A new AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid firmware update sets the soundstage for the new Apple Hearing Health features expected with Monday’s public release of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Apple began rolling out the update Thursday. The new features are Hearing Test, Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection.
Intended for both Lightning and USB-C versions of the earbuds, firmware version 7B19 updates from the previous version 7A305.
AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid firmware update
As we recently reported, new Hearing Health features are coming in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. They’ll let AirPods Pro 2 earbuds function as medical-grade “over the counter” hearing aids for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. And from beta testers’ reviews, it sounds like they work well.
The new features include a Hearing Test similar to what you would get going to a hearing-specialist doctor’s office. And new Hearing Aid settings let users focus on conversation for common situations. Those can include difficulty hearing conversation in noisy restaurants, windy parks and the like. Finally, new Hearing Protection further safeguards hearing from damagingly loud sounds.
Version 7B19 release notes:
Photo: Apple
- When used with an iPhone or iPad running iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 or later, AirPods Pro 2 with firmware update 7B19 enable three new features — a Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection.
- The Apple Hearing Test feature provides scientifically-validated hearing test results from the comfort of home (intended for users 18 years or older).
- The Hearing Aid feature provides personalized, clinical-grade assistance that is automatically applied to sounds in your environment as well as music, videos and calls (intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss).
- The Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada).
- Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions.
To update AirPods firmware, just make sure you put your AirPods Pro 2 are paired with a macOS or iOS device and in their charging case. Read much more about AirPods firmware updating in our guide.
