With nearly 50 million Americans experiencing some degree of hearing loss, the struggle to find effective solutions is real. According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, only one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one. This is often due to the anxiety and stigma associated with seeking help for hearing issues, especially among those anxious about aging. But what if more accessible options existed? Enter the new AirPods Pro 2, boasting a hearing aid mode that claims to bridge this gap.

Expert audiologist Ross Cushing, Au.D., suggests that this mode could be a game changer for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. Curious about its practicality, I dove into an experiment using the latest Apple innovation.

While my hearing remains intact, my wife suffers from moderate hearing loss. For two months, we tested the AirPods Pro 2’s hearing aid mode, comparing our experiences and results.

Meet the Experts & Our Test