Over-the-counter hearing aid features are now available in Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, marking the firstinstance of a major tech company entering the arena ofover-the-counter hearing aids with regular earbuds, bringing the price down significantly from thousands of dollars to around $200.
The most important features for mild hearing loss, such as programmability, Bluetooth functionality, and the ability to feed sound to both ears, are all available in the AirPods Pro 2.
While this new technology offers an opportunity for those with mild hearing loss to experience and afford hearing aid features, the prescription hearing aids available on the market today are still more effective in managing tinnitus and the bulky design of the devices can cause discomfort and swimmer’s ear after prolonged use.
Despite these drawbacks, the AirPods Pro 2 presents an exciting and more affordable alternative to traditional hearing aids, with the potential for future advancements to come.