As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I recently switched from Android to iPhone and also bought an Apple Watch and Apple AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods are my favorite new purchase. Apple lists them at $249, but you can sometimes get them elsewhere for $200 or less.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are excellent wireless earbuds, which are great for listening to music or talking on phone or video calls. Unlike some wireless earbuds, the microphones are excellent, which may be why you sometimes see people wearing them during remote TV interviews. Mine are less likely to fall out than my Google Pixel earbuds. My only complaint is that they stick out in a way that makes them look almost like you have small cigarettes in your ears, but at least the part that sticks out is smaller than when they were first introduced.

I had earbuds that work with iPhone. But what prompted me to buy the AirPods Pro 2 is the claim that they can be used as hearing aids. While they don’t have all the features, discrete size or battery life of the Jabra Enhance Pro 20 I purchased last year at the Costco Hearing Center for $1,600, they do amplify and clarify sound, have a mode that helps focus on conversation and do a good job isolating sound.

I have mild hearing loss. Although I have prescription hearing aids, I rarely use them because they don’t do all that much for me. My ENT doctor agrees that they’re optional. Like a lot of people, my biggest problem with hearing is in noisy environments such as restaurants. Even though hearing aids have the ability to filter out background noise, they are far from a panacea when I’m trying to have a conversation in noisy places.

Bluetooth devices

The Apple AirPods are designed to work with iPhones, iPad and Macs, though they also work as standard earbuds with any Bluetooth enabled device, such as my Android tablet. When you unbox them in the presence of an iPhone, the phone immediately recognizes them and walks you through the setup. You don’t even have to download an app. As soon as you put them on, an AirPods option pops up on the iPhone Settings screen to configure and adjust them. You can answer calls, adjust volume and make some adjustments without using an iPhone via a pad on the earbuds.

Hearing test

The AirPods offer a hearing test on the iPhone screen when you hear sounds. It has similarities with professional tests, but it’s not as extensive. Unlike the professional tests I’ve taken, it doesn’t introduce background noise to simulate real-world environments.

Unlike getting hearing aids from a reputable dealer, the only support you get with AirPods is automated. When I bought my Jabras, a Costco hearing aid specialist provided after-sale service and a free hearing test that was nearly identical to the one I got from an audiologist.

My Costco technician used those test results to fine tune my hearing aids and retuned them when I came back. That’s what Apple tries to do with its own hearing test or by allowing you to import a print-out from a professional test. I started by using Apple’s test and later imported the tests I took at Costco and the nearly identical one from a medical clinic. I noticed that the AirPods worked slightly better as hearing aids after I imported the professional test results.

The AirPods have better noise canceling than my prescription hearing aids, and much better sound when streaming audio, but I still have to lean in when talking to a dinner companion in a noisy restaurant.

The same can be said for the Apple AirPods. They have better noise canceling than my prescription hearing aids, and better sound when streaming audio, but I have to lean in when talking to a dinner companion in a noisy restaurant.

Comparisons

In comparing the Jabras with the AirPods, the Jabra app gives you more control and somewhat better hearing in conversations. Although they can be used to stream music from a phone, the sound quality Is pretty bad, especially compared with the excellent sound quality from the AirPods. The Jabras are much smaller and less conspicuous compared with the AirPods, and they are even less likely to fall out, though I did lose one once when taking off a Covid mask. The Jabras also have much better battery life with no need to charge them during the day. The AirPods need to be recharged after 4 to 6 hours of use, but the charging case has its own battery that gives you more than enough power for an entire day.

The charging case and the AirPods also work with Apple’s Find My feature and make a reasonably loud sound if you use the feature to locate them. That’s a big plus for me, because I frequently misplace things in my house and also appreciate how Find My can help locate devices even if you leave them somewhere outside your home.

AirPod controls

The AirPods do give you some controls. With the phone or the touch pad on the AirPods, you can switch between transparency mode, noise canceling and “adaptive,” which uses the microphones to let you hear what’s around you but, to help protect your hearing, the ability to filter out very loud noises.

There is an ear tip test that checks to see if they fit properly with the default ear tips or the smaller and larger ones provided. Mine repeatedly failed that test with different tips until I realized it’s also about how you wear them. I finally passed the test after twisting them for a tighter seal.

The hearing assistance menu lets you turn the hearing aid function on and off. There’s an adjustment option that lets you control amplification, left/right balance and tone, which they call “darker and brighter.” For me, brighter seems to work best with most people’s voices. You can also control ambient noise reduction. There is also a conversation boost function that “focuses your AirPods Pro on the person talking in front of you,” which seems to help screen out other voices such as people at a nearby table in a restaurant.

My verdict

After using the AirPods for a couple of weeks and comparing it with my prescription hearing aids, I can see pros and cons. One of the cons of the AirPods is battery life, but I don’t need them most of the day, so it’s easy just to put them on when I need them and then back in the recharging case. If I did plan to wear them all day, I’d be tempted to buy two pair (still much cheaper than prescription hearing aids) and wear one set while charging the other in the case.

Another obvious disadvantage is that they are conspicuous, which could be offsetting to people around you who think you’re listening to audio. If I use them in a conversation, I make sure to tell the person why I’m wearing them, but that’s not practical if I encounter someone quickly, such as ordering at a coffee shop.

Advantages include sound quality and a much smaller charging case than my Jabras, making it much easier to keep them in my pocket all day and available when I need them, which works for me because I have mild hearing loss. Some people need to wear their hearing aids all the time. And although the controls are less extensive than the Jabras, they are generally adequate, giving me the ability to quickly adjust volume, noise cancelation and other features.

My hearing is slightly better with the prescription hearing aid than with the AirPods, but I find myself using the AirPods more because they’re easy to carry and more versatile, but my experience may not apply to you.

If you have any concerns about your hearing, you should consult with a medical professional or a hearing specialist. No over-the-counter product is a substitute for a professional evaluation.

Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at larry@larrymagid.com.