Kudos apple for this. Even though most of these (including this one) dont benefit me, this is always good to see. So many of these accessibility devices are ridiculously expensive, and Airpods are far cheaper than hearing aids. Maybe a little competition will bring down the prices to something more reasonable.

Only 1/3rd of the 15% with hearing loss are using hearing aids. That's a lot of suffering for what is really just from poor insurance in the US:

High-quality hearing aids fitted by an audiologist cost between $2,200 and $7,000 per pair. Prices vary by region, but the average cost of a mid-level pair of hearing aids is about $4,500.10 Most private insurance does not cover hearing aids. Only 3 states—Arkansas, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island—mandate coverage for adults, and just 20 states require that children’s hearing aids be covered by health insurance.11 Insurance companies say that they do not cover hearing aids because hearing aids are “elective” or because, unlike cochlear implants, hearing aids do not require a medical doctor’s prescription or surgical intervention. ...

Hearing loss can have a dramatic impact on work performance, family and social relationships, and mental health. Studies have found that hearing impairment is significantly associated with depression and social isolation, particularly among women.16,17 A national survey found that hearing loss also has a negative impact on household income, with a loss of earnings up to an average of $12,000 per year, with the severity of hearing loss directly correlated with the amount of lost income. The use of hearing devices was found to mitigate this effect by 50%.

https://altarum.org/health-policy-blog/millions-of-americans...