Regulations Delay Full AirPods Health Features in France

Apple has rolled out new health features for AirPods Pro 2 in France, but the country’s regulatory environment is limiting their full potential.

While French users can now access hearing tests and loud sound reduction, they’ll have to wait until at least 2025 for the hearing aid feature.

The new features, launched alongside the iPhone 16 in September 2024, include a hearing test that plays soft tones to assess hearing health, and Loud Sound Reduction that automatically protects users from sudden loud noises in places like subway stations. Apple claims the hearing test results match professional audiometry standards.

The most advanced feature, Hearing Aid Mode, remains unavailable in France due to medical device regulations. This feature would adjust sound levels based on hearing test results, effectively working like a traditional hearing aid.

While it’s available in over 100 countries since October 2024, European Union health regulations require additional certifications for medical devices.

Users can access the available features through the Health app or AirPods settings after installing iOS 18.1 and the latest AirPods Pro 2 firmware from October 2024.