AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aids not available in Canada

Interesting article from yesterday where Apple is quoted as still working with the provinces on this: https://www.thestar.com/life/health-wellness/apple-s-airpods-hearing-aid-feature-is-available-in-106-countries-but-not-canada-here/article_76c5641a-0346-11f0-a88b-9fa7e7f24a0b.html

The quote makes me feel a little more optimistic since it indicates that Apple has not been given a hard no by the provinces yet.

If Apple required that the user agree to some terms before using the hearing aid function would this eliminate the audiologists as a roadblock? This could include a phrase such as " user agrees that this device is not intended to replace proper health care such as annual physical examinations"

if Apple likes this idea they should feel free to send me a new iPhone 17 be they are also too expensive for seniors.

If they have in fact been approved by Health Canada, why do we now have to get approval from our provincial health departments? I’ve sent an email to Saskatchewan Health where I live as ell I have sent a story idea to CBC Marketplace and got a request for more information, so I’m hoping they will do a story about the bureaucracy we deal with on what should be a simple approval in Canada.

I wrote to Health Canada regarding the hearing aid function and they wrote back that they approved this use and issued licenses to Apple allowing this function mid December 2024. They recommended writing to Health Ontario as they will also have to approve the hearing aid function! I wrote to Health Ontario Feb. 12th and have not received a response as of yet. Why we have duplicate levels of health administration seems like overkill. I’m sure other Provence's have their own health administrations as well, multiple duplications!!! Makes you wonder why health care is so expensive!

Au sujet des air pods 2 voici ce l'ordre des audiologiste au Québec m'ont récemment répondu concernant l'absence d'acces au logiciel d'activation :

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Bonjour Monsieur *****,

Effectivement, Santé Canada a approuvé la fonction "appareil auditif" dans les Airpods de Apple vers la fin de 2024. Cependant, l'Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec n'a aucun lien avec le fait qu'Apple n'ait pas encore déployé la mise à jour du logiciel permettant d'activer cette fonction, tant au Québec que dans toutes les autres provinces canadiennes. En effet, l'OOAQ n'a pas pour rôle de donner son aval au sujet de la disponibilité de ce type de produit ou de sa vente au Québec, notamment parce que la distribution et la vente de prothèses auditives sous prescription ou en vente libre ne fait pas partie des activités des audiologistes ou des orthophonistes du Québec. 

En complément d'informations, l'OOAQ a un énoncé de positon sur les appareils auditifs en vente libre, que vous pouvez consulter au lien suivant:https://www.ooaq.qc.ca/decouvrir/a-propos/enonce-position-appareils-auditifs-vente-libre/ ainsi qu'une page web dédiée au sujet: https://www.ooaq.qc.ca/consulter/audiologiste/appareils-auditifs-vente-libre/

Bonne journée, 

Joanie, M.P.A

Audiologiste / Conseillère aux affaires professionnelles

[Edited by Moderator]

Typical politician. I’m actually surprised that Apple can’t make more of a push to make this available in Canada. I bought the AirPods Pro 2 with the understanding that the hearing aid function was available. How many people would return the product at that point.

I got same reply from Ontario Minister of Health. I sent this back: “Your reply neatly avoids my question. CASLPO is the problem, not the solution. CASLPO is an advocacy group for audiologists who charge outrageous amounts for hearing aids and related services and are opposed to over-the-counter hearing aids.

The question for the Minister of Health is very simple: Will you approve the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for use as hearing aids in Ontario? The users can install the required firmware upgrade (not yet approved by your Ministry) and calibrate the devices with Apple’s very efficient and user-friendly software. There is no need of oversight by CASLPO or their members.

Please answer the above question in plain language and not bureaucratic boilerplate. “

The finger pointing on this is so frustrating.

CASLPO said it’s not them who’s blocking this: https://caslpo.com/about-caslpo/media-and-publications/express/current-issue/volume-11-issue-1-february-2025?words=AirPods&filter=exact

Meanwhile, there are several responses in this thread from provincial governments saying that it’s not their responsibility.

All while Health Canada said they did their part…

So whose responsibility is it!? Like others suggested, a CBC Marketplace investigation would help tremendously on this.

Mine are still working. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Going to repost this info from rasg detailing how you can use your iPods as “unofficial” hearing aids now as long as you use an older iOS version for set up. This worked well for me.

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If you haven’t updated your iPhone to IOS 18.1 you can still use the Airpods as hearing Aids with an older IOS without the geographical lock and for me with mild to moderate hearing loss they work really well. I've been using them for five or six weeks. They won't help you that much if your hearing loss is severe or profound.

If you are not on IOS 18.1 you can set them up straight away. If you have an iPad or an older iPhone that is running an older IOS you could set them up on that. You will need to download the free Mimi app to do do a hearing test OR you can download your audiogram by taking a photo of it.

Assuming you have set them up using Bluetooth after you have taken a hearing test. Go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio Visual and click on Headphone Accommodations. Click on Audiogram and it will ask you which one to use. If you used the Mimi app the test will appear with todays date. Select it. In the next menu you can hear a sample of music and toggle between music with your Audiogram applied and without it so you know your Audiogram is working.

Go to the bottom and click on Transparency Mode and also switch Conversation boost on.

With the Airpods connected to your phone or iPad, your Airpods will appear close to the top of the Settings menu. Click on it. Switch Conversation Awareness on. Switch Loud Sound Reduction on. Go almost to the bottom and do an Ear Tip Fit Test to make sure you have a good seal in your ears.

That's about it but there are loads of settings you can play around with. In the last menu I mentioned you can simply set them to Adaptive Mode which will automatically set Noise Cancellation volume according to your surroundings. Otherwise you tinker with the Background Volume and Hearing Aid Volume manually independently of each other.

Hope this helps. Copy it quick!

Recently wrote to Ontario Health Ministy - this is what I just got back......

Thank you for writing to the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health, about using Apple Airpods

as hearing aids. The Ministry of Health appreciates that you took the time to get more information.

In Ontario, audiologists and speech-language pathologists are governed under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Act, 1991.

Under these acts, the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO)

is responsible for ensuring its members are competent, skilled and

qualified to practise in Ontario. As part of its duties, CASLPO may make regulations and set standards of practice on a variety of subject matters.

We encourage you to contact CASLPO as they are best suited to answer your questions:

CASLPO

601-175 Bloor Street East, North Tower

Toronto, Ontario  M4W 3R8

Telephone: 416-975-5347

Toll free: 800-993-9459

Email: caslpo@caslpo.com

We hope this information is helpful. Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

Correspondence and Corporate Support | Correspondance et soutien ministériel

Ministry of Health | Ministère de la Santé

Good idea to write CBC Marketplace. They crack lots of issues open and cause change. I’m going to write them now.

amazon.com or amazon.ca ? which model please ? and were there customs fees if ordered from US ? and what is the guarantee offered ?

true. same for 18.3.1