Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

An intermittent Bluetooth streaming issue with my Phonak Audéo I90 Sphere hearing aids

7 replies178 viewsLast reply

Link to this topic
Reply

I am experiencing an intermittent Bluetooth streaming issue with my Phonak Audéo I90 Sphere hearing aids connected to an Apple iPhone 16e running the latest version of iOS.

Equipment

  • Hearing aids: Phonak Audéo I90 Sphere (Left & Right)

  • Firmware: 1.1.11.0 (both hearing aids)

  • Firmware status: Up to date

  • Phone: Apple iPhone 16e

  • iOS: Latest public release (current as of August 2026)

Description of the Problem

The hearing aids appear to remain connected to the iPhone, but media audio intermittently stops working.

Symptoms include:

  • Audiobooks, music, podcasts, and other media applications continue playing normally (the playback timer advances).

  • The iPhone AirPlay/Audio Output screen shows the right hearing aid selected as the active audio output.

  • The hearing aids produce no streamed audio.

  • The same behavior occurs across multiple media applications, not just one app.

Important Observation

Phone calls stream correctly.

In many cases, placing or receiving a phone call causes Bluetooth streaming to begin working again after the call.

This suggests that the Bluetooth connection itself may still exist, but the media audio stream is failing until the call renegotiates the connection.

Troubleshooting Already Performed

I have already completed the following:

  • Restarted the iPhone multiple times.

  • Unpaired and re-paired the hearing aids.

  • Deleted and reinstalled the myPhonak app.

  • Restarted the hearing aids.

  • Verified that AirPlay is routing audio to the hearing aids.

  • Verified that both hearing aids are recognized in the myPhonak app.

  • Verified that firmware is current (1.1.11.0).

  • Verified healthy battery levels.

None of these actions permanently resolves the issue.

Additional Information

During the failure:

  • AirPlay continues to show the hearing aids as the selected audio output.

  • Playback continues to advance normally.

  • The myPhonak app has, on occasion, displayed “Connecting… this may take some time.”

  • Switching the audio output to the iPhone speaker and back to the hearing aids does not restore media audio.

  • A phone call frequently restores media streaming.

Request

Could you please advise whether this is:

  • a known issue with the current iOS release,

  • a known issue affecting the Audéo I90 Sphere,

  • or whether there are diagnostic logs or additional troubleshooting steps that can identify why the Bluetooth media stream becomes silent while the connection appears to remain active?

If this is a known issue, are there any firmware updates or recommended settings that address it?

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Russ

4 people in this conversation6 min readJump to latest

I honestly don’t understand what is wrong with Apple IOS. I have the Spheres i90 Ultras and the Samsung S25FE with the latest updates and have absolutely no issues with Bluetooth connectivity. I also have my aids paired to and older Android Tablet, Fire Tablet and Kindle reader with no connectivity issues.

I don’t know enough particulars of the situation to know if what I’ve experienced matches what you’re seeing. But here’s an example of something that happens. Say I’m watching a reel on FB. Someone comes up to talk to me. I have a couple paths I could take. I could pause the playback on the phone or tablet. The will take maybe three seconds to click out of streaming. I could also tap twice my left ear and they immediately snap out of it, but the media continues on the phone. it doesn’t do that for music or podcasts, but YouTube has the same behavior, continuing even though a pause was instructed. If I go back into MyPhonak, I can tell the HAs to go back to the BT Stream if I wish. Or I can manually pause the media for about 5 seconds. When I start it again, the BT stream starts like normal. Is this a fit with what you’re experiencing?

WH

Well, it’s another issue, for sure. I have an appointment with my audiologist soon. I’ll post what I hear from her. Good luck! Thanks for the reply.

Here’s what I got back from Phonak Support

Thank you for contacting Phonak. We’re sorry to hear that you’re experiencing issues with Bluetooth connectivity.

Here are some common Bluetooth behaviors you might be experiencing:

  • Bluetooth audio is choppy, sound is cutting in and out .

  • Static noise.

  • Bluetooth dropping out.

If you are within the range of Bluetooth and experience any of the above, we recommend to:

  • Restart your phone

  • Unpair your hearing aids from your phone Bluetooth and pair them again.

  • If the issue persists, please try the troubleshooting tips:

  • Bluetooth transmission is affected if too many applications are running at the same time on the connected device. Close applications that you are not using to avoid slowing down the Bluetooth transmission.

  • Minimize Interference. Hearing aids operate on frequency of 2.4 GHz – 2.48 GHz. When other devices in your proximity are using the 2.4GHz frequency, you may occasionally hear static or buzzing sounds. It happens because of the activity happening on the same frequency, which overlaps with the connection between your devices. You can try to turn off certain devices that could be causing interference or move into a different area closer to the audio source.

  • Ensure your phone is updated.

  • Change the Bluetooth connection for phone calls from adaptive to fixed bandwidth. This can be done in the app settings* or by the hearing care professional in the fitting software.

  • Keep the audio source device close to you. Bluetooth signals can be absorbed, and performance and range can be reduced if the phone is placed inside pockets or handbags. Obstacles such as people, walls, or furniture may also reduce the range. To maintain a strong connection, keep a clear line of sight between the audio source and your hearing aids.

  • Verify your hearing aids are not running out of battery.

  • Ensure Power Saver is disabled on your phone.

  • Disable any power saver modes on your phone, as they can limit Bluetooth performance

If after trying these tips the problem still persists, please contact your hearing care professional for further assistance and to have your hearing aids checked.

Gotta say, you are a computer support technician’s dream. I asked Google. Here’s what the had to say. Hope I don’t get shot down for this, but it’s short and it’s some steps to try, not an opinion.

Audio Routing

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Navigate to Accessibility > Touch > Call Audio Routing.
  3. Change this setting from Automatic to Bluetooth Headset.
  4. Go back to Accessibility > Hearing Devices > Audio Routing.
  5. Ensure both Call Audio and Media Audio are set to Always Hearing Devices. [1, 2, 3]

Click Sounds

Turn Off System Click Sounds. Because Phonak aids switch programs whenever the phone makes a noise, generic phone keyboard clicks can cause the media profile to lock up. [1]

  1. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics.

  2. Scroll down and switch off Keyboard Feedback (Sound) and Lock Sound.

This actually sounds the way my Samsung S25FE is setup by default

Related discussions