A US appeals court has ruled that Apple is not to blame for hearing loss suffered by those who listen to very loud music on their iPods. The judge upheld a previous ruling that Apple’s iPod was not responsible for hearing loss as users can choose how loud to play the music and the California-based company warns its customers of the dangers of playing very loud music. Two claimants had said the iPod was defective because users can listen to it at 104 decibels, the noise level equivalent to a helicopter. However, Senior Judge David Thompson said “the plaintiffs simply do not plead facts showing that hearing loss from iPod use is actual or imminent. The plaintiffs do not allege the iPods failed to do anything they were designed to do nor do they allege that they, or any others, have suffered or are substantially certain to suffer inevitable hearing loss or other injury from iPod use,” he said in a statement. “At most, the plaintiffs plead a potential risk of hearing loss not to themselves, but to other unidentified iPod users.” (Picture: Apple)