Regulatory Hurdles Leave Canadians in Limbo: Why AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid Feature Remains Unavailable

Canadians May Never Get to Use AirPods Pro 2 as Hearing Aids Despite Health Canada approving the AirPods Pro 2 for use as hearing aids, Canadian users are still unable to access this feature due to additional regulatory hurdles. Apple introduced this functionality in the US in October 2024 and has since rolled it out to over 100 countries, but Canada is among those where regulatory issues persist.

Canadians who purchased the AirPods Pro 2 specifically for this feature feel cheated. Art Jackes of Oakville expressed disappointment, stating that it's an accessibility issue and everyone should have access to such advantages.

The Ontario Ministry of Health explained that prescribing hearing aids is restricted to licensed audiologists and physicians, which complicates matters. For the AirPods Pro 2 to be sold as a hearing aid in Ontario, it must comply with the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.

Similar regulatory challenges are being faced in other regions like Europe, where the feature is not universally available. This is not the first instance of such delays; in 2019, Health Canada approved the ECG feature on the Apple Watch, but delays were attributed to Apple rather than regulatory bodies.

The hearing features of the AirPods Pro 2 include a test that can recommend users see a professional and adjust audio output based on individual hearing loss.