Apple Expands AirPods Pro Hearing Health Features to 21 New Countries

Apple has expanded its AirPods Pro hearing health suite — including Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and active Hearing Protection — to 21 additional countries in May 2026. The rollout is accompanied by firmware update 8A356, which significantly improves the hearing aid experience.

What's New in Firmware 8A356

• More natural voice quality: Both the user's own voice and people they're speaking to now sound more natural when Hearing Aid mode is active
• Automatic Conversation Boost: Voices of people in front of the user are dynamically amplified while background noise is reduced
• Improved audiogram accuracy: The five-minute hearing test now delivers results closer to clinical pure-tone audiometry benchmarks

How It Works

The Hearing Test takes about five minutes and uses pure-tone audiometry — the same standard approach used in clinical settings. After completing the test, users see a summary including hearing loss measurement for each ear, a classification, and personalized recommendations. The Hearing Aid feature then automatically adjusts audio output based on results.

What This Means for Buyers

The AirPods Pro 3 at $199 on Amazon are now arguably the best value in consumer hearing health technology. If you or a family member has mild to moderate hearing loss, these earbuds can serve as a clinical-grade hearing aid at a fraction of the cost of traditional devices. The AirPods 4 do not include hearing health features — only the Pro models support them.