Study reveals AirPods can be used to help those with hearing loss

BOSTON - Could earbuds actually improve hearing for some?

Millions of people who could benefit from hearing aids often don't use them because they're expensive or they carry a stigma. But researchers in Taiwan compared Apple AirPods to traditional hearing aids in 21 volunteers with mild to moderate hearing loss. The AirPods were linked to Apple smartphones with an app called "Live Listen," which acts like a microphone.

They found that the AirPods Pro model, which has a noise cancellation feature, performed as well as premium hearing aids in certain environments. They hope this knowledge will encourage more companies to include features in smartphone technology that help people with hearing loss.