You may not realise it, but there are a plethora of accessibility features that you’re either utilising without actively turning them on, that support your needs, or you may not be aware of that can support your experience with your technology. Apple have been adding accessibility features to their product offerings for numerous years. In fact, you’re likely using some of these features on your phone now.
Have you enlarged the font size to reduce your squinting? Do you use transparency mode or live listen when using the Apple AirPod pros or what about using Siri ‘hey Siri, send a text to my mum' or ask about the weather. The technology is advancing whereby your phone can learn, remember, and change its settings to support your changing needs.
Let’s get down to the hearing accessibility features for your hearing health on Apple.
The Pros, as I will call them going forward in this piece, are not medical grade devices like hearing aids. Hearing aids should be personally fit to your unique ears and hearing profile (measured as an audiogram or colloquially known as a hearing test), these prescriptive fittings are based off loads of research and evidence. The Pros are consumer grade devices you can pick up from a shop, require minimal support and now, you can do quite a bit to improve your listening experience with them. In the Apple health app you can upload your hearing profile (hearing test/audiogram results) and the Pro's will support your hearing needs, but don't directly work with a prescriptive fitting formulae (Hearing loss isn't a simple 'turn up the volume to hear clarity or speech clearly').
Can I use Apple Airpod Pros as hearing aids? In short, no.
This ‘no’ comes with a few caveats.
What you can do, is access features that are like some features that are available in hearing aids.
To get the best outcomes you’ve got to have the Apple products, an Apple iPhone and the AirPod pros. I’m describing today’s features using the following Apple products; Apple iPhone 14 pro and Apple AirPod Pros Gen 2. This description will be applicable for other Apple generations/ models too.
Pairing your Pods to your iPhone
1. Ensure both products are charged.
1.a Ensure your Bluetooth is turned ON. To check go to settings > Bluetooth and toggle ON or swipe down from the top right corner of your phone and press the Bluetooth icon to turn ON. You’ll know It’s on when the icon is highlighted blue.
2. Open your AirPods case, don’t take your AirPods out of the case yet, and press and hold the button at the back of the case until the light starts flashing white. This should happen within 4s or less. This puts the AirPods into pairing mode.
4. Your AirPods should automatically connect to your iPhone once they are in pairing mode.
The screen will show the charge of your case and the Pros.
4.a IF the Pros don’t automatically connect, go to settings > Bluetooth > and select your Pros.
You can re-name your Pros by clicking on the (i) next to them in the Bluetooth menu.
Once you have selected the (i) next to your Pros in the Bluetooth menu, access features and customisation features. Scroll through and see if you want to change anything, the defaults are pretty great.
You can also customise the tap touch features in the AirPods themselves under > physical and motor. The defaults are handy, however if there is something you want to change, for example what the buttons do on the Pros, this is where you can change them too. Note you can change them in the previous settings via Bluetooth too.
Go to settings > scroll down to Accessibility > scroll down to Physical and Motor > Airpods > Your Airpods Pro > customise the features you want.
This video will walk you through how to reduce background noise (reduce ambient noises) and how to hear some conversation better (conversation boost).
You can access these features in two ways. Firstly, you drag or flick your finger down from the top right corner. Then hold your finger over the volume control/the Pros button. This will open your options for Off | Transparency | Adaptive | Noise Cancellation mode.
You can also access these features via settings > accessibility > Hearing > Audio & Visual. You need to ensure the Headphone Accommodations button is turned on. This allows you to access some features so support your hearing abilities. You can also add you audiogram (hearing test or hearing profile) this way, or directly via the health app.
To get to the hearing aid like features, click Transparency mode at the bottom of the screen, and turn this feature on. Then select Custom Transparency Mode, toggle the button to on. You will see a few options that will allow you to 1. manage ambient (background noise) around you, 2. alter the tone (clarity) and 3. turn on conversation boost.
These features are useful for those who are experiencing hearing difficulties, especially in background noise.
Are your Pros a substitute for an audiological assessment with an audiologist or hearing aids? No. But..... maybe they can support your needs for a period of time. It's important to remember that understanding the cause and location of your hearing loss is important to managing it successfully and managing it well.
The other side of the narrative to consider, is the professional support you will receive from an audiologist at the Hearing & Cognition Centre. The personalised support you receive will help you to gain confidence and understanding in managing your hearing needs and navigating your devices. Whilst we do not sell the Pros, we can certainly support you to use these to their best abilities. A hearing device consult will require a full audiogram (which includes air conduction and bone conduction thresholds), ideally a full audiological assessment in addition to the audiogram, middle ear status and speech recognition testing helps build a better picture of your hearing abilities and needs.
The Pros may be a starting device for your hearing journey.
Apple Health
If you’ve got your own audiogram (also known as a hearing test) you can upload it into your Apple health application. This is a great place to track and store your health data.
If you have an Apple Watch this is a bonus in the Apple hearing health ecosystem. Apple health allows you to understand your hearing health, headphone habits and noise exposure.
Open the Apple health app and you’ll see your options along the bottom of the app, these include, summary, sharing and browse (health areas). We’ll focus on the summary of noise and listening habits and the browse function.
Summary > Noise exposure is incredibly important to understand. The watch has a sound level meter that can monitor and send you high noise exposure notifications. This is important because noise induced hearing loss occurs due to repeated exposure to the noise over time. If you get a noise notification saying the area you are in is too loud (over 85dB) you can move away or stop the noise. Take action to protect your hearing now and prevent noise induced hearing loss.
Got any questions or need some technical support with your hearing aids, come see me for a hearing aid re-evaluation! I love this technology, optimising it for you and helping you understand your hearing and listening needs and how to achieve them.
Disclaimer: This is a general information article only. No medical advice is given. Always see your doctor or audiologist (me) if you have ear or hearing health concerns.
Please note these products described within, are on loan from Apple as I am proudly an accessibility ambassador for them.
Take care of your ears and hearing,
Kat
Instant Online Bookings: www.hearingandcognitioncentre.com.au/online-bookings
Call: 0481777104
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