AirPods Transformed into Hearing Aids

Apple wants to turn them into a full-fledged medical device.

The American company Apple plans to transform its AirPods headphones into a hearing aid. This was reported by well-known insider and Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman, as noted by MacRumors.

According to Gurman, Apple is currently working on enhancing the capabilities of AirPods so that they can become a full-fledged medical device. The company's plans include creating a headset that will be beneficial for people with hearing issues. Additional features may appear in the company's new devices within a year or two.

The AirPods already have options that partially allow the device to be used as a hearing aid, Gurman reminds. For example, sound amplification during conversations. However, they are not certified as medical devices. And Apple seems to want to enter the healthcare market.

Another authoritative insider, Ming-Chi Kuo, previously reported that the Cupertino company has already obtained several patents related to using headphones as a medical device. Among them are hidden sensors in the headset that collect data on pulse, body temperature, and sweat levels.