Apple has a new patent application in the European Patent Office that details out a new volume control feature to help prevent hearing loss when listening to an iPod. People that have messed around with the settings on an iPod have likely already noticed that you can already set the maximum volume for your iPod to avoid an inadvertent blasts of sound that could damage your ear. The new feature would be available in iPods and the iPhone and would take into account not only how loud the volume is while your listening, but also how long you’ve been listening to decide when the listener may have had enough.

According to Telegraph a safe listening volume is 70dB or less, and extended periods of listening to 85dB or more can lead to hearing damage. The iPods are capable of reaching decibel levels of more than 100 which has the potential of causing irreversible hearing damage. According to the patent, hearing damage happens gradual and cumulatively, so listening to loud music can be worse over a longer period of time.

The new iPod volume control would make decisions based on how loud the sound is and how long a person has been listening and turn down the volume gradually and automatically to help reduce the chance of hearing loss, and in turn keeping an good iPod customer able to listen well and willing to buy more iPods and songs in the future.

via Engadget