Data Backup Digest

The iPhone is capable of performing some pretty impressive feats. From HD or 4K video to a plethora of different apps, most can focus their entire lives around the functionality of Apple's most prized possession – and some do.

But iOS 12, which was originally announced and unveiled in June 2018, promises even more functionality. When combined with the latest iteration of AirPods – Apple's self-branded,Bluetooth-compatible earbuds – the iPhone is easily transformed into a directional microphone that features both remote monitoring and recording capabilities.

The new feature is known as Live Listen – and, despite the fact that it's included in iOS for the first time, it's not completely new. Live Listen has been available in Made for iPhone hearing aids for quite some time now, and they've proven highly effective in helping people who suffer from hearing loss.

In order to the average iPhone into a remote, recordable microphone, the Live Listen feature works with the built-in functionality of iOS 12 that instantly turns the iPhone into a directional mic. Although the operating system is currently in its beta phase, the feature is reportedly quite reliable and useful.

Breaking Down the Individual Features

Live Listen works by filtering out the excess sound of noisy environments. In this instance, it can be placed next to the sound source – a guest speaker or presenter at a conference, for example – and transmit their voice to the iPhone's user via their AirPods earbuds.

It may seem like a niche market, especially if your hearing is just fine. But for the millions of people who suffer from some degree of hearing loss around the globe, approximately 48 million of which live in the U.S. alone, it's easy to see how this feature could be useful.

Additional apps include the option of recording the sound that is transmitted through the user's iPhone, which ultimately gives them the added ability of archiving a conversation or presentation for later listening or review. As such, its usage isn't limited to noisy environments – it's a great solution when trying to preserve audio, too.

While we're still waiting for the mainstream release of iOS 12 at the time of this writing, it is scheduled to be released in 2018. Until then, iPhone users are using their devices in creative and incredible ways to aide their personal hearing loss.

David Grissam, who has been legally deaf since he was six years old, paired his Cochlear Baha 5 Sound Processor – a device that is implanted directly into his skull – to his iPhone. This lets him stream phone calls directly to the implant itself, thereby eliminating virtually all background noise and letting him hear conversations as clear as humanly possible.

Grissam, who works as an emergency 911 dispatcher in the United States, was quoted in a recent interview as saying: ''"I'm able to hear more than others in the room because of that direct link."''

For more information on Apple or the iOS 12, please visit their official website at {{https://www.apple.com/|www.apple.com}}.