Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

Buying an iPhone just because MFi hearing aid compatibility

This topic is closed.

25 replies2.6k viewsLast reply

Jump
Link to this topic

Hello:

I’ve recently bought a pair of Resound ONE hearing aids. They are great, I’m happy with them, but, since they are quite expensive devices, I want to be sure that I’m squeezing all the possible juice from them.

Also, my hearing loss is not that severe. I can hear just fine without them, but hearing aids help me indeed.

I have an Android phone from 2018, which objectively doesn’t need update (it works fine. Phone calls, instagram, whatsapp, email and camera). But now I wonder… It is worth it to buy and iPhone 13 only to be able to stream bidirectionally using my hearing aids, answering hands free, as well as using the Live Listen feature?

Bear in mind that:

  • I don’t have difficulties hearing phone conversations whatsoever.
  • I might even not use those features that much.
  • These phones are freaking expensive! Same applies to the rest of the Apple ecosystem (apple watch, chargers…).

The main question here is: Is the potential of my hearings aids (2700€) being held back because I don’t have the appropriate phone and accessories? (~1500€)

So, I would like to read your thoughts. :stuck_out_tongue:

Happy Holidays

19 people in this conversation8 min readJump to latest

I’d say no. If your current phone is serving your needs and you can hear well enough to use it, there’s no need to get a new phone. If you WANT to, that’s a different matter, but the tangible benefit would be pretty small, if not nonexistent.

Slightly disagree here: I’ve always thought iOS integration was beneficial, but since lockdown/working from home, a couple of clients have found that the enhanced functionality of iOS has made their experience much better in conference calls and Zoom.

I’d also suggest that a Tv/Media streamer is well worth having alongside and perhaps a Multi-mic if you’re thinking you need to improve your in-meeting communication too.

At this point there is no bi directional with any phone yet… Resound has announced it and ios is supposed to support it soon, but I am petty sure no updates have come out to support it… Yet :). Perhaps when it arrives you might like it.

I have the jabra (same device, diff name) and use a multi mic to connect to the computer for zoom (hearing only) and it works well.

@OpenFitted said:

Bear in mind that:

  • I don’t have difficulties hearing phone conversations whatsoever.
  • I might even not use those features that much.
  • These phones are freaking expensive! Same applies to the rest of the Apple ecosystem (apple watch, chargers…).

Your situation sounds a lot like mine. I am a big Apple cheerleader. I cheer everytime their stock goes up. I have owned and used Apple Macs since the first one in 1984 and I am typing this on a brand-new MacBook Air M1. But I have always bought Android cell phones as I agree that iPhones (all my adult kids have them and I guess think they are cool) are highly over-rated and ridiculously over-priced. Like you, I don’t need my hearing aids to be connected to my cell phone in order to carry on a phone conversation and I would not want or need an iPhone to enjoy my hearing aids. I keep a volume booster icon on the main screen of my Android phone and when necessary I hit it to boost the volume and that is more than sufficient.

Edited
@OpenFitted said:

It is worth it to buy and iPhone 13 only to be able to stream bidirectionally using my hearing aids

@janofh said:

At this point there is no bi directional with any phone yet…

That’s almost right with Phonak Paradise as the only exception, AFAIK. You still have to hold the phone close to your mouth, but with a Phone Clip+11 you get true handsfree bidirectionality for a fraction of the cost, and you can use it with your Android phone.
Read here2 about ReSound / smartphone compatibility.

I was referring to the resound/jabra as that was what the op had :). And yes I like the idea of the phone clip. I bought a multi mic off eBay and it is great. I bought 2 clips and neither worked :frowning: same seller for both and the return was easy at least. Still…

@darthvagrant said:

I gave up on my Resound aids and went with Costco aids

The Jabra are ReSound from Costco.
I take it you brought the KS10 models which are MFA (made for all) Bluetooth which you are referring to.

The following list is what Android phones are compatible with Resound.
Ignore the fact it’s from a Cochlear website, if Resound has activated audio streaming in your aids you will benefit greatly, IMO your phone doesn’t need to be iOS as long as it’s and on the list. An awful lot of users use android phones and don’t switch to iOS just because it’s MFI compatible.

As you don’t say exactly what Android phone you have you can check the list.

If your aids don’t stream check with your they might be able to activate audio streaming for you.

https://www.cochlear.com/global/en/apps/sound-processor-and-app/compatibility8

I bought an iPhone when being an avid Android user because was more mature than . I predict that parity will occur once Android 13 and Bluetooth LE becomes more commonplace with new phones 1-2 generations from now.

@grantb5 said:

HI. I would like to know more about this. I looked in settings and could not find. Is this an app?

The Android app I have used for years is called Auto Speaker. See:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hanan.android.ramkol2

I generally buy a new Android phone every 3-4 yrs for about $300-350 and this app has always carried over from one to the next. The one I currently have is a Pixel 4a running Android version 12 and Auto Speaker runs fine on it, but now instead of keeping the app on my home screen it simply pops up as a “speaker” icon whenever I initiate or get an incoming call. If I tap the icon, volume is boosted. If I don’t volume is normal. It also has a built-in proximity feature. A few people claim it doesn’t work with their newest phone, but if so there are numerous other similar apps on the Google Store:

volume booster for android - Android Apps on Google Play

Enjoy millions of the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines & more. Anytime, anywhere, across your devices.

Hope this helps!

Gonna throw in my 2 cents. I’ve got moderate loss. I don’t like the sound of phone calls or music through my (I have Widex Moments) so I use Apple’s AirPod Pro’s. On the iPhone I can upload an and it adjusts everything, music, videos, phone calls, to my audiogram, much like HAs do. It even does so for my AirPods in transparency mode turning them into $200 HAs. For low to moderate hearing loss this works great. I use my HAs mainly for conversation or when I need to be more discreet. Airpods for music, calls, and noise cancellation when I want to isolate :slight_smile:

Thanks to your post I discovered the capability of my iPhone. How did you upload your audiogram? Did you use a test app like mimi?
BTW, I switched to iPhone from Android in order to get phone calls through the , which for me was beneficial.

You have pretty much answered your own question. It doesn’t sound like the benefit is enough for you.

I have much more severe loss, and the iPhone capabilities are completely and utterly essential to me. Phone calls transmitted direct to my are the only way I can use the phone.

I started with the first version Resound Enzo several years ago when I think ReSound were the only ones offering the capability. Nowadays of course it is available widely on iOS and Android. But I have stuck with ReSound and now have Enzo Quattro.

Hi Spain,I have an iPhone 5SE I bought for $100 on Ebay but many of the Apps are also on Google and Android Phones.My Monthly Mobile Plan is $10.00 USD a Month,maybe buy a iPhone 4 for cheap and buy a calling card to activate it and use it for your remote,but dont feel bad as I own Signia Pure 7X,Rexton Emerald 60 and Miracle Ear Energy R all and all the Apps are the same,there terrible and look the same.An Iphone 5 now is around $75.00 so its rather cheap.

Related discussions