NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — You see them in ears nearly everywhere you go: Apple’s AirPods Pro. Most people use them to listen to music and podcasts or make phone calls.
Experts say more people are using AirPods as a discreet alternative to traditional hearing aids.
Tobie Stanger, a former editor at Consumer Reports, is one of them.
“I've probably had hearing loss for several years, but it was only during the pandemic when it really began to affect me and affect the people around me,” said Stanger.
If that sounds familiar, there might be something already in your pocket that could help.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 now offer hearing assistance for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
“You can find a clinical grade hearing test right on your phone, either in the settings or in the health app," said Consumer Reports' Allen St. John. "And in just a few minutes, you can find out if you need help from a hearing aid.”
If you do, the hearing aid feature customizes your AirPods by boosting or lowering the volume at specific frequencies based on your needs.
It can also help protect your hearing in loud places like concerts by reducing the sound to a safe level.
“My husband complains that I like the sound much louder when we're watching TV," explained Stanger. "So, in order to appease him, I put the AirPods in my ears when we're watching TV and they really do help. In fact, I realized when I put them in that I had my own hearing aids set too low.”
If you find you need even more hearing support, some hearing aids can now be purchased without a prescription and they cost far less than prescription models.
When it comes to OTC hearing aids, it’s important to know that there are two main kinds: preset and self-fitting.
Consumer Reports suggests checking out OTC models from Lexie and Jabra brands.
Rechargeable OTC hearing aids generally last about a day on a single charge, while those that use replaceable batteries typically last about a week while the AirPods will only get you about 6 hours.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com.
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