Apple introduces a suite of innovative listening wellness features in iOS 18.1 for the Health app’s Hearing section, allowing users to better monitor and manage their auditory health. The iOS 18.1 launch candidate, available to developers and public beta testers, now features comprehensive listening assistance capabilities, prompting us to investigate how this new functionality performs in practice.
To utilize the latest listening wellness features, ensure you pair your AirPods Pro 2 with a compatible device running iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1. Upon entering the AirPods Pro section, you’ll notice an option to initiate a hearing test, which should be your primary destination.
Apple’s hearing test simulates in-clinic evaluations, replicating tests typically conducted by physicians or audiologists to detect potential hearing impairments. For individuals experiencing hearing loss, a diagnostic test helps identify specific frequency ranges affected.
With AirPods securely in place, simply tap “Get Started” to initiate the hearing test. The examination takes approximately five minutes, commencing with the left ear before proceeding to the right ear. Listen attentively to a diverse assortment of tones, each with distinct frequencies and sound profiles, and aim to tap your iPhone’s touchscreen every time a sound resonates. The tones that you simply hear are checked for four distinct frequencies: 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, and 4 kHz.
Apple automatically activates Do Not Disturb on your iPhone during the sound test, using your AirPods to guarantee a quiet environment. The screening test is intended for individuals aged 18 and above, but it’s crucial to postpone the examination if you experience any adverse conditions, including allergies, a cold, ear infection, or sinus issues, as these may compromise the accuracy of the results. Apple recommends waiting at least 24 hours before taking the hearing test if you’ve recently been exposed to loud noise, such as a concert or construction, as this exposure may also impact the test results?
Upon completing the hearing test procedures, you will receive your evaluation results, featuring distinct decibel level ranges for each ear separately. For individuals with normal hearing, typically characterized by a 5 decibel hearing level (dBHL) threshold per ear, there is often minimal to no perceived listening difficulty, rendering adjustments to their AirPods unnecessary.
According to Apple, sound levels as low as 25 decibels above hearing level (dBHL) typically result in negligible to imperceptible listening impairments. 26-40 dBHL indicates gentle hearing loss, while readings of 41-60 dBHL suggest average hearing impairment. Sound thresholds exceeding 61-80 dBHL are considered severe, while levels above 80 dBHL can result in profound hearing impairment.
A whisper is roughly around 20 decibels, while an individual’s breathing is approximately 10 decibels. The rainfall is actually a significant source of noise pollution, with a sound level of around 50 decibels. To put this in perspective, normal conversation between two people is typically around 60 decibels. Without significant auditory impairment, one can discern a whispered tone; with moderate hearing loss, it is still possible to perceive and recite phrases delivered in a normal voice at a distance of approximately 3 feet. With moderate hearing loss, you’ll be able to discern and mimic short phrases spoken at normal volume within arm’s length.
If your check reveals mild to moderate hearing loss, you’ll have the option to engage the Hearing Support feature on AirPods Pro. Enabling the AirPods Pro with spatial audio allows for personalized frequency enhancement based on your unique hearing preferences, thereby simplifying the detection of voices and surrounding sounds.
The device also features a Media Help function, which complements the Listening Support feature by optimizing audio settings for music, movies, and phone calls, ensuring a superior listening experience. With the Listening to Support function, users can easily activate it by utilising an audiogram from an audiologist, even if they don’t wish to take the test on their iPhone.
If our audit verifies zero listening degradation, Apple will not recommend alterations to your AirPods sound calibration, and there will be no option to enable the Hearing Support feature.
To gain further insight from your Hearing Test results, simply navigate to the Hearing section within the Health app, tap on the test icon, and review a graphical representation of the frequencies that presented the greatest challenges for you.
With the introduction of Listening to Help and the AirPods Pro 2, Apple incorporates Listening to Safety as a vital component of its Hearing Health feature set, prioritizing users’ auditory well-being. This feature includes a Loud Sound Discount option, which is automatically activated. Loud Sound Discount effectively detects and adapts to surrounding loud noises through its transparent and adaptive modes, dynamically reducing noise levels to prevent distortion and ensure optimal listening experience.
At live performances, our Loud Sound Discount technology adjusts the volume to a comfortable level, ensuring an enjoyable listening experience without auditory discomfort. Different development projects often require similar resources and skills, making them seem comparable in terms of complexity and scope.
According to Apple, Transparency Mode offers a sound reduction of 11-15 decibels in environments where ambient noise reaches 100 decibels, while Adaptive Mode provides a noise reduction range of 25-29 decibels. With Energetic Noise Cancellation technology, noise reduction is achieved through a remarkable 25-30 decibel discount.
The noise cancellation effectiveness may vary depending on the pairing of AirPods Pro 2 with your surrounding environment. While the AirPods Pro 2 may provide adequate sound isolation from everyday ambient noises, they are insufficient to block out extremely loud, brief impulse sounds like gunfire, jackhammers, or fireworks. Moreover, they struggle to effectively mitigate sustained noise levels exceeding 110 decibels.
In the Well-being app’s Environmental Noise Cancellation section, users can view hourly tracking data for noise cancellation achieved with their AirPods Pro.
With the availability of iOS 18.1 developer or public beta and AirPods Pro 2, users can currently experience the innovative listening test and listening assistance feature. Once fully developed, this innovative performance will be poised to reach a broader audience with the imminent release of iOS 18.1 next week.
What are the game-changing listening health features in AirPods Pro 2 that revolutionize audio experiences and prioritize user well-being? What is your current understanding of this request? Please provide more details and let me know how I can assist you better.
