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One of the surprising announcements made by Apple at its Glowtime earlier today was how the can be turned into a personalised clinical-grade hearing aid via a software update. This is a culmination of the company's years of work in hearing health that includes the  app on the Apple Watch and with the iPhone. According to Apple, the update adds a  feature and will bring over-the-counter  capability for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. The hearing aid feature can also be set up with an audiogram created by a hearing health professional. Apple is also stressing that both the Hearing Test and hearing aid features not gimmicks, and are grounded in science and were validated through rigorous scientific studies. The hearing aid feature on the AirPods Pro 2 works by enabling personalised dynamic adjustments so users have the sounds around them boosted in real time. This helps users better engage in conversation and keeps them connected to the people and environment around them. Beyond natural sound, the personalised hearing profile will also apply to music, movies, and phone calls across all Apple devices – making these devices even more accessible to users with hearing disabilities. It goes without saying that this update will transform many people's lives by making hearing aids not only more affordable, but also those with hearing problems less conscious about how they would look in public.  That said, Apple's hearing health features are useful for the broader population too.  In a Hearing Study that it conducted, Apple found that one in three people are regularly exposed to loud environmental noise levels that can impact their hearing, so it is also introducing other hearing health features including a default hearing protection setting for the AirPods Pro 2 to reduce background noise. Its Hearing Test could prove useful even for people with little to no hearing loss, who can take advantage of specific adjustments at individual frequencies to improve overall hearing. To help provide the best listening experience, a new feature called  helps boost certain parts of speech on a phone call or instruments within a soundtrack. The Hearing Test and hearing aid features are expected to receive marketing authorisation from global health authorities soon, so we won't have to wait long now. The update is expected to be available this fall in more than 100 countries including the United States, Germany, and Japan. Meanwhile, e.