Apple Hearing Test Feature for the AirPods Pro 2: Accuracy, Reliability, and Time-Efficiency

Area of Science:

• Audiology and Hearing Science
• Digital Health Technologies
• Consumer Electronics in Healthcare

Background:

• Traditional pure-tone audiometry (PTA) is the gold standard for hearing assessment but can be time-consuming and requires specialized equipment.
• The increasing prevalence of hearing loss and the rise of consumer electronics necessitate accessible and efficient hearing screening tools.
• Smartphone-based hearing assessment tools offer potential for convenient, widespread hearing monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Apple's Hearing Test Feature (HTF) against reference standard PTA.
• To assess the test-retest reliability of the HTF.
• To compare the time-efficiency of HTF testing versus PTA.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional validation study was conducted at a university clinic.
• Twenty-five adults with self-reported mild-to-moderate hearing loss participated, contributing 400 threshold comparisons.
• Participants underwent standard PTA and two independent HTF assessments using Apple AirPods Pro 2 and an iPhone 13.

Main Results:

• 86.5% of HTF thresholds were within 10 dB HL of PTA, with root mean square deviation (RMSD) values meeting minimally acceptable accuracy.
• Test-retest reliability was high, with 84.1% of thresholds within 5 dB HL and 96.6% within 10 dB HL.
• HTF testing was significantly faster (median 5.5 minutes) than PTA (10.0 minutes).

Conclusions:

• Apple's HTF demonstrates clinically acceptable accuracy and reliability for hearing assessment.
• The HTF offers improved time-efficiency compared to traditional PTA.
• Findings support the potential use of HTF for consumer-led hearing monitoring and self-fitting of over-the-counter hearing aids.