Hearing aids have traditionally been specialist, expensive devices. Now some mainstream earbuds include features that amplify and tune surrounding sound to help people with mild hearing difficulty, and in some places such devices can be bought directly without a prescription.
Lowering cost and stigma could help many people who would otherwise go without support, and the familiar earbud form is easy to accept. These features suit milder needs and are not a full substitute for professionally fitted aids for significant loss, so proper assessment still matters, but they widen access to a kind of help many people quietly need.