AI image: ChatGPT
There’s an important new reason you might put AirPods Pro on your gift list this year. If you know someone who resists getting the hearing assistance they need, Apple’s wireless earbuds can change their life.
It’s not hype — AirPods Pro 2 really can help people with mild to moderate hearing loss thanks to a software update released this autumn.
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Gift AirPods Pro 2 for discreet hearing assistance
AirPods have always made wonderful gifts. They’re a great way to listen to music on the go or in the office. Our AirPods Pro 2 review says sound quality is “undeniably high,” and they work seamlessly with iPhone.
But that’s been true since the launch in 2022. Then Apple leveled up AirPods Pro 2 in October so they can function as genuine medical-grade hearing aids. The goal is to help those with slight hearing loss who aren’t ready for more serious hearing assistance.
And that could be someone on your gift list. They might have enjoyed loud concerts when they were young and are now paying the price. Or could be they were frequently around loud equipment without hearing protection, or maybe did a lot of hunting. Whatever the reason, they’ve damaged their hearing, but they (mistakenly) believe they’re too young and cool to need a hearing aid.
Gift them with AirPods Pro 2. They can still look cool — everyone wears AirPods — while they get the help they need to hear more clearly. It could really improve their life.
Even better, you can pick up a pair from Amazon or Best Buy at $60 below the usual cost.
Best earbuds for Apple gear
AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds (USB-C)
4.5
AirPods Pro 2 are a fantastic pair of earbuds for your iPhone, delivering terrific sound quality, excellent ANC, and advanced features like Personalized Spatial Audio.
- Fab sound quality
- Excellent ANC
- Double as clinical-grade hearing aids
- USB-C wireless charging case
- Fiddly: Easy to put in wrong ear
Not marketing hype
To be clear, AirPods Pro 2 isn’t for grandma or grandpa who have significant hearing loss. It‘s for your uncle the former metalhead. Or it could be your mom who went to dance clubs every weekend all through college. The key phrase is “mild to moderate hearing loss.”
For anyone feeling skeptical, the new feature definitely isn’t just empty marketing hype. Apple had to get FDA approval to say that its high-end wireless earbuds act as medical-grade hearing aids. Plus, the Wall Street Journal gave a pair to a woman already diagnosed with hearing loss. She immediately heard a difference.
