Apple AirPods Live Listen can be used to eavesdrop

Apple's Live Listen feature is an accessibility feature that was originally designed to help people hear voices and conversations in noisy settings. This makes it ideal for those with mild hearing impairments.

Live Listen turns the iOS device into a directional microphone. It picks up sounds coming directly at it and feeds them back to your earbuds or hearing aid via Bluetooth.

For example, if you set your iPhone on a table with its mic facing someone, it boosts that person’s voice. No matter where you are, it can significantly improved hearing. And it works up to 15 meters away.

Live Listen is undoubtedly a welcome feature for those hard of hearing. However, since you can actually leave your iPhone in the room and hear any conversations happening nearby, a new use of Live Listen emerged: Put the iPhone at the target place, put on the AirPods to turn on Live Listen, then hide in an unknown corner, and you can eavesdrop the topics that others are discussing. On Twitter, this previously little-known feature has gone viral, and people think it will be a new and easy way to eavesdrop.