Apple to control your iPod volume automatically

Mike Bantick
Wednesday, 26 December 2007 10:43

Your IT - Entertainment

A new European patent lodged by Apple, points to the iPod manufacturer introducing ear saving volume control.

We all strive for a safer world, and now according to a report from the UK’s Telegraph , now Apple wants us all to lead healthier life, especially when it comes to our ears.

Future incarnations of the popular iPod MP3 player as well as the Apple iPhone may include an automatic volume control feature that will adjust after a determined amount of listening time.

A new European patent has been lodged by Apple.

It states: "Since the damaging effects on users' hearing is both gradual and cumulative, even those users who are concerned about hearing loss may not behave in a manner that would limit or minimise such damaging effects."

Current iPods can output audio at the equivalent volume of a pneumaqtic drill – at this 100 decibel(dB) level, users risk permanent hearing damage after only 15 minutes continual usage.

The report goes on to mention a recent report by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf  indicating the risk posed by four million British MP3 users as they rock to the loud output produced by personal music players.

According to Institute it found that nearly 20 per cent of teenagers were listening to music for more than 21 hours a week.

It is unclear at this point wether the automatic volume control feature will be able to be user selectable.