iPhone vs Android

I can understand what you are saying, but now that I am retired, my cell phone is my lifeline. We no longer have a landline and I cannot hear over a house phone anyway. I go hiking and I explore the area that I have adopted as my home. So my cell became my way to get help if needed and my wife can contact me even when I am in the woods or at one of the lakes. And heaven forbid that I have an accident I can get help, the GPS is wonderful for find things and even me if I get lost.

Did I not say that there are positive aspects and one cannot get along without them in today’s society? It’s accessibility that I was addressing and that was qualified by “at least until I retire”. For me, cell phones are both a blessing and a curse. Milos suggestion “Then stop using them. Simple as that” just tells me he wasn’t paying attention.

I have worked jobs that I carried at least two cell phones and any where from one to three pagers at the same time. So I fully understand your feelings. When I was on call I covered as many as five departments at once. And have had the times that all of them needed help at once even with having several backups. It isn’t fun for anyone that has good hearing much less someone with very bad hearing.

I use Cala 8 HAs (for 2 years now), and have had absolutely no problems with iPhone 7+ connectivity.

@susanna.saunders said:

Also, how good are the android phone apps for HAs?

The Marvel app doesn’t do a whole lot, but works okay. I can adjust each aid’s volume independently if need be. I was able to adjust the outside mic volume during streaming, which was handy. I could use it to change programs, but I don’t have any. That’s pretty much it.

I’ll add my opinion. Some background. I’ve actually worked for one of the aforementioned tech companies. I’ve use iPhone, Blackberry 10, Android, Linux, Windows, BSD.

Each ecosystem has it’s features benefits and drawbacks, along with elements that are proprietary and elements that are open and based on standards.

Often, it’s to differentiate the product. Sometimes it’s an annoyance to some and a benefit to others.

I’d say Blackberry 10 was a great phone OS but ultimately it failed. Back in 2007 the iPhone was a far better experience than the early Android phones.

I currently use Android. I’d use an iPhone too. Cost wise my current handset (Huawei P20) is a good bang for the buck option.

Eventually as time goes by, the connectivity will become standard and the argument will be pointless. Like anything, early adopters will pay for that privilege. Anyone remember Minidisc or BetaMax?

Buy what works for you. I’m informed enough to make my own choices. It doesn’t matter what phone you use - if you buy a high end android or a newer iPhone, the experience should be a good one.

I use normal headphones with my phone. Couldn’t care less about streaming. If HAs do their job properly, the direct streaming isn’t important.

What needs to happens is an open-standard. The MFI is nice, but it needs to be opened up for all handset providers to work with it. This won’t happen but for uses such as this, perhaps legislation needs looking into to force it to happen.

@davart said:

If HAs do their job properly, the direct streaming isn’t important.

The only thing I disagree with. Streaming, for me, means better word discrimination. Sound/words coming from small cheap speakers is not as easy to understand as those same words transmitted.

Also, I think MFi is dead. Phonak has proven they can use standard Bluetooth for direct connect so now I think that R&D money in the other HA companies will go for their own version of direct connect to all devices. Why limit it to iPhone when Android has 80% of the market.

@cvkemp said:

It would be nice if I could connect my aids to my Samsung note 8 so she could hand off a call to me

You can. Phonak Marvel does that.

I have new aids already as part of my VA disability, Oticon OPN1 ITE half shell

Hi Susie,

BlueCrab is right. I have had problems a few times with the app freezing up or refusing to connect to the hearing aids. Just closing the program and restarted it fixed it every time, however.

The main functions are just as he described. I have used mine to change programs, and it works fine. When you stream using the built-in AutoSense program, it switches to Bluetooth streaming and an icon appears below the volume slider. Tapping the icon allows you to adjust the balance between surrounding sounds and audio. The Help says “Some programs can contain more options than just the volume control. If options are available, a button below the main volume control appears.” I have only seen the button when streaming; the two programs my audiologist set up do not display the button, so I have no experience with that.

Besides the main app screen, there is a Settings icon, which displays just “App settings,” “My hearing aids,” “FAQ,” and “Feedback.” The app settings allow you to enable demo mode or enable or disable sending of usage data to Phonak; that’s it. “My hearing aids” just lists your programs and allows you to change their names.

So yes, the app (Remote) is very basic (I don’t know how it compares to the iPhone version), but it does what I need it to do. Streaming of music and TV (with the TV Connector) work beautifully, and I love not needing an iPhone to be able to stream.

There is another app, myPhonak, that allows your audiologist to adjust your hearing aid settings remotely, which he doesn’t think I need because he’s so close. I need an invitation from him to be able to use it, but it has some other features I’d like to try, so I’m going to try to convince him to enable it next visit. It says I can provide feedback and “communicate” with him, including seeing and talking with him. The Google Play description doesn’t mention it, but I read somewhere that it allows “journaling,” and I’m curious to see what that is.

As far as batteries, I don’t have the rechargeable model, but use 312 batteries. I have had no problems with longevity. I get up to 5 days of battery life. When I stream a lot it’s less (I haven’t tested extensively, but I think 2 or 3 days at least). I certainly have no problem with them dying at the end of the day.

I don’t know if I mentioned in my earlier post that I was almost in your situation. When I found out about the Marvels, I was within a few days of buying an iPhone XR as soon as it was released. I hope things work out for you with your two phones. When you get your Marvels, I’ll be interesting to hear how the iPhone and Android connectivity compares.

Hi Keithr,
Thank you for the very detailed response about your Marvel HAs and the app functionality. That’s most helpful to know! As I suspected, it’s the working minimum… Keyword there is WORKING! So despite its limitations, it sounds as if you made a good call there!
Going with the non-rechargable std battery format was probably a good move too, as I suspect that the rechargeable versions run out of power by the evening when you want to site down and stream from the TV or other device.
I’m not 100% I’ll buy into the Phonak Marvel yet, I may do, but I’d like to hear what the iPhone experience with the Marvel HAs is like for comparison first if possible … Hopefully some one here will be able to post on that one!
Thanks again for the detailed post!
Susie
PS if it were possible to give you more than 1 thumbs up I would!

Well I am 71 and have fought through all of the different computers, and devices along the way. To be honest a lot of the ones that didn’t make it are better than the ones that did. It all comes down to advertisement and what little niche it fills. I am not saying android is bad, it isn’t I just don’t use it now, I once did and had some bad experiences with crappy hardware. Yes I now use iPhone it is doing what I wish it to do, and at my age I don’t have to relearn every time there is an update or I need a new device. The same is true for the MacOS. My only advice is find what works for you an go with it.

Hi cvkemp.
It sounds like you have decades of experience to draw upon! I haven’t fired up my Mac Pro for a while now (but I definitely should - if only to update it!!). With the iPhone in the post, I got another hearing test this morning and requested a quote for the Phonak Marvel 312 (I forgot to specify M90s) but hopefully the guy will get the quotes for all of the various model options…
I’ll update you how I get on

Thanks, Susanna.

Yes, that’s exactly why I didn’t get the rechargeable model. I just didn’t feel that I could depend on my hearing aids still working at the end of the day.

I have been very interested in the “hybrid” rechargeables that I’ve read about here that allow you to use regular batteries if you run out of charge. If those were available, I’m pretty sure that’s the direction I would have gone.