Sometimes the best solutions come from people who refuse to take no for an answer.
A tech-savvy man in India has hacked Apple’s geo-restrictions on the AirPods Pro 2 to unlock its hearing aid feature for his grandmother.
The hack involved WiFi spoofing, simulated US-based network data, and a makeshift Faraday cage. All in order to bypass Apple’s regional limitations, allowing AirPods to serve as hearing aids outside designated areas.
Apple’s Hearing Aid Feature, Unavailable in India
For many of us, spending $249 on AirPods Pro 2 can feel like a splurge. But in India, where basic hearing aids cost between ₹50,000 to ₹800,000 ($600 to $9,500), Apple’s earbuds could be a huge bargain. That is if their hearing aid feature worked there.
That’s what Rithwik Jayasimha discovered when he bought a pair for his grandmother. He hoped the AirPods would help her hear better without the stigma of traditional hearing aids. Plus, they’d be much cheaper than the alternatives.
However, Apple’s hearing aid feature isn’t available in India.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, with its FDA-approved hearing aid function, offers a relatively affordable solution for people with mild hearing loss. So, it’s especially useful for those who find traditional hearing aids cumbersome or stigmatizing.
Yet, Apple only offers this feature to certain countries due to regulatory and licensing issues.
The accessibility gap hits hard in India, where traditional hearing aids often cost more than many families can afford. This, combined with the desire to help his struggling grandmother, pushed Jayasimha to look for a creative solution.
The Hacking Process, Explained
To activate the AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid feature for his grandmother, Rithwik Jayasimha teamed up with his friends Rithvik Vibhu and Arnav Bansal. And, like many tech problems, they started with simple solutions before diving into complex ones.
Their first tries were straightforward, such as changing the device’s timezone, switching locale settings, and using a VPN to make it look like the iPad was in the U.S.
But Apple’s system proved smarter than that. It uses multiple checks to verify location, including certificate pinning and device-specific data that a simple VPN couldn’t fool.
Because of these, the team had to dig deeper.
They realized that Apple’s location validation also relied on the presence of specific WiFi SSIDs and nearby device MAC addresses of nearby devices to establish location.
Think of it like Apple checking your device’s “neighborhood” to make sure you’re really where you claim to be.
This insight led to their breakthrough.
Using a database called Wigle, they found what WiFi networks actually exist in the U.S. Then, they used a small device called an ESP32 to broadcast fake versions of these networks, essentially creating a virtual American neighborhood around the iPad.
But they still had one problem: real Indian networks were giving away their true location.
Their solution? They built a simple signal blocker (a Faraday cage) using a cardboard box lined with aluminum foil.
Then, they placed the iPad inside, alongside an ESP32 module broadcasting US-based WiFi SSIDs, while using a microwave to further block ambient signals. With these steps, they successfully masked the iPad’s true location.
It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. When they turned everything on, their iPad connected as if it were in California, finally unlocking the hearing aid feature.
What They Plan to Do Next
Following their success, the group has reported receiving numerous inquiries from people across India. Turns out, a lot of people are interested in unlocking the feature on their AirPods for personal or family use.
And, instead of keeping their solution to themselves, they’re taking action to help their community
The real impact is shown in stories like Bansal’s grandmother. She had struggled with traditional hearing aids but found the AirPods different.
No more fiddling with complicated controls or feeling self-conscious about wearing obvious hearing devices. The AirPods let her adjust sound levels easily, and most people just assume she’s listening to music.
But this creative solution might not last forever. Apple could patch this workaround in future updates, closing the door on this unofficial method.
The team knows this but remains focused on helping as many people as possible while they can.