Time to read: 5 minutes
When you buy hearing aids today, you get so much more than just the devices themselves.
Advances in interactive computer technology, and the popularity of smartphones, gives you greater control and many more features that would have been in the realm of science fiction just a few years ago.
Phone call streaming, remote assistance, personal programs, language translation and fall detection are just some of the things you can do with your hearing aids. And this is quite aside from the things hearing aids were designed to do which is to maximise your best possible hearing.
All hearing aid manufacturers have apps you can download to conveniently access these amazing features, as well as to give you more intuitive control of your hearing aids.
If all of these features are new to you, they can be quite overwhelming. There is nothing wrong with spending time becoming familiar with using your hearing aids and sticking with the pre-set programs that you and your clinician decided on at your fitting appointment.
We do have clients who are more than happy to enjoy the benefits of modern hearing aids without all of the bells and whistles available.
But for those who love tech and keen to take full advantage of all the gadgets, you’ll enjoy playing around with these app and exploring some very nice features.
Make adjustments on the go
Need just a little extra volume or want to turn down your aids just a little bit? You can do that on your hearing aid, or you can open up the app on your phone and make the tweak from there.
Create personalised settings
You might be a music aficionado or a regular at a busy cafe. Many hearing aids allow you to make custom adjustments that you can save and have ready at a push of a button. Hearing aids with geotagging gives you the additional benefit of changing the program as soon as you enter that location.
Check the device status
Not sure how much charge your hearing aids have? Want to double check whether your hearing aids are connected to your Bluetooth device? Your hearing aid app will be able to show you.
Direct streaming
Taking phone calls directly into your hearing aids without having to pick up your phone is another benefit of the convergence between your hearing aids and smart devices. With Bluetooth connection, you can even use your phone to act as a TV volume when you have your hearing aids set up to stream audio from the TV to your hearing aids.
Review the manual
Not sure whether something is working as it should? Want to explore the full range of features of your hearing aids? The manufacturer’s app is just the place to go to look at the manual for your hearing aids, which is especially handy if you’re out and about.
Work with a clinician to update and adjust your aids
Can’t get into a clinic? No worries! You can book a consultation with your clinician over the app where they can make adjustments so you can hear the difference straight away from the comfort of your own home.
Connect to the internet of things
Get a notification when someone has rung the doorbell, a confirmation that your smart home lights are on or that the washing machine has finished and laundry is ready to be hung out. While all of that might seem like a gimmick. Hearing aids by Oticon are also designed to know if you’ve taken a tumble and can alert someone from your contact list.
Translate languages
Travelling overseas and not fluent in the language? Your hearing aid app might be able to help you with that too. The Oticon app allows you to speak into your phone where it will translate your speech into text for the language you nominate. The person you are speaking too will see your question in their language. The app will translate their response into English and stream it into your hearing aids.
Find your hearing aids
Uh-oh! Can’t find your hearing aids? Your app will be able to help when it has a geolocation feature. It will let you know the last location of your hearing aids.
Discover Hearing Aid Manufacturers Apps
- https://www.beltone.com/en/hearing-aids/apps/hearmax-app
- https://www.oticon.com.au/hearing-aid-users/hearing-aids/accessories/on-app
- https://www.phonak.com/com/en/hearing-aids/apps/myphonak-app.html
- https://www.resound.com/en-au/hearing-aids/apps/smart
- https://www.signia-hearing.com.au/signia-app/
- https://www.unitron.com/content/unitron/tw/en/professional/practice-support/apps.htm
- https://www.widex.com.au/en-au/support/hearing-aid-apps
