Apple is reportedly planning to transform its wireless Bluetooth earbuds, AirPods into a “health tool” over the next few years. According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, AirPods currently have a feature that allows the wearable to be used as an unofficial pair of hearing aids. The Live Listen feature in AirPods amplifies the sound from across a room. Gurman claims that Apple might make the AirPods an FDA-approved hearing aid. The latest rule changes in the US related to hearing aids may help Apple to achieve this goal.
New rule in the US related to hearing aids
Recently, the US started allowing users to purchase hearing aids without a prescription. This new rule is expected to let Apple market upcoming AirPods as a hearing aid as well. The report also claims that if Apple starts offering AirPods as hearing aids it might help a huge number of users.
Health features in the AirPods
Apart from Live Listen, Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds also include another feature that helps users who suffer from hearing disabilities. The Conversation Boost feature uses the microphone on the device to help amplify conversations. This AirPods Pro feature can amplify conversations which are taking place in front of the user. This feature might not be as helpful as Live Listen, but it makes it easier for the user to follow a conversation.
In 2016, Apple also got another patent approved for a system that allowed the company to track users’ heart rates, body temperature and other health-related biometric data. This information can be collected via earbuds and earphones. In this case, the biometric sensor is placed inside one of the earbuds.
