Update: The FDA has just approved the AirPods Pro 2 as the first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid software device.
We've all been there — your hands are full of the Costco run as you stumble to your front door, trying not to drop your groceries. Suddenly, a call arrives, and your ringtone interrupts the music in your AirPods... but how on earth do you answer it?
Your hands are already too loaded with shopping and trying to find your door keys to spare any dexterity to press the stems on your AirPods, and Siri is about as reliable as a chocolate teapot. How do you answer the phone without putting the shopping down and ensuring that the loaf of bread at the bottom of one of the bags doesn't get crushed by everything around it?
Apple has solved your AirPods-shopping-phone call dilemma thanks to a new update to the AirPods Pro 2 that's just arrived today.
Completely hands free AirPods use
The update, spotted by Macrumors, brings a whole host of new features to the AirPods, but the most exciting and pertinent to the above quandary is the head tracking that's now arrived. With the new update, you can now nod if you want to say yes and shake your head for no. If you get that call from grandma, you can immediately answer by nodding your head.
They'll also work with hands-free Siri, so you can acknowledge different prompts from your voice assistant without pressing a button or making a sound.
There's more to the update, such as Spatial Audio activation for games, a first for the platform. The game creators will need to include the format when making the game, but it's a nice addition.
There's also voice isolation coming, which will ensure that those you're calling can hear your voice better when you're in a noisy environment. That was shown off at the Apple Glowtime event, and it should make voice calls a whole lot better.
If you're waiting for the biggest updates from the iPhone 16 launch event, however — you're out of luck. The hearing aid functionality is coming to the AirPods later this fall, so you can expect all hearing health features to come later.
The update is available now, and you don't have to do anything to download it to your AirPods — as long as the battery is available, it's done automatically.
