I’m fairly new to this forum and really appreciate all that I’m learning from those of you who post. I searched on phones but still have a question. That is: What phone works best with Costco’s Philips for Bluetooth connectivity?
It seems like iPhones tend to work for multiple hearing aids, but I’m a long-term Android user and would prefer not to switch if possible. I checked out the Philips compatibility list, but it seems that some of these phones still have connectivity problems. Do any of you have an Android phone that works well with this hearing aid?
I’m also a little confused about . Is this protocol built into phones or is it an app you can download to make an Android phone capable of streaming to the aids?
(Android) is pretty much the same as MFI (iPhone).
Android 12 is what you need, and Android 13 is right around the corner with better support. Both are part of the respective OS.
Here is a link to Android phones compatible with Starkey HAs. I bet it will be similar for your Phillips. My Audi says that the iPhone and Android implementation is pretty much equivalent for Starkey HAs, no need to switch to iPhone.
Thanks for the comparison. I’m taking it to mean that these are protocols built into the phone not something that can be added in.
I have a list of phones that are supposedly compatible with the Phillips, it’s just that I’ve seen people talking about connectivity problems anyway. So I’m trying to figure out, if I have to not only buy new hearing aids but a new phone too–is there a way to be sure I’m getting the two devices that actually do work well together. Maybe I just have to use the phone compatibility list and take my chances.
I’ve never used an iPhone so less would be new to get used to if I can stay with Android.
I think the Google Pixel 7 is due out any day with Android 13. That’s the route I would go. If I couldn’t wait I would get whatever model is the latest from Samsung.
My Starkey connect to the phone through Bluetooth. Android provides .
The Starkey app changes settings on my phone through the bluetooth connection. The app is only used to change settings on my HAs. The app has an ancillary role, definitely not primary. It doesn’t even need to be running to play music through my HAs or hear other system sounds.
I have the 9030s and the only time I use the app is to connect to the TV Streamer and to boost the bass and midrange when using it. I do that just about every evening.
I can’t speak to the rest as I have an iPhone 14 Pro Max on iOS 16.0.2 and it works well with the aids and app.
I trialed a number of a year ago, and from my experience, pairing with the protocol was horrendous. I have always been an Android person, but switched to an iPhone just because of hearing aids (and I did not like the Phonak Paradise, which uses "classic BT pairing and worked like a charm with Android).
Even though phones are compatible, it doesn’t mean it works well. But it also depends on how often you need it or how you’re using it. My biggest issue was streaming in motion – basically if I was out walking somewhere and trying to stream music or a podcast, etc. If my phone was in my right pocket, my left aid would constantly cut out. BT connection would also drop out in general throughout the day, and I would have to restart the aid, which was a real pain when you find out one side isn’t connected after receiving a phone call.
But if I was just at home, streaming music while working, with the phone just left out on the table, streaming was fine, connection was fine. I could even move a room or two away and have no problems, so if that’s mostly what you need it for, I don’t think it would be a problem.
Also important to note that Android has had at least a couple new updates (and new phones) since I last had one, which was the Samsung Galaxy S20+, and some people may have found moderate improvements in ASHA from then to now. While I don’t have the Philips, I have Oticons, and a lot of the components between the two are similar or the same as they are under the same parent company, but the difference a year ago between Android and iPhone was night and day, and iPhone won by a mile (unfortunately, as I would have loved to have continued to use my Samsung).
@jcw11 Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with me. Very helpful as I weigh the options and move from my 10 year old Oticons to the newer technology…
St. Joseph, Michigan