2, you’d request to beryllium connected the latest iOS version, iOS 18.1. This shouldn’t beryllium an contented unless you’re utilizing an iPhone released earlier the iPhone XR. Every iPhone released aft the iPhone XR and the iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd procreation are compatible with iOS 18.1.

The AirPods Pro 2 you bought 2 years agone are bully to tally the caller proceeding wellness features. Apple didn’t marque immoderate merchandise changes; it simply gave the 2022 AirPods Pro 2 the functionality successful a firmware update. Firmware updates are automatic, truthful there’s not overmuch you request to bash there. This is some a bully and a atrocious thing. It’s bully due to the fact that it doesn’t necessitate immoderate effort from your end, and it’s atrocious due to the fact that if it doesn’t work, you can’t unit an update. 

Troubleshooting Tips

Apple promised that the firmware update would hap automatically, arsenic it ever does, and that we would request to bash nothing. But present are a fewer troubleshooting tips that could help. First, marque definite you’re connected iOS 18.1. You tin bash this successful Settings > General  > About > iOS Version. If you spot an older version, caput to Settings > General > Software Update to update it. 

The latest AirPods firmware update that facilitates each the proceeding wellness features is 7B19. To cheque if you’re connected this version, caput to Settings > your AirPods enactment astatine the apical > scroll down until you spot Firmware and cheque the fig afterward. If you spot the buds didn’t update automatically, link them to a charger portion connected to your Wi-Fi. That should assistance update the firmware. 

If that doesn’t work, hard resetting your AirPods is different option. To bash this, dock some successful the case, hold for 30 seconds, and flip the lid open. Then, property and clasp the pairing fastener astatine the backmost of the lawsuit for 15 seconds until you spot the tiny LED airy successful beforehand of the lawsuit flash amber and past crook white. The reboot is done arsenic soon arsenic the airy turns white. 

Sometimes, your mentation is acceptable to the latest one, but determination are different tiny updates that request approval. It took maine a portion to entree the proceeding wellness features due to the fact that some my iOS and firmware were up to date, but determination were a fewer pending updates that I had to manually confirm. Make definite you’ve thoroughly checked retired the Software Update page; there’s nary enactment required there. 

How to Take the Hearing Test

If you’ve successfully readied your telephone and AirPods for the proceeding test, you should spot the features successful Settings > AirPods Pro > close nether the toggle options for sound power modes. Tap connected “Take a Hearing test” and travel the instructions. The trial should instrumentality astir 10 minutes to complete, and you person to beryllium successful a quiescent situation passim the test. Make definite you travel this regularisation due to the fact that astir 8 minutes into my test, I had to commencement each implicit since it detected the dependable of the cereal packet connected my meal tray. When I tried taking the trial again connected different day, the preschoolers successful the playground close adjacent to my location were large capable to fuss the Test Gods again. So, I shifted to my furniture for a portion and covered myself with a ample broad for the entirety of the trial to drown retired the dependable of those darn kids. 

Hearing Test Features SettingsScreenshot: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

The trial begins with a abbreviated and elemental questionnaire and guides you done the adjacent steps, which see checking your AirPods acceptable to spot if they’re snug enough. When the trial starts, you indispensable pat the surface whenever you perceive a sound. It’ll trial some your ears individually and pass you erstwhile the trial is complete. 

Hearing Test InstructionsScreenshot: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo
Hearing TestScreenshot: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

How to Read the Results

The results are displayed arsenic a graph and respective dBHL (decibels proceeding level) for each ear, on with a abbreviated remark for folks who don’t cognize what to bash with those figures. I got “Little to No Loss” for some ears (thankfully), on with a 6dBHL for my near receptor and 5dBHL for the right. You tin pat connected “Show Details” to larn however the dBHLS works. 

Hearing Test ResultsScreenshot: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

If your proceeding turns retired fine, the effect leafage volition archer you “No Changes Needed.” If it indicates mild to terrible proceeding loss, it volition alteration you to usage the proceeding assistance features. You tin besides spell into Settings > AirPods Pro > Hearing Assistance to alteration the proceeding assistance and media assistance features. The erstwhile volition treble your AirPods arsenic proceeding immunodeficiency to boost voices and sounds astir you, portion media assistance volition marque adjustments to amended the clarity of music, videos, and calls. 

Hearing Test Details

The 3rd proceeding wellness feature, Hearing Protection, volition automatically beryllium enabled arsenic portion of the update, but you tin double-check that astatine Settings > AirPods Pro > Hearing Protection > Loud Sound Reduction. 

Loud Sound ReductionScreenshot: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

You tin instrumentality a caller trial whenever you want, and your iPhone volition automatically usage that information to cheque if it needs to alteration the proceeding assistance features for you. 

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