Accessibility - Hearing (2024)

Apple has worked with top manufacturers to create hearing aids, cochlear implants and sound processors designed specifically for Apple devices.¹ These advanced hearing devices provide outstanding sound quality, offer many helpful features, and are as easy to set up and use as any other Bluetooth device. Instantly apply your audiologist’s environmental presets as you go outdoors or enter noisy locations, like restaurants, without having to rely on additional remotes. When using Made for iPhone hearing devices, you can also have Siri announce notifications from your iPhone, iPad, Mac or AppleVisionPro.

MusicHaptics syncs the iPhone TapticEngine — which creates your device’s vibrations — with the rhythm of songs so you can enjoy music with taps, textures and refined haptics.² MusicHaptics works with millions of songs across the AppleMusic catalogue.

Sound Recognition listens for certain sounds and uses on‑device intelligence to notify you when they are detected. This feature recognises 15 different sounds — or you can train your device to listen for electronic sounds that are unique to your environment, like the beeping of appliances in your kitchen, specific types of alarms, or doorbells. On HomePod, Sound Recognition can also detect the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. And now Sound Recognition supports CarPlaytoo. Your iPhone will listen for and detect sirens and horns. You’ll receive a notification — onscreen in your car if you’re using CarPlay — when a particular sound is detected.³

With high-quality video and a fast frame rate, FaceTime is a great way to communicate using sign language on iPhone, iPad, Mac and AppleTV. It can detect when you are using sign language in Group FaceTime calls and automatically make you prominent.

Live Listen is an assistive listening feature that helps you have conversations in loud places. Just turn on the feature and move your device towards the people you’re talking to. Audio is picked up by the device’s microphone and sent to your wireless headphones or Made for iPhone hearing devices, so you can hear what they’re saying more clearly.⁴

Your device lets you know when something’s up, in a way you’ll notice. Choose visual or vibrating alerts for incoming Phone and FaceTime calls, new text messages, new and sent mail, and calendar events. You can set an LED light flash for incoming calls or have your iPhone display a photo of the caller. If you’re on your Mac, it can flash its screen when an app needs your attention. Or if you’re on the go, turn on the TapticEngine on your AppleWatch to give you a gentle tap every time a notification comesin.

Closed captions are a text transcription displayed onscreen in sync with a video’s dialogue and action. In addition to transcribing speech in a scene, they also capture non-verbal communication, music and sound effects. Supported in apps like the AppleTVapp, closed captions are available in more than 40 languages for movies, TV shows, videos and podcasts — just look for the CC icon. Customise captions with different styles and fonts, including styles that are larger and outlined for better legibility.

The Noise app tracks decibel levels of the ambient sounds around you, helping you identify when sound levels in your environment, or from your headphones, could negatively affect your hearing. When you configure the Noise app on AppleWatch and connect compatible headphones, Control Centre shows you if the sounds playing through the headphones reach unsafe levels.⁵ And all your information is stored securely in the Health app on iPhone for easy access to your data whenever you needit.

Siri, your digital assistant, can help you with the things you do every day — all through your keyboard. Type to Siri makes it easy to get the help you need right away, even on your AppleWatch. Interact with Siri using the keyboard and text field on AppleWatch. Ask questions, set up reminders, issue commands, and more.⁶ Made for iPhone hearing devices can also use Siri to announce notifications for iPhone and iPad. You can customise Siri to speak at a slower or faster rate depending on your needs and preferences. And on AppleVisionPro, you can use Siri to launch a shortcut from the Shortcutsapp.