Apple brings its Hearing Aid service to Saudi Arabia

In a bold push across the Middle East, Apple has rolled out its new Hearing Aid and Hearing Test features in Saudi Arabia. And the best part? They're free. Available via a simple software update to the second-generation AirPods Pro, these tools aim to make hearing care more accessible — especially for folks dealing with mild to moderate hearing loss.

As Apple's Dr. Rajiv Kumar puts it, "We work hand in hand ... and spend a lot of time looking through all the guidelines and working together in collaboration to make them accessible to as many consumers as possible."

How does it work?

• Once your AirPods Pro 2 are charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac — and that device is on Wi-Fi — the update installs automatically.
• The Hearing Test feature uses acoustic science to assess your hearing. It even spits out an audiogram — a detailed graph of your hearing profile — that you can share with your doctor.
• The Hearing Aid mode lets you tweak the sound in real-time. Whether you're catching up with friends or just trying to hear the world around you, the audio is fine-tuned for your unique needs.

Got a hearing care provider? Great. You can bring your audiogram and set things up together.

Why does it matter?

Let's not sugarcoat it: hearing aids are often overpriced and out of reach. As Devin McCaslin of the University of Michigan's audiology program puts it, "It can be difficult to spend $6,000 on a pair of hearing aids and insurance, in many instances, doesn't cover them, which is mind-boggling."

Now, Apple's $300 AirPods Pro might not replace medical-grade devices, but for many, they're close enough to bridge the gap.

And this isn't a fringe issue. According to the WHO:

• 1.5 billion people globally live with some form of hearing loss
• 430 million of them face disabling hearing issues
• By 2050, that number could balloon past 700 million

This update is a big deal in a world that's only getting louder.

The context

Saudi Arabia is just the latest stop in Apple's growing health tech journey. With regulatory green lights from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the company has now made these hearing tools available in six Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq.

Dr. Kumar, a former Stanford pediatric endocrinologist and creator of a diabetes monitoring tool for teens, says Apple's health products are becoming increasingly interconnected — part of a grander vision to expand globally by syncing up with local health ministries.

Apple's broader health suite already covers everything from ECGs and heart rate to blood oxygen and sleep apnea detection. And now, with hearing in the mix, the ecosystem is getting even smarter — and more personal.