Apple’s latest hearing study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, has garnered concerning data about environmental noise exposure. The study found that a significant number of participants are regularly exposed to potentially harmful levels of noise, highlighting the crucial importance of monitoring and protecting hearing health.
Environmental noise, such as traffic, construction, and loud music, can potentially lead to hearing damage if exposure levels are high enough over extended periods. The study utilized data from the Apple Watch and iPhone to measure participants’ daily noise exposure, providing valuable insights into the everyday noise levels that people experience.
According to the study’s findings, nearly half of participants had been exposed to environmental noise above the recommended limit. This exposure could potentially lead to hearing loss or other related health issues over time, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and protective measures.
The study also explored headphone exposure levels, revealing that a quarter of participants listen to audio through headphones at volumes that could potentially cause hearing damage. In response to these findings, Apple has reiterated the importance of monitoring headphone volume and taking regular breaks from headphone use.
Apple’s hearing study is part of the company’s broader commitment to health and wellbeing. Through its Research app, Apple is enabling users to participate in various health studies, and using data collected from Apple devices to gain insights into a range of health issues.
The findings from this study serve as an important reminder of the potential risks associated with excessive noise exposure.
As a result, Apple is encouraging all users to make use of the hearing health features on their Apple devices, including the Noise app on Apple Watch and the Headphone Levels feature on iPhone, to monitor their noise exposure and protect their hearing health.
