Apple’s new AirPods Pro double as a hearing aid. Experts call it a game changer. [Video]

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 will soon come with a novel feature aimed at a generally more mature population: Americans who suffer from hearing loss. 

The wireless earbuds, designed for listening to music on the go, now double as a medical device that doctors and hearing experts say could be a game changer. The devices address a number of problems that often deter Americans who could benefit from hearing assistance, namely stigma and cost, experts told CBS MoneyWatch.

In late 2022, the Food and Drug Administration announced that Americans could now buy over-the-counter hearing aids, typically making the devices more affordable than those issued by a physician. 

Now, Apple’s enhanced AirPods could offer consumers with mild to modest hearing loss another, potentially less costly, option. The company touted the ear buds’ forthcoming features at the company’s annual tech launch on Tuesday, including a function called hearing protection, a built-in hearing test and an over-the-counter hearing aid feature that Apple said “helps …