Updated to 18.1 this morning. I read the fine print—Australia is *not* in the list of countries where Hearing Test is available. Very disappointing. I was looking forward to using iPods Pro 2 for hearing assistance.
AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
Update:
this feature is available in Australia now: Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features available today with AirPods Pro 2 - Apple (AU)
peter.neale wrote:
I posted here last night and now my post has disappeared. Does the Big Hearing Aid lobby control this site too?
What I said was that I have just installed the 18.4 update on my phone and the hearing aid function is still missing. Is this a game or something?
I see your previous post here just fine. Maybe you need to use the Sort By option just under the original post and choose the Newest option so the posts will show newest first. Not sure what your issue is with the "Big Hearing lobby", but it seems everyone else in Australia has it and they have had it since March 26th. Updating to iOS 18.4 is not necessary.
The AirPods do need to be using a firmware version greater than 7B19. That firmware version was available a long time ago, so unless your AirPods were never given the chance to update automatically, they should already have at least that update and the most recent firmware version is 7E93. All the information about firmware updates are in my previous post along with the announcement from Apple showing it became available on March 26th. The other requirement is that you have to be at least 18.
Wondering if Apple Support's video below can help: Seems the Hearing Aid feature is available for those over 18, with mild to moderate hearing loss
Well good news now we have iOS 18.4 in Australia on our iPhones we can access the hearing health applications. Took a while but looks like we can use the AirPods pro as intended
As you can see from other posts the hearing aid function is now available in Australia. I can also personally confirm I now have it available. You must have some other issue.
I posted here last night and now my post has disappeared. Does the Big Hearing Aid lobby control this site too?
What I said was that I have just installed the 18.4 update on my phone and the hearing aid function is still missing. Is this a game or something?
gspeak wrote:
As others have noted & was even featured on News over different media on The hearing test facility appeared on my AurPods Pro 2 settings on Wednesday 26th March.
I have been using it since then daily. It wasn’t associated with any announced firmware updates.
That is correct. A new firmware update was not required to use the feature or even an iOS update. The firmware update that includes the feature was made long ago in Version 7B19, so making sure you have at least that version would be necessary to use the feature.
As others have noted & was even featured on News over different media on The hearing test facility appeared on my AurPods Pro 2 settings on Wednesday 26th March.
I have been using it since then daily. It wasn’t associated with any announced firmware updates.
peter.neale wrote:
Just updated my phone to iOS 18.4 (Saturday 5 April 2025 at 23:50).
Sadly, the hearing aid function is still not there.
What's going on, Apple Australia? Have you been so heavily lobbied by the Hearing Aid Lobby that you may never add this function in Australia?
The feature included Australia before the iOS 18.4 update and verified here and in other forums by users in that region. Make sure your AirPods Pro 2 have been updated to the latest firmware.
About firmware updates for AirPods - Apple Support
It was actually made available in Australia on March 26th.
Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features available today with AirPods Pro 2 - Apple (AU)
Just updated my phone to iOS 18.4 (Saturday 5 April 2025 at 23:50).
Sadly, the hearing aid function is still not there.
What's going on, Apple Australia? Have you been so heavily lobbied by the Hearing Aid Lobby that you may never add this function in Australia?
Update:
this feature is available in Australia now: Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features available today with AirPods Pro 2 - Apple (AU)
Thank you for sharing your experience with us ... good to know! Cheers :-)
Confirming, the hearing test and aids feature is active. I wear HAs and wanted the APP2 aid feature for casual use for walking while listening to music and such. I used my last audiogram (I have moderate (right ear) and severe (left ear) loss) to program and I guess they work okay and certainly better than the previous transparency mode. But of course won’t replace my HAs. However, they will do nicely for the purpose I wanted.
Raylud wrote:
Finally!!! 4 months later, it works! Now Apple, was that so difficult. Greatly appreciate the feature, but why take so long? Didn’t even need an ios update.
Why take so long? You are correct it should not be that difficult.
Finally!!! 4 months later, it works! Now Apple, was that so difficult. Greatly appreciate the feature, but why take so long? Didn’t even need an ios update.
David Mundy wrote:
In Australia no need for doctor visit to use airpods feature but I would imagine for a standard hearing aid even though here no doctor’s prescription is required you should be referred by someone like an audiologist or doctor etc.
Thanks for the info. Canada considered them a medical device when used with the Hearing Aid feature. That was a contention point where even after the Health Authority approved them for use as a Hearing Aid in December, it was still true that for most Provinces that a prescription was required for a Hearing Aid and Over The Counter(OTC) Hearing Aids could not be sold. If they allowed the AirPods to be sold with an OTC feature, then they also need to allow other devices too. Prescription Hearing Aids in Canada costs $2000 - $10,000 a pair, so you can imagine the bureaucracy.
https://www.hearingdirectory.ca/help/hearing-aids/otc-hearing-aids
Anyway's it sounds like you guys are on track for the feature, so that is good news.
Hearing test not available in Australia after iOS update this morning
