Apple's Future AirPods Could Take Your Temperature, Offer Hearing Tests (theverge.com) 17
The Verge reports:
Some AirPods will be gaining a new hearing health feature, supported by iOS 17, that can check yourself for potential hearing issues and may be able to determine your body temperature via your ear canal, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in today's Power On newsletter. He also says all of Apple's new headphones will include USB-C, and that the company is planning new AirPods Pro and AirPods Max models — but he doesn't think new hardware is coming soon.
AirPods already support audiograms — audio profiles that tell the AirPods where your hearing may be weakest so that they can tune themselves to your hearing abilities. Right now, you can generate an audiogram using the app Mimi, which Apple would be Sherlocking — an infamous Apple tendency to fold third-party features and apps into its operating system — with a built-in hearing test feature...
Gurman says Apple is also exploring positioning the AirPods as hearing aids, now that the FDA has approved over-the-counter sales of hearing aids without a prescription... Gurman believes the new health features are "several months or even years away," and that although USB-C AirPods may be coming soon, AirPods Pro themselves are so far on a three-year refresh cycle.
AirPods already support audiograms — audio profiles that tell the AirPods where your hearing may be weakest so that they can tune themselves to your hearing abilities. Right now, you can generate an audiogram using the app Mimi, which Apple would be Sherlocking — an infamous Apple tendency to fold third-party features and apps into its operating system — with a built-in hearing test feature...
Gurman says Apple is also exploring positioning the AirPods as hearing aids, now that the FDA has approved over-the-counter sales of hearing aids without a prescription... Gurman believes the new health features are "several months or even years away," and that although USB-C AirPods may be coming soon, AirPods Pro themselves are so far on a three-year refresh cycle.
I Could Be Interested When... (Score:3)
test (Score:4, Funny)
Who would have thought (Score:3, Funny)
that saying "You can shove your overpriced earbuds where the sun doesn't shine" would actually be a good piece of advice to determine if you're running a fever.
You have to marvel at how creative Big Data is (Score:2, Insightful)
They never cease to find more and more ingenious ways to collect monetizable data on you and violate your privacy at every opportunity. It's quite impressive in a depressing and dystopian kind of way...
Re: (Score:2)
"As of late"? Dude... You must have discovered Slashdot very recently: I've been annoying for 25 uninterrupted year :)
So there are 3 now? (Score:2)
Offer tinnitus therapy (Score:2)
If Apple really wants to get into healthcare, then they should start getting into treatments as well. For instance, do the tinnitus suffering masses a favor, and start providing sound therapy sessions. I have a mild case, and it fucking sucks. I can't imagine what folks with serious cases endure on a daily basis. I'd happily pay $30/mo to eliminate it. Just put the magic AI on the case, and the solution will present itself. lol
Iâ(TM)m using them as as needed hearing aids (Score:3, Interesting)
I have some high frequency hearing loss to the point I need hearing aids but can function without them. I went to get hearing aids last year and they wanted $6k
I configured my $250 AirPod Pros and it sounds just like the hearing aids I tested. I could get 24 pair for the price of one hearing aid set.
Great for watching shows together with the wife. Plus I get active noise cancellation when I want the opposite functionality. I donâ(TM)t need them all the time so it is perfect.
Plus my tinnitus is slightly reduced when Iâ(TM)m not straining to hear.
Make the price of AirPods really cheap for the functionality.
Re: Iâ(TM)m using them as as needed hearing a (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I live in a civilized country where hearing aids cost ... nothing ... because Free Healthcare means people can afford to work ...
further advances from Apple (Score:2)
A new special accessory enclosure from Apple will allow the AirPod to listen to intestinal sounds and gauge intestinal health. The PodPlug carrier kit will include lubricant for insertion of the carrier. The PodPlug will be available in pink, tan, and for the adventurous, Dragon Green.
PodPlug users can also use The iPhone Deep Base app to play EDM in your lower intestine for a special dance experience.
Maybe at some point (Score:2)
They could play sound frequencies that are normally classified as "bass" - I'm a dreamer
Re: (Score:2)
That requires power ... which would drain the batteries ...
I just use wired headphones...