With the recent release of the iOS 12 beta, many have noticed some interesting new features. One of the most unexpected features is the development in accessibility and AirPods.
Live Listen
For those who are hard of hearing and require a hearing aid, AirPods will be a new solution. iOS 12 has introduced something called Live Listen. This allows the user to listen to music through their AirPods whilst also hearing their surroundings. This works through the AirPods microphone. The sound then balances creating the illusion that the sound is out loud along with everyday noise. This is slightly similar to the music/noise balance that bone conduction headphones try to achieve.
The option to just have Live Listen is also available. This is closer to the idea of AirPods acting as a hearing aid. A new widget in Control Centre has been added to enable the feature. After having tried this, I am impressed. Especially being someone who requires a hearing aid. The software and idea have a long way to come yet but for a beta it is outstanding. Apple is really beginning to use their hardware to the best of their capabilities.
The official release of iOS 12 is going to be released in Autumn of 2018. Hopefully, we will see an improve continuation of this software and maybe more new features making iOS devices more accessible.