Earlier this week Apple revealed that its AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid upgrade would start rolling out week commencing October 28.
Unveiled at the iPhone 16 event in September, Apple is adding a new hearing test and over-the-counter hearing aid functionality to its AirPods Pro 2, providing hearing support for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.
As we noted yesterday (October 21), the rollout will begin in the United States for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2 by way of a software update. However, Apple has confirmed that only one other country will be getting the feature at launch.
As reported by multiple outlets, Apple’s AirPods Pro Hearing Health web page now confirms that AirPods Hearing Protection “is only available in the U.S. and Canada.”
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aids: Which countries are in?
In September, Apple confirmed that its Hearing Health features for AirPods Pro 2 would be available in more than 100 countries and regions including the US, Germany, and Japan.
As it stands, next week only US and Canadian users look set to benefit. It’s likely that Apple is still awaiting clearance from various health bodies around the world for its feature, or that it has deliberately staggered the rollout to ensure there are no bugs.
We’ve been hands-on with the feature in the run-up to the launch – and we were impressed. The hearing test was easy to perform, and the results simple to digest.
In our early testing, we’ve found the hearing aid mode makes sounds, particularly voices, more pronounced and amplified. It also improves listening to music played through speakers and watching TV.
What’s more, wearing something discreet like AirPods Pro also provides an alternative to wearing bulkier hearing aids and the potential stigma that comes with them.
As it stands, Apple’s AirPods Pro Hearing Health features will roll out to the US and Canada next week. We’ve reached out to Apple regarding when the features will come to other countries, and we’ll update this story if and when we get a response.