Apple has launched its AirPods Pro 3 which include the same ‘clinical grade’ hearing aid feature for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss that appears in AirPods Pro 2.
Just six months after its AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid feature became available in Australia, Apple launched AirPods Pro 3 on 10 September 2025.
It said the software-enabled Hearing Aid feature was “remarkably easy to use throughout the day” and now has up to 10 hours’ battery life, 67% more than AirPods Pro 2 on a single charge in Transparency mode. Transparency Mode uses the device’s microphones to let in external sounds, so people can hear what’s happening around them while still listening to audio or using noise control.
A Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) spokesperson told HPA that the TGA had approved the Hearing Aid Feature for Apple AirPods Pro 2 at the end of 2024 and use of the Hearing Aid Feature with AirPods Pro 3 was consistent with the existing approval.
Apple said, in a media release, that wearers could also access a Hearing Test, and Loud Sound Reduction using AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 2 and an iPhone or iPad.
“After you complete the Hearing Test, if you have mild to moderate hearing loss, your personalised hearing profile will guide you to the Hearing Aid feature,” it said.
“With advanced computational audio and the powerful H2 chip, the Hearing Aid feature boosts frequencies so sounds are clearer and more vibrant to your ears. And thanks to computational audio, you’ll get real-time adjustments as you go about your day.”
Apple said Active Noice Cancellation and the in-ear seal on AirPods Pro simulated conditions needed to evaluate and provide insights into hearing for the Hearing Test, launched from an AirPods setting or the Health app.
“The system automatically checks the fit of your AirPods Pro and assesses background noise levels before getting started,” Apple said.
Hearing test data is privately and securely stored in the Health app on the person’s device.
Improved fit
Apple said new foam-infused ear tips now come in five sizes including XXS to deliver an exceptional in-ear fit. The upgrade features a new design with “incredible sound quality, the world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation, exceptional in-ear fit and stability, and extended battery life”, it added.
“Utilising more than 10,000 ear scans with over 100,000 hours of user research, AirPods Pro 3 are the most secure and best-fitting AirPods ever,” the company said.
“To deliver this improved fit for even more people, the internal architecture was completely re-engineered to make each AirPod smaller, while the external geometry of the ear tip was aligned to the centre of the body for increased stability – a design informed by an unparalleled dataset of more than 300 million points.”
The company said AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2 include features that support and enhance hearing in a variety of environments, settings and situations.
Hearing protection features
Both versions provide Loud Sound Reduction in Transparency mode. This translates the sound signatures of what people hear to lower levels in environments as loud as 110 dBA.
“Machine learning on the H2 chip actively reduces louder, more intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second, and the ear tips provide passive noise reduction,” Apple said.
“When you’re enjoying a loud concert the improved high dynamic range multiband compressor of Loud Sound Reduction minimises exposure to loud noise while keeping music sounding natural and vibrant.”
New multiport acoustic architecture in AirPods Pro 3 precisely controls the airflow that carries sound into the ear, helping deliver an “exceptional spatial listening experience”, Apple said.
It said this architecture features next-generation Adaptive EQ (emotional intelligence) which transforms the bass response and widens the soundstage, so users hear every instrument, bringing vocal clarity to higher frequencies across music, shows, and calls.
Apple said AirPods Pro 3 also delivers the world’s best ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) of any in-ear wireless headphones. This is made possible with ultra-low noise microphones and advanced computational audio combined with foam-infused ear tips for greater passive noise isolation, it said.
Other features include Adaptive Audio which tailors noise control to changes in the environment throughout the day, Personalised Volume which learns listening preferences and adjusts the volume in response to surroundings, and Headphone Audio Levels that let users set a volume limit and track how long and how often they listen to loud audio.
“With AirPods Pro 3, the most popular headphones take a massive leap forward, providing fantastic sound quality and the world’s best ANC of any in-ear wireless headphones,” said Mr John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
“Combined with an improved fit that provides greater stability for even more people, heart rate sensing, extended battery life, and Live Translation enabled by Apple Intelligence, AirPods Pro 3 take personal audio to the next level.”
Apple said customers in Australia and more than 50 other countries and regions could pre-order AirPods Pro 3 from 10 September, with availability in stores from 19 September 2025.
The TGA spokesperson said the the Hearing Aid Feature is a software-only mobile medical application that is intended to be used with compatible wearable electronic products. Apple AirPods, including new models, were not medical devices and did not need TGA approval, the spokesperson added.
More reading
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