When Bluetooth began connecting mobile phones with everything from wireless headphones to automobile stereo speakers, an obvious next question was, “Why not hearing aids?” There was always a simple but completely disappointing answer: “Because it’s too hard.” But Phonak’s new Bluetooth-compatible Marvel hearing aids have finally changed the answer. If they work as advertised, they may prove to be the biggest market-disruptor in the hearing industry this year.
Wireless streaming of audio directly into hearing aids from thousands of Bluetooth-ready devices—phones, TVs, home and auto sound systems, you name it—has been a Holy Grail of the industry. Over the past five years, manufacturers made strides toward more connectivity. But their efforts had fallen short of universal Bluetooth connectivity.
Apple’s “Made-for-iPhone” hearing aid program, started more than four years ago, was a good start. First-mover Made-products from ReSound and Starkey that streamed calls and iTunes directly into both ears helped those companies make inroads into market share held by larger “Big Six” hearing aid manufacturers. But users of Android phones (from Samsung and others) weren’t invited to the party. In the few Android applications that did come to market, streaming was available only to one ear as well as other limitations.
But as of 2018, the iPhone accounts for less than 15 percent of the global smartphone market. Android phones, on the other hand, are now more than 85 percent of the global market.
Other manufacturers followed with Made-for-iPhone products and/or provided their own custom streamers for phones, TVs and sound systems. But those proprietary solutions most often required clunky intermediate transmitters that dangled from the neck or hung clipped to a collar, which limited their use. And they were expensive.
Connectivity and More
Now, with Bluetooth built into Phonak’s Marvel hearing aids, users can stream audio from virtually any Bluetooth-enabled device. And the first model in the family, the Phonak Audéo™ M hearing aids, will include a full set of other high-end features:
- Rechargeable: A mini-recharger provides quick reload of the Lithium-Ion batteries for a full day of hearing, including streaming, on a single charge.
- Hands-free conversations: Built-in microphones allow completely hands-free phone conversations from both iPhone and Android devices while the conversation is heard in both ears.
- Smart apps: The myPhonak app allows wearers to have their hearing aids adjusted in real-time, in any situation, anywhere via video call by the hearing care professional, and myCall-to-Text app provides live transcription of phone calls from the other party in more than 80 languages.
The new hearing aids also feature Phonak’s AutoSense OS 3.0 operating system, which uses artificial intelligence, to automatically learn, detect and adapt to changes in the listening environment. With the new Marvel technology, the AutoSense feature also improves the sound of streamed media to reduce background noise and improve clarity of phone conversations.
Abram Bailey at Hearing Tracker previewed the new hearing aids and said his “expectations were exceeded on all the dimensions that matter; features, functionality, and sound quality.”
I have tried on my fair share of hearing aids over the years, and have honestly never been 100% satisfied by the audio quality. I always chalk it up to the tiny hearing aid speakers and the fact that my ear canal is left open (all the bass leaks out) with receiver-in-canal hearing aids. The streaming audio sound quality on Marvel was not what I would expect with my favorite triple driver earbuds, but it was better than any hearing aid I’ve tried yet.
A Premium Solution
The Marvel hearing aids won’t be available until the end of November, and pricing hasn’t been published. But it’s safe to assume they’ll be positioned as full-featured premium hearing aids. So they won’t address the complaint that “hearing aids are too expensive.” But they will provide so much connectivity to so many sources of sound that many consumers—especially those already accustomed to spending thousands of dollars on full-featured smartphone and audio systems—should be willing to pay the price.
And, because Bluetooth is a standard, there’s a good chance we won’t have to wait too long before Phonak (and others) start leveraging higher sales volumes, lower component prices, and other economies of scale to deliver more affordable solutions. As the first out of the starting gate, Phonak is currently setting the pace for a race that the entire hearing industry can be expected to join.