AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aids not available in Canada

The finger pointing on this is so frustrating.

CASLPO said it’s not them who’s blocking this: https://caslpo.com/about-caslpo/media-and-publications/express/current-issue/volume-11-issue-1-february-2025?words=AirPods&filter=exact

Meanwhile, there are several responses in this thread from provincial governments saying that it’s not their responsibility.

All while Health Canada said they did their part…

So whose responsibility is it!? Like others suggested, a CBC Marketplace investigation would help tremendously on this.

Au sujet des air pods 2 voici ce l'ordre des audiologiste au Québec m'ont récemment répondu concernant l'absence d'acces au logiciel d'activation :

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Bonjour Monsieur *****,

Effectivement, Santé Canada a approuvé la fonction "appareil auditif" dans les Airpods de Apple vers la fin de 2024. Cependant, l'Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec n'a aucun lien avec le fait qu'Apple n'ait pas encore déployé la mise à jour du logiciel permettant d'activer cette fonction, tant au Québec que dans toutes les autres provinces canadiennes. En effet, l'OOAQ n'a pas pour rôle de donner son aval au sujet de la disponibilité de ce type de produit ou de sa vente au Québec, notamment parce que la distribution et la vente de prothèses auditives sous prescription ou en vente libre ne fait pas partie des activités des audiologistes ou des orthophonistes du Québec. 

En complément d'informations, l'OOAQ a un énoncé de positon sur les appareils auditifs en vente libre, que vous pouvez consulter au lien suivant:https://www.ooaq.qc.ca/decouvrir/a-propos/enonce-position-appareils-auditifs-vente-libre/ ainsi qu'une page web dédiée au sujet: https://www.ooaq.qc.ca/consulter/audiologiste/appareils-auditifs-vente-libre/

Bonne journée, 

Joanie, M.P.A

Audiologiste / Conseillère aux affaires professionnelles

[Edited by Moderator]

Do you know roughly how long it takes for the firmware update when you cross the border? I’m considering a Short trip across the border to enable the hearing aid feature, but don’t want to do an overnight stay. Thanks.

Doesn’t appear that a new Prime Minister would be able to help considering that it is the Province that is in control of this issue. https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/consumer-alert/article/i-think-its-sinful-to-hold-it-back-consumers-frustrated-apple-hearing-aid-feature-not-available-in-canada/#:~:text=Apple%2520AirPods%2520not%2520clear%2520for,ripped%2520off%252C%E2%80%9D%2520said%2520Jackes.

Do you think the same process would work if I buy the Air pods- create an US Apple ID, etc? The Sony hearing aids sound great but they are $1000 US.

totally agree, outrageous but not surpised!

« I hope this addresses your concerns » no it dosent. You explained why jut youre my mp so I want you to push for it to change.

[Edited by Moderator]

An old iPhone 12 will allow you to set them up. Just use an IOS that older than 18.1 and there will be NO geographical locks.

I think this is the only officially supported way to get them to work.

Just wondering what happens when you set up the AirPods on 17.7.1 and then later pair them to a newer phone running 18.1? Will you lose any hearing assistance?

Apple can make an exception for returns outside the 14-day return window.

Correction: The Airpod Pro 2 App on my phone said "Adaptive", not "Accessibility".

Just upgraded to ios18.1.1. Will get AirPod pro 2 to try out tomorrow. Hope that would work. Otherwise I can return it

Hi. Are you back in Canada? Do they work here if you set them up in US?