Hearing test not available in Australia after iOS update this morning

Hi kit laughlin

Re: "Hearing test not available in Australia after iOS update this morning"

Yes, I see Australia is not listed in Apple's article: AirPods Pro 2 - Hearing Health Feature Availability - Apple

Wondering whether or not marketing and Health Authorities in Australia are still looking into authorization.

___________________________________________________________

Apple's September 9, 2024 Press Release about new health features

says:

"The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon, and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the U.S., Germany, and Japan.3"

and

3 "The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to be available fall 2024. The Hearing Aid feature is pending marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features will be supported on AirPods Pro 2 with the latest firmware paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later, and is intended for people 18 years or older. The Hearing Aid feature is intended for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss".

USA Fall 2024:  Starts on Sunday, September 22 and ends on Saturday, December 21

As community members, like yourself, we have no way of checking whether or not the hearing-test availability is complete, or whether other countries may be included in time.

All the best :-)

Alancito wrote:

AQUAJIM ~ Apple are unlikely to do anything unless you tell them. We're all just users in these user-to-user communities. Use these links:

Actually the delay was due to waiting for approval from Australia and they were way late to the game, with over 100 countries already approving it last September. This has also been seen with the previous health initiatives from Apple

• The ECG feature of the Apple Watch was launched in December 2018, but not approved by the TGA until March 2021 and Apple was able to make it available to users then 2 months later. That was about a 2 and a half year delay.
• The Sleep Apnea feature of the Apple Watch has been approved in over 150 countries since last September when it was launched, but still has NOT been approved by the TGA.

I think you see the pattern there and writing to Apple is not the solution for the TGA to approve those features, but you may have more luck pressuring them yourself. Now that the Hearing Test feature has been approved by the TGA, you should expect the feature to arrive soon. Based on past TGA approval of the ECG feature, it was 2 months after approval. Nothing wrong with the Government wanting to fully test a health feature before allowing it in their country, but as far as blaming anyone for a delay, you may not be looking in the right place.

Thanks. It was working perfectly for many months but now it’s gone.

Looks like it’s something to do with Australia not having access to the new hearing features.

Yep just upgraded to 18.3 and its still not there, its getting beyond a joke. The functionality should be there and just needs to be activated.

You can do a hearing test as before but cannot activate Hearing mode. Apple was not clear in its announcements and would be useful if they provided an update. Is it approval by regulators or something else?

Two questions: Why was Australia not included in the release? When Australian’s be given access.

It is extremely disappointing when you look at the list of ‘haves’ when near neighbours such as New Zealand have the software let alone so many unfriendly countries to the USA.

Hi

There is a list of TGA applications but Apple Hearing is not on it. Don’t think it is a complete list. Can lodge a freedom of information application but states there is a delay in these. Historically e.g. Covid vaccines the TGA has not been very fast on its feet……and is not it appears an efficient process - approvals by a number of major countries is not it seems a driver.

mypyjamas wrote:

Bought my new AirPods Pro 2, and sat here trying to get the new firmware to download. No avail, then I found online it's not available in Australia. So I got a quote for so called hearing aids my Health Fund would stump up some money for, that were not obvious when on, close to the size of the Apple AirPods . . not as cool though. They sent me a quote for Signia Active Pro X, they were $5,220. . . Advertised as 'singles' only so 50% online. I suspect your theory could be on the money. Traditional providers have a lot to lose from customers like me. . .with mild loss, I just can't afford or justify that much money . . . when Apple Air Pods Pro 2 are going to help at a significantly more affordable price. So annoyed with Australia's regulatory system. Even NZ is ahead of us.

It was only recently in the U.S. that people became eligible to buy hearing aids "over the counter", meaning without going through an audiologist. I suspect the change in that regulation made it a lot easier for Apple to get approval here in the U.S. And yes, I also suspect that audiologists and possibly the traditional hearing aid companies resisted that change as long as possible.

Of course, the change has also probably been a goldmine for hearing aid companies who were able to adapt. Although they now have to compete on price in the open market, that market is much, much bigger.

Not that it is much help, but the TGA did respond to my message.

From TGA;

Thank you for your enquiry to the TGA.

Hearing aids that meet the definition of a medical device as set out in the Therapeutic goods legislation, require approval by the Therapeutic Goods  Administration (TGA) prior to legal supply in Australia. Approvals require submissions to be made by the manufacturuer or their Australian representative.

Generally the TGA does not disclose if an application has been submitted as this is potentially commercially sensitive information. You will need to contact Apple, the manufacturer of the device directly to obtain this information.

To date, the TGA can confirm that a clinical grade hearing aid manufactured by Apple has not been approved.

i bought my iPod pro 2 for the hearing aid feature, i was told its a great feature, but no one told me till i got home and tried it, that it was not available in Australia.

Not repeatable what i said about apple

A more recent post ‘complained’ the 18.2.1 update did not supply the awaited hearing test/aid update. Could you explain exactly where in the settings menu you found the ‘hearing test’ ? Thanks mate 👍