The hearing aid feature is available with AirPods Pro 2 models, and requires an iPhone or iPad to set it up. It starts with built-in tests that will help users determine if they have hearing loss, set up the feature if they do, and set personalized amplification levels.

With its new hearing health features, Apple has once again blurred the line between medical devices and consumer gadgets.

Now that iOS 18.1 is available to the masses, Apple’s new hearing aid feature is ready for use. The tool is one of three hearing health items the company announced alongside the iPhone 16 in September.

Apple is set to release its latest AirPods this week, promising a new feature that could benefit the estimated billion people worldwide with hearing loss.

Learn how to activate the hearing aid feature on AirPods Pro 2, enhancing your auditory experience with iOS 18.1.

Apple recently introduced the ability to use your AirPods Pro as a hearing aid. Here's how you can take a sound test and enable the feature.

For now, the hearing aid feature is only available with the AirPods Pro 2 model. Users will need an iPhone or iPad to set it up. The feature setup starts with built-in hearing loss tests to determine whether or not users have hearing loss. If they do, they can then set up their own customized amplification levels.

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Apple AirPods Pro's new hearing aid feature could

Some Apple AirPods wireless headphones can be used as hearing aids with a new software update that became available recently. It's a high-profile move that experts applaud, even if they only reach a small portion of the millions of Americans with hearing loss.