Canadians may never get to use AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids

Regardless of Well being Canada approving AirPods Pro 2 as listening to aids, Canadians are nonetheless unable to make use of function due to nonetheless additional regulatory hurdles which look unlikely to be cleared.

Apple up to date AirPods Professional 2 to behave as each a listening to check and listening to aids for US customers in October 2024, and it has been rolling out to other countries since. However regardless of approval by Well being Canada, the nation’s federal division for well being companies, the function continues to be not out there.

Based on native CTV Information, Canadians are complaining that they’ve particularly purchased AirPods Professional 2 due to the Well being Canada approval and really feel cheated with out it.

“I sort of felt like I received ripped off,” Artwork Jackes of Oakville mentioned. “I believe it is sinful to carry it again. It is an accessibility concern. Everybody wants all the benefits they will get.”

It is not so simple as Apple simply keen it into being, nevertheless. As with absolutely anything Apple does, the regulatory local weather poses points.

A spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Well being mentioned that prescribing listening to aids is restricted to licensed audiologists and physicians. “Ought to the AirPods Professional 2 be bought in Ontario as a listening to help,” mentioned the spokesperson, “it will must be achieved in accordance with the necessities [of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991].”

It would not seem, then, that Canada goes to permit Apple to allow its AirPods Professional 2 listening to help function with out rules being considerably revised.

Apple’s AirPods Professional 2 listening to options at the moment are out there in over 100 international locations, however Canada is just not the one one to proceed having regulatory points. Throughout Europe, the function continues to be not universally out there, and in circumstances such as France, solely sure components have been accepted and enabled.

This is not the primary time that Well being Canada’s approval has not instantly led to Apple enabling a tool function. In 2019, the Canadian division accepted the ECG function of the Apple Watch and mentioned subsequent delays have been down to Apple, not them.

The place out there, the hearing features of the AirPods Professional 2 begin with a check. Relying on the outcomes, customers could also be beneficial to see knowledgeable, however the AirPods Professional may even alter their output to accommodate a person’s explicit listening to loss.