How smartphones and hearing aids work together
It’s the first thing you reach for when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you put down when you go to bed. In little more than a decade, the smartphone has become our favourite device.
We may fear ‘smartphone addiction’, but they’re also fantastically convenient for staying in touch with friends and family. At their best, smartphones bring people together.
And they can also help you hear better. Many hearing aid manufacturers offer smartphone technology and have added some nifty features along with its own accompanying smartphone app.
Smarter sounds all round
The pace of development in the hearing aid market has hit top speed over the last few years: smaller, more powerful, smarter and more reliable – even hearing aids from just a few years ago are outdated compared to newer digital hearing aids. This means new hearing aids come packed with new and genuinely life-enhancing features.
Made For iPhone® hearing aids help you use your hearing aids like a set of Bluetooth headphones connected to your smartphone, tablet or even a Bluetooth-enabled TV. This feature lets you take calls, listen to music or hear audio from a movie or TV programme directly via your hearing aids.
A few taps and you’re done
What’s more, many digital hearing aids now have their own apps. These apps connect to your hearing aids and help you fine-tune its audio settings, and in some cases, bring whole new features.
Oticon (Oticon ON app), Phonak (with the Phonak RemoteControl app), ReSound (Sound Smart 3D app) and Starkey (TruLink app) are just some of the manufacturers offering apps for their hearing aids. These apps let you:
• Set the preferred volume of your hearing aids, including the ability to make individual adjustments for the left and right hearing aids separately.
• Make adjustments to sound quality .
• Some allow you to ‘geo-fence’ settings. This means your hearing aids will automatically change their settings based on your location; for example, when moving from a busy high street to your local library.
• Find my hearing aid – locate your hearing aids if one or both goes missing.
• Stream audio, including music and videos from your phone or tablet. Change it in the app with just a few taps.
• Stream phone or video calls from your smartphone or tablet. This allows you to hear conversation clearly through both hearing aids.
• Some apps also provide tinnitus relief features.
The Oticon Opn hearing aids have gone a step further than just an app. The hearing aids, made by Danish company Oticon, are the world’s first internet-connected hearing aids. This means the Oticon Opn can talk to other internet-connected devices around your home, helping create a smarter, more seamless and ultimately more pleasant hearing experience.
Another true feat of technology comes courtesy of the ReSound LiNX 3D range of hearing aids. Not only is the ReSound LiNX 3D up to 50% better at identifying speech compared to competitor models, they are also the first cloud-enabled hearing aids. This means your hearing care specialist can remotely fine-tune your hearing aids for the best possible sound quality.
Give them a try
Far from a case of technology for technology’s sake, hearing aids with smartphone apps offer real advantages. Using an app means you can discreetly adjust your hearing aids in public – it’s often far easier and faster tapping on a phone screen than using the harder-to-reach controls on the hearing aids themselves.
If you’d like to see what modern digital hearing aids can do, or you’d like to find out more about hearing aid smartphone apps, make an appointment with your Audiologist at the nearest branch of The Hearing Care Partnership for a free hearing test.
Book your free hearing test
We are open, ready and here to help with all your hearing care needs. Our experienced Audiologists are here to discuss your hearing aid options and help you find a solution that suits your personal hearing needs and lifestyle.
Book your FREE Full Hearing Assessment online or speak to a member of our Dedicated Patient Support team on 0800 52 00 546.