Hearing Aid Models and Repairs / Obsolescence

Not necessarily so. My AuD replaced the battery in one of my Oticon OPN S1 while I waited for something like USD $150.

I agree. but that is no longer possible with the Intent version. I heard that they also soldered it to the chip and made it difficult to change the battery.

For some reason, everyone will switch to such a practice.

Probably because the battery is better protected from moisture, so that more technology can be inserted, it is not interested in as much space as the battery drawer.

As discussed in another thread, such practice (soldering rechargeable batteries) may soon be illegal (in the EU at least, but then probably worldwide):

“Starting in 2027, consumers will be able to remove and replace the portable batteries in their electronic products at any time of the life cycle.”

New law on more sustainable, circular and safe batteries enters into force

The new law will ensure that batteries are collected, reused and recycled in Europe and will support the shift to a circular economy.

Not yet clear if that law will also apply to medical devices, though.

This is true for all RITE/BTE hearing aids regardless of battery style. In many cases they just grab a new unit, which is why for some repairs you’ll be notified that your serial number has changed. The only styles that can have individual parts replaced are custom in-the-ear styles, but even those are becoming quite modular.

Ultimately, like any business, keeping multiple generations worth of stock on hand is very expensive for hearing aid manufacturers, and so they phase out stock as soon as possible.

Going back to not having battery range anxiety because I have a swap battery in my wallet that I can change in less than 30 s? Not having to carry around a bulky powerbank and cable? Buying a new battery for 10-15€, knowing it is the right one at first sight, and changing it in less than 30 s with no tools?
Sure I want that!

I never had a problem, and I don’t care if the phone has to be 2 mm thicker.
The only problems I see is for the bottom line of manufacturers not being able to force you to change your phone every 3-4 years.
Like my Nokia N900 which I bought in 2009, changed the battery 3 times, and did not retire, still working, until 2019 because my wife insisted in giving me a new phone (and ok, it was becoming painful to browse the web with it). Or my wife’s Samsung Galaxy V, from 2014 until 2021, two battery changes.

I want that, and I fully support the EU legislation on the matter.

Not True. I just had both of my 3 year old audibel AI 2400 Edge (Starkey brand) aids internal batteries replaced at Hearsource. They open the housing and replace the internal batteries. Cost $249 each though. Works great and I hope they last another 3 years.

I just got the rechargeable batteries replaced in my Phonaks under warranty. They came back with the programming intact and still the original serial numbers.
Do I really believe that they just removed and replaced the batteries!!!

@Ken5 said:

There is no reason the aid manufacturer can’t build the rechargeable battery into an assessable door so it can be easily changed out.

Difficult to make that door IP68 though: Oticon (particularly) struggled to stop wicking of moisture/sweat into the battery compartment in the last generation. So, we lost that accessibility in this generation.

Serious question: can you access/swap AirPod batteries ?

It would be very difficult to make rechargeable hearing aid batteries easy to replace. We are no speaking cellphone, laptop or tablet size devices. No one is going to be replacing their own pacemaker battery. I am sure that medical devices are not included…

Replacing the rechargable battery in the prior gen Demant models (More, Real, etc) is easy - just as easy as replacing the receiver.