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Apple's iOS 18.1 introduces advanced hearing health features and Apple Intelligence for AirPods Pro 2 users

Apple will roll out iOS 18.1 next week. This will bring advanced hearing health features to AirPods Pro 2, along with the first features of Apple Intelligence. Reviewers, who got an early peek at new hearing health functionalities, confirmed the release timing, as these are now officially part of the upgrade.

There are three core features including hearing protection, testing, and hearing aid functionality, that the iOS 18.1 update is bringing for users. Last month, the company received authorisation from the FDA for these new innovative features.

The stand-alone update integrates with a hearing test and can be taken directly from the iPhone. It works by playing a sequence of tones across different frequencies, asking the user to respond, and simulating the clinical hearing test performed by audiologists. The results will be saved in the health app, and users will be able to adjust their sound settings accordingly with AirPods.

AirPod Pro 2 will automatically modulate to become a hearing aid if any kind of hearing loss is revealed by the test. In this regard, Apple's VP of Health Dr. Sumbul Desai made a point during the announcement of the feature, he said, "Once you have taken a hearing test, your AirPods Pro become a tailored hearing aid that amplifies precisely those sounds you want in real-time, like parts of speech or elements within your environment."

In addition, the update will bring improved hearing protection. The app will constantly listen to the user's surroundings. It will reduce the amplitude of loud sounds in real-time. This adjustment happens as the sounds occur. The goal is to protect the user from sudden loud noises. The app aims to create a more comfortable auditory environment. It will be integrated throughout all listening modes including noise cancellation and transparency mode. Early impressions of these features have been reviewed by The Verge, Wired, TechRadar, CNBC, and Tom's Guide.

Besides the hearing health features, iOS 18.1 also will include the first Apple Intelligence capabilities. Writing Tools, summaries of texts and notifications, helpful answers from Siri about Apple-related topics, smart replies to your email or messages, and a revised Clean Up in Photos are among the first Apple Intelligence capabilities that you will see. Other Apple Intelligence improvements that will, later, integrate with a new Siri and include ChatGPT will roll into an update.