Apple has announced that it will release iOS 18.1 next week, bringing a range of advanced hearing health features to the AirPods Pro 2. The update will introduce hearing protection, hearing testing, and hearing aid functionality to the popular wireless earbuds, marking a significant step in Apple's push into health technology.

The upcoming update was confirmed by reviewers who received early access to the new features. Apple received FDA authorisation for these capabilities last month, underscoring their potential impact on hearing health.

One of the key features in iOS 18.1 is a hearing test that can be conducted directly from an iPhone. The test plays a series of tones at different frequencies, prompting users to respond, much like a clinical hearing exam. Results from the test are stored in the Health app, allowing users to adjust the audio settings on their AirPods accordingly. If hearing loss is detected, the AirPods Pro 2 can automatically function as hearing aids, amplifying specific sounds in real time.

"After you take a hearing test, your AirPods Pro are transformed into a personalised hearing aid, boosting the specific sounds you need in real time, like parts of speech, or elements within your environment," said Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple's Vice President of Health, during the feature's announcement.

In addition to these hearing enhancements, iOS 18.1 will introduce new hearing protection features. The AirPods Pro 2will be able to monitor the user's environment and reduce the impact of loud noises in real time, a function integrated into noise cancellation and transparency modes.

Beyond hearing features, the update will also roll out Apple's first Apple Intelligence capabilities, including tools such as Writing Tools, smart replies to emails and messages, and notification summaries. Siri will gain new abilities, such as answering product-related questions, with further enhancements like ChatGPT integration expected in future updates.