What is Live Listen?

Micky Rai, Journalist

Photo courtesy of macrumors.com

The Live Listen feature was created for people who have trouble hearing in a room or just hearing in general. Apple says that Live Listen “can help you hear a conversation in a noisy room or hear someone speaking from across the room.” You must pair your airpods via Bluetooth and enable the Live Listen tool in your iPhone’s accessibility settings to use the feature. The iPhone basically becomes a microphone, giving the owner the ability to pick up sounds in noisy conditions.

            As this feature got more and more famous it soon became part of an internet craze. People discovered that they could use it to potentially spy on people and hear what they say even when they are in a completely separate room. The iPhone microphone will beam whatever is said by a person in a different room, up to 50 feet away.

            It has been a very controversial feature released by Apple. Is it a hearing aid or spy tool? When Jacob Roytman, a ninth grader at CdMHS, was asked he said: “I believe it was originally created as a hearing aid by Apple but people are just using it for the wrong purpose.” Matthew Palladino, also a ninth grader, said: “I would be creeped out if someone was spying on me using Live Listen.”

            Many people have been making jokes out of it with one Twitter user saying: “Using live listen to eavesdrop on my parents arguing and make sure my name isn’t dropped.” In the age of technology personal space and privacy is rapidly decreasing. Many people are uncomfortable with Alexa, Amazons digital assistant, listening in on your conversations. Now with this new feature, many people will be cautious about what they say even in the privacy of their own homes.