LE Audio and the Future of Hearing

@jim_lewis said:

But I wonder if the BT LE Audio protocol has to be certified by the equivalent of the FCC in each country of the world?

No Jim that won’t be needed because it’s in the band that is licence-exempt for Bluetooth. So once the Bluetooth SIG had signed it off, it will be accepted everywhere (well everywhere in the west. I can’t speak for China…)

Another SoC for smartphones that’s ready for LE Audio:

https://www.mediatek.com/products/smartphones/mediatek-dimensity-120017

Source? If true I’m excited.

Take a look at Dr. Cliff’s video on the Oticon More.

But T2 Labs prototype design (now T2 Software) already qualified as of 9/23/2020. So hopefully formal adoption is just a matter of spit-and-polish and quibbling on fine details amongst SIG members…

https://www.t2software.com/bluetooth-le-audio-lc33

My interpretation of the following is the T2 Labs software met the qualifications standards set forth for a BT LE Audio protocol - but qualification does not equal adoption, etc.

Launch Studio - Listing Details (bluetooth.com)2

Do you have any link to the Reddit thread?

Sorry, I don’t. There really wasn’t much to it. Seemed to be somebody’s conjecture, but it seems compatible with the little news I’m seeing. Jim’s post is hopeful, but if I had to bet, I think the mid year approval and end of year devices seem plausible. Looking around, there are very few BT 5.2 (necessary, but perhaps not sufficient for LC3) phones around and it’s found in only one Quallcom Snapdragon chip. Early 2022 may still be optimistic for any widespread implementation.

Nice find! My suspicion and I think I confirmed with an old article is that there’s also the issue of OS support. Apparently Android 8.0 was first version to support BT 5.0 Have no idea which version will support BT 5.2

I just read the new Oticon More aids have built in

How much time will elapse before we see LE Audio in actual product (such as hearing aids)? I hope my KS8s hold up long enough that I don’t need to upgrade until then. Do any of you folk have any idea of a timeframe?

I don’t think there’s any solid info. Supposedly specs will be finalized by mid year. I’m thinking Fall at the absolute earliest for functional products and I won’t be surprised if we have to wait until 2022.

I didn’t see the information on the Oticon marketing information it was in the Oticon contact information for the VA. My Audi showed it to me when I was in the clinic

If you’re buying the Oticon More it may be worth the few seconds to take a screenshot of an Oticon press releases that shows ‘Ready for LE Audio’.

Your collective guesses are as good as mine on when we see product. I still think sometime this year but I wouldn’t bet the house on it.

I still have pretty strong memories about when Oticon promised the ConnectClip coming “soon” and having it’s arrival delayed at least a year. I think (although vague on this) that Oticon implied that that the Opn S would become ASHA compatible which never happened.