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iOS 18.2 Expands AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test Feature to Nine Countries

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The upcoming iOS 18.2 update expands the hearing test feature on the AirPods Pro 2 to nine additional countries, including Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, according to Apple. The feature first launched in the U.S. and select other countries in late October.

AirPods-Pro-2-Hearing-Test-Feature.jpg

The five-minute test allows adults to identify if they have hearing loss by measuring their ability to hear different frequencies of sound. After completing the test, the results will show a hearing loss classification and recommended next steps. Apple has a support document with detailed information about the feature.

iOS 18.2 also expands the ability to use AirPods Pro 2 as a clinical-grade hearing aid to the United Arab Emirates, according to Apple.

All of the hearing health features on the AirPods Pro 2 require firmware version 7B19 or newer. Firmware updates are installed automatically on AirPods while they are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac connected to Wi-Fi.

Apple today released the final iOS 18.2 beta version, known as the Release Candidate, and the update should be widely released next week.

Article Link: iOS 18.2 Expands AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test Feature to Nine Countries
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/05/ios-18-2-expands-airpods-pro-2-hearing-test/
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Kylo83 said:
But why can’t we get the hearing aid feature in the uk, what’s the point of a test but can’t use the hearing aid feature
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Agree.
Also you can launch the Hearing Test in any country just by pasting this on iPhone's Safari:
Code: 
x-apple-health://HearingAppPlugin.healthplugin/HearingTest

But if you get a bad result, you couldn't do anything about it.
 
I find the way these features are rolled out very frustrating. I understand they need approval, but Apple are so vague about the status of if/when features like this arrive outside the US. Same with the ECG originally.
It shouldn’t be too difficult surely to add a list of countries where approval is pending and a suggested availability time.
 
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Kylo83 said:
But why can’t we get the hearing aid feature in the uk, what’s the point of a test but can’t use the hearing aid feature
Click to expand...
The test can still tell if you need any hearing help at all.
Over the counter hearing help requires Regulatory approval.
 
I’m in United States of America and still dont work on my AirPod Pro 2, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPad Pro M4.. so before launch to other countries lets make sure actually works in current counties first.
 
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Interestingly I noticed, just the morning, that the hearing test and hearing aid features have started showing up for me in Settings. I'm in the UK and have not installed any iOS 18 betas (I'm on 18.1.1).
Could it be because I was in Norway this week (I'm back in the UK now)?
 
SteveLV702 said:
I’m in United States of America and still dont work on my AirPod Pro 2, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPad Pro M4.. so before launch to other countries lets make sure actually works in current counties first.
Click to expand...
What exactly doesn't work? It's working well for me. I'm in US, APP2 with iPhone 15 Pro Max.
 
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Night Spring said:
What exactly doesn't work? It's working well for me. I'm in US, APP2 with iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Click to expand...
It doesn’t work for me either. At least for me, it just always says I need to put my AirPods back in the case for a bit and then take them out to do the test. I’ve left them in the case for multiple different durations of time between 15 seconds and 30 minutes, yet it never even stars the test. I even fully reset the AirPods and re-paired them to my phone and it just won’t let me do the test
 
Glad to see Apple adding useful health related features. Good to know that to is available in more regions. Waiting for it to be available in my country.
 
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It's more than a little amusing to see people blame Apple for their country's regulations. No, Apple can't predict approval speed. If they could, they would. But that's risky AF. You never know what delays a bureaucracy will throw at you.
 
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Regulations haven’t stopped companies selling overpriced, ill fitting hearing aids to pensioners. Hearing aids that end up in a drawer.
 
JimmyHook said:
It's more than a little amusing to see people blame Apple for their country's regulations. No, Apple can't predict approval speed. If they could, they would. But that's risky AF. You never know what delays a bureaucracy will throw at you.
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Don’t think anyone is blaming Apple for regulations.
They should however be more forthcoming in why features are not available in certain countries. A list of countries where it IS available is unhelpful to those in other countries.
Admittedly timescales do change but they can still say approval pending, or not available because….. without a commitment.
It seems to happen a lot with anything that is initially US only. They are supposedly a global company but I think sometimes they forget that and leave users slightly in limbo.
 
Why does it go into transparency mode to test? A professional test uses a quiet room with passive noise canceling headphones that block out most or all outside noise. These oddly amplify the outside noise. Can't get good results while my heat pump is running which is a lot.
 
MichaelYYZ said:
Still nothing in Canada. We are left behind by Apple...
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Its showing up for me on 18.2 RC. I have the option to take a hearing test and enable hearing assistance. It showed up on one of the earlier betas and I tried the test. Maybe on public release they will turn it off for Canada
 
ajf.350d said:
Don’t think anyone is blaming Apple for regulations.
They should however be more forthcoming in why features are not available in certain countries. A list of countries where it IS available is unhelpful to those in other countries.
Admittedly timescales do change but they can still say approval pending, or not available because….. without a commitment.
It seems to happen a lot with anything that is initially US only. They are supposedly a global company but I think sometimes they forget that and leave users slightly in limbo.
Click to expand...
Forthcoming? They told the entire planet that the rollout is subject to regulatory approval. Want status updates on that? Speak to the regulators and tell them you want a public-facing status page for all items going through the approval process. This quite literally has nothing to do with Apple, and it’s paint-chip-eating dumb to blame them for regulations.

They can’t say “approval pending,” either, as they can’t guarantee that outcome at this stage. Hence limbo. Don’t like it? Change your government
 
Have my region set to United Kingdom, installed the 18.2 RC beta on Friday and still do not have access to a hearing test.
 
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