Today’s hearing aids are more sophisticated than ever! One of the greatest advances in hearing aid technology is the ability to pair them to a variety of smartphones, including Apple iPhones and several Android handsets. The connection between smartphones and hearing aids brings a long list of incredible benefits.
At Hearing Sense, we see this every day. Want to stream music or phone calls directly to your hearing aids? No problem! Want to adjust your hearing aid volume with your phone? You got it!
Here are our top 8 favourite things you can do with smartphone-connected hearing aids:
- For Apple iPhone-connected hearing aids you can make quick hearing aid adjustments with the Apple Hearing Controls.
Apple has created a Hearing Control function that can be quickly accessed in the Control Centre. For hearing aids paired to an iPhone, this feature lets you quickly and easily adjust hearing aid volume or change memories. Just triple-click the home button and you can adjust your hearing aid easy peasy.
- Find misplaced hearing aids.
For some brands of hearing aids, you can use the brand’s mobile app to locate misplaced hearing aids. Using a map, the apps show you the last location the aids were wirelessly connected to the phone. And, if they are nearby, shows you when you are getting close to them.
- Hear your “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” responses through your hearing aids.
When using voice assistants like Apple’s Siri or Android’s OK Google, you can ask your question and hear the response through your paired hearing aids. So the next time you need to know the weather forecast or find the nearest coffee shop, just ask Siri and hear her answer through your hearing aids! Of course, the specific phone and operating system need to be compatible for direct streaming to hearing aids.
- Translate languages live to hearing aids.
An exciting feature recently announced by Starkey for their Starkey’s Livio Edge AI hearing aids is the ability to have a foreign language translated and streamed in your native language through your hearing aids. This makes communicating with those who speak another language easier. It is a fantastic feature when travelling!
- Hear an indicator through your hearing aids when an email, calendar update, text or social media notification occurs.
Within some hearing aid apps, you can simply turn on Alerts. Every time you receive an email, a text message, a calendar notification or social media update you will hear an unobtrusive audible indicator through your hearing aids. You will immediately be notified when that important text or update comes through!
- Watch movies or TV and stream the audio directly to your paired hearing aids.
Our smartphones have become a common way to view videos, movies and TV. With your hearing aids paired to your smartphone, now whenever you watch something on the phone, the audio is streamed directly to your hearing aids. Some hearing aids will automatically switch to a special streaming memory for the best sound quality matched to your individual hearing needs.
- See how many steps you have taken, minutes of exercise you have completed and how often you have stood up per hour.
Some hearing aids have motion sensors built directly into them that can monitor your physical movement. Every step you take is counted. Each minute of exercise you complete is recorded. And, each time you get up and walk around is identified. This activity information can be viewed in a mobile app allowing you to keep an eye on your physical activity. Tracking this information can help motivate you to lead a more active lifestyle.
- Stream high-fidelity, stereo music directly to paired hearing aids and personalise the sound quality.
Anytime you want to listen to your favourite musician, playlist or streaming service, it is streamed directly to your hearing aids. Your hearing aids provide the highest sound quality possible, tuned for your individual hearing loss. Your smartphone-connected hearing aids are the best wireless earbuds available!
Hearing aid technology continues to improve in leaps and bounds. If you feel like you could not only benefit from better hearing but from these helpful (and fun!) new features, contact Hearing Sense on 8331 8047 for your free consultation and hearing aid trial! We have three convenient clinic locations in Norwood, Unley, and Salisbury.
