Need hearing aids? New study says AirPods might do the trick
Millions of people struggle to hear properly, which can significantly affect their quality of life. But correct medical care and equipment can be costly and difficult to maintain. Tap or click here to use your Echo to get medical help.
Luckily, there seems to be a much cheaper option for hearing aids. It’s not the latest medical science or audio technology advancement but a simple accessory compatible with most gadgets.
Read on to see how scientists determined Apple’s AirPods make excellent hearing aids.
Here’s the backstory
It’s hard to believe that AirPods can help you hear better, but a recent study published in the iScience journal explains why personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) are great alternatives to expensive medical tools.
Specifically, the study investigated the electroacoustic features of the AirPods Pro when paired with the iPhone’s Live Listen function.
Researchers found that AirPods Pro met four out of five PSAP standards and that there weren’t significant differences in speech perception between AirPods Pro and hearing aids in quiet environments. This is game-changing!
Even though hearing aids are now legally sold over the counter, they are still much more expensive than Apple AirPods. Tap or click here to find out if over-the-counter hearing aids are a good idea.
What you can do about it
The study indicates that nearly 75% of people with hearing loss do not obtain hearing aids, which can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $6,000. That is more than 10 times the price of AirPods Pro, which retails for around $250.
AirPods Pro are great as hearing aids as they are compatible with the iPhone’s Live Listen feature. The technology lets your phone act like a microphone that sends sound to your AirPods. Apple says this can help you better hear a conversation in loud areas or even hear someone speaking across the room.
To use AirPods as hearing aids, you’ll first need to add Live Listen to Control Center on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Here’s how:
3 hidden health indicators you didn't know your phone was keeping track of
Imagine someone following every step you take, furiously noting everything you do in a notebook. Pretty creepy, right? Well, that’s pretty much what your smartphone does — but because our iPhones and Androids are so useful, we rarely think about how they keep track of us.
Creepy AirPods setting can let you listen in on someone's private conversation
Spy technology is so advanced now that it can be squeezed into almost anything. But would-be secret agents don’t need to go to the backstreet tech dealer to get what they need. They just need an iPhone and a pair of AirPods.