- The Hearing Test, Hearing Aids, and Hearing Protection features are only available on the 2nd-generation AirPods Pro, both USB-C and Lightning versions.
- With iOS 18.2, Apple expands AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test to Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, UAE, and the UK.
- To use hearing health features on AirPods Pro 2, you must install iOS 18.1 on your iPhone or iPadOS 18.1 or later on your iPad.
With iOS 18.1, Apple introduced the hearing aid capabilities for AirPods Pro 2nd-generation. This incredible addition allows you to run a hearing test on your iPhones, similar to the clinical hearing test performed by audiologists. Then, you can adjust the settings and turn your own AirPods into hearing aids. At the launch, this feature was available in the US and select other countries. With the iOS 18.2 coming to the public in the next few days, Apple is expanding the hearing test feature to nine more countries.
AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test Availability
Apple confirmed the expansion of the Hearing Test in the release notes for iOS 18.2 Release Candidate (RC), which was rolled out to developers and public beta testers on December 5, 2024. According to the release notes, the AirPods Pro 2 hearing test is coming to nine more countries, which are:
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- France
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Romania
- Spain
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
These 9 countries join the list of countries and regions where the AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test is already available.
With iOS 18.2, Apple is also enabling the AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aids feature in the United Arab Emirates.
AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test
AirPods Pro 2 users can take a hearing test right on their iPhones. It’s a five-minute test that allows users to identify if they have hearing loss. The test will play different frequencies of sound to which users can respond. After the test, you’ll get the results showing a hearing loss classification and recommended next steps. With this Hearing Test, you fine-tune the sound and turn AirPods 2 into hearing aids so you can hear sounds and voices more clearly.
Image Credit: Apple
Apple also offers Hearing Protection on AirPods Pro 2, which actively monitors the user’s surroundings and automatically reduces the impact of loud noises, such as traffic or concerts. At the moment, this feature is exclusive to the United States and Canada.
Hearing Test Compatibility
It’s worth knowing that Hearing Test and other features are only available on the 2nd-generation AirPods Pro, both USB-C and Lightning versions. Also, the hearing health features on AirPods Pro 2 require firmware version 7B19 or newer, paired with an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or newer.
It’s worth knowing that your AirPods are updated automatically when they are charging and in Bluetooth range of the paired iPhone, iPad, or Mac connected to Wi-Fi. If you don’t know the firmware version, here’s how to check and update AirPods firmware.
Apple released the final iOS 18.2 beta version on Thursday, and the public version should arrive by next week.
Kanika has been a loyal iPhone user since 2014 and loves everything Apple. With a Master’s in Computer Applications, passion for technology, and over five years of experience in writing, she landed at Beebom as an Apple Ecosystem Writer. She specializes in writing How To’s, troubleshooting guides, App features, and roundups for Apple users to help them make the best use of their gadgets. When not writing, she loves to try out new recipes and enjoy some family time.
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- Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
- The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
- We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.
Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.
The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI
Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”
Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”
Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle
Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.
The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .
Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.
Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up
xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.
It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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