AirPods as Hearing Aids

[Cornell]

I started wearing Hearing Aids about 2 years ago and TBH I really dislike them for a variety of reasons:

• Dislike how they feel in my ears
• The bluetooth range w/my phone is pretty narrow
• I listen to a lot of music / podcasts, so I'm constantly popping my HAs out to swap in my Airpods.
• Don't like how my HAs are worn (over earlobe w/the wire etc). Hair gets tangled etc
• The cost
• The charging cradle which is ONE more thing I have to tote around when I travel
• And....I honestly think the Hearing Aid industry is one of the scammiest industries out there - 2nd to maybe timeshares

This could be a huge development for me and I'm guessing many others.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/10/tech/apple-airpods-pro-hearing-aids/index.html

 

[WinniWoman]

Pretty cool for sure.

 

[jp10558]

I started wearing Hearing Aids about 2 years ago and TBH I really dislike them for a variety of reasons:

• Dislike how they feel in my ears
• The bluetooth range w/my phone is pretty narrow
• I listen to a lot of music / podcasts, so I'm constantly popping my HAs out to swap in my Airpods.
• Don't like how my HAs are worn (over earlobe w/the wire etc). Hair gets tangled etc
• The cost
• The charging cradle which is ONE more thing I have to tote around when I travel
• And....I honestly think the Hearing Aid industry is one of the scammiest industries out there - 2nd to maybe timeshares

This could be a huge development for me and I'm guessing many others.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/10/tech/apple-airpods-pro-hearing-aids/index.html

Not that'd I'd ever recommend Apple products - they do seem to have the reality distortion field to popularize things for the masses. That said, there's less than nothing a modern hearing aid could do that a smartphone or even smart headphones couldn't. There's no reason for hearing aids to cost any more than mid range headphones / earbuds. I think a lot of the cost is the audiologist tuning, but again, with smartphones that really ought to be something that doesn't need an on site expert anymore. If they can remotely check my eyesight then they can remotely check my hearing, especially as the audio tech is mostly in someones home anyway via the smartphone vs needing the eyeglasses machine that flips lenses around. As far as my mom says, it's not like they're using special testing hardware when tuning the hearing aids.

TBH, I am still burned that they blocked sales to end users of CPAPs (and letting us dial our own settings). FFS - if you can't figure out if you're breathing good or not you probably need to be in an institution! Same for hearing or glasses - it's 90% is this better or is that better, and iterate towards an ideal setting.

 

[pedro47]

To Cornell, Thanks you.

 

[susieq]

To Cornell, Thanks you.

Ditto!!!

 

[SmithOp]

My hearing aids from Costco connect BT to my phone and work 30ft away. I take calls or play Amazon music on my phone and listen on the HA indoors. The only place I have problems is outdoors riding my bike, the wind noise drowns out the music.

The Costco audiologist can connect remotely and adjust my HAs.

 

[buzglyd]

A buddy of mine was wearing buds from NuHeara I think it was called. You could tune them with a phone app. They were about $500 but stuck out of your ears of course. He later switched to regular style hearing aids.

 

[Bucky]

My wife uses her AirPods to watch tv with but, compared to my hearing aids comfort, I would never wear them on a daily basis. I use my air pods to listen to YT videos because it’s a PIA to repair my aids to my iPad

 

[Cornell]

My wife uses her AirPods to watch tv with but, compared to my hearing aids comfort, I would never wear them on a daily basis. I use my air pods to listen to YT videos because it’s a PIA to repair my aids to my iPad

This is where we are all different. I find my Hearing Aids to be uncomfortable and wear them grudgingly. Also the sound that I stream from my phone is so low quality vs Airpods. That's why I'm constantly swapping them out.

Nonetheless I purchased the Airpod Pros yesterday (as that's what will be compatible with this new techology) and I'll report back to TUG once this gets rolled out.

 

[Cornell]

AirPods hearing aid feature is going to challenge social norms

Apple’s announcement about the upcoming AirPods hearing aid capability hasn’t just upset the share price of existing brands – it’s...

9to5mac.com

 

[SmithOp]

I'm curious to hear (no pun intended) what the battery life will be on your new Airpods.

I can wear hearing aids all day without recharge, and a charge takes about 4 hours.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Thanks for posting. I'll have to keep an eye on this.

1 - for DH! He's in the % that needs them but he doesn't look into options
2 - spent over an hour on my hands and knees looking for one of my stepmother's the other night. add these requirements that would be possibly be addressed:
1 - 'find feature'
2 - rechargability (oh my are changing batteries a pain)
* challenge for someone with dementia will be changing what she currently has
3 - someday i might need them, I better be nice (I love my airpods, I was surprised how quickly I 'adapted' to having something in my ear)

 

[Glynda]

I'm curious to hear (no pun intended) what the battery life will be on your new Airpods.

I can wear hearing aids all day without recharge, and a charge takes about 4 hours.

I can listen to an audiobook on my Apple AirPods Pro Second Generation (2022) for about six hours from a full charge. Hopefully the new ones coming out will have an even better battery life.

 

[Snazzylass]

Interesting!

I love that Apple is making more progress in this area. I was skeptical when they said they were moving towards Health devices, but I love tracking my sleep with my watch. I love that my watch tracks my activity and connects to my Peloton.

I read about the progress of AirPods as an option for HA's years ago when I was researching HA's. I have been profoundly deaf in one ear for a long, long time. My kids started complaining. So, I thought I better get it addressed a couple of years ago. My employer paid for my HA's. The gal at Miracle Ear was shocked at that. So, no complaints. There's a name for my set-up. It's a little more complicated than just amplifying the sound, but overall, that is what HA's seem to do, and Ugh!

So, yeah, I try to remember to put them in when I leave the house. I forgot to wear them the other day when I went to see my mom & dad, and boy, did I regret that. Before I moved, I had the charger plugged in at the front door so I would remember them. When I was working, I'd wear them and it was easy to remember as part of my morning routine.

Around the house I tend to wear my AirPods as I'm listening to YouTube mostly, or maybe Pandora. Connecting or disconnecting the AirPods is easy. HA's? Yeah, I wouldn't even try, except I often find myself switching to regular phone mode when talking to someone. Seems people can hear me best when I am speaking directly into the phone versus anything else.

So, I feel like the Bionic Woman when I leave the house between the HA's and throwing a contact in my eye. Again, around the house, I just grab readers. The HA's are clunky. I have to fix my hair first before I put them in which is one of the reasons I forget.

My hearing has not deteriorated. It might improved slightly. So, I'm grateful for the FREE HA's. As long as they work, I will trudge along with them.

 

[Sandi Bo]

I sent a link to my husband and suggested he buy a pair (air pod pro 2)

DH: Do I really think he needs them?
Me: yes
DH: what?
Me: YES
DH: I kind of like it this way

And so it goes...

 

[Brett]

I sent a link to my husband and suggested he buy a pair (air pod pro 2)

DH: Do I really think he needs them?
Me: yes
DH: what?
Me: YES
DH: I kind of like it this way

And so it goes...

"DH: I kind of like it this way"

But I know at some point I may need hearing 'assistance'. might investigate android pods

.

 

[Cornell]

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/apple-airpods-pro-hearing-aid-features-af0f2714?st=T6j52i&reflink=article_copyURL_share

 

[SteveinHNL]

Wow this is awesome. I have profound hearing loss in certain frequencies, and the article says the AirPods woudn't be suitable for that, but I will try them when this feature goes live. Battery life is the big bugaboo for me with hearing aids, and Airpod charging is so much easier!

 

[Cornell]

My update:

3-4 weeks ago I updated my iPhone so I could use the new hearing aid feature with my Airpods. The process began by taking a hearing test on my phone. You can also upload a hearing report taking elsewhere.

Things I like

• Airpods physically more comfortable to me than my HAs. I really hate the feeling of the HAs in my ear. Also don't like that they loop over my ears. I have long hair so my hair was frequently interfering with my HAs.
• I can control the hearing features on my Airpods at a much more granular level than I could with the app that my HAs use for the bluetooth. For instance I can adjust the ambient noise. There is something called "transparency mode". There is also a feature (that I haven't use) that allows really focused amplification if you were sitting close to someone having a conversation.
• The hearing feature on the Airpods is integrated and so much "easier" than the app provided with my traditional HAs. Just more intuitive and seamless.
• I listen to a lot of podcasts & music. The sound quality of my Airpods is so much better than listening to any streaming content through my HAs. So again, it's all just easier and better.
• My Airpods have a microphone . My HAs do not. Much easier to deal with when getting a phone call.
• I can repeat the hearing test whenever I want at my convenience.
• When I travel it's one less charging device I have to remember to bring with and charge.

Things I don't like

• The battery on the Airpods wouldn't get me through the whole day, unlike my HAs.
• It feels a bit socially awkward to be around people in a social setting while wearing Airpods. I think eventually society will catch up to this.
• I've worn the Airpods in a variety of settings. Two places where I had to remove them: a noisy, crowded restaurant that had tons of kids, conversation, and clanking dishes and silverware. My gym with loud music, a buzzer timing, and various people yelling out stuff. In both settings it's just "too much" and I go on sensory overload. However - this would be an issue with my traditional HAs as well. I was secretly hoping that the Airpods would be friendlier in those settings, but they are not.

All in all, I consider the Airpod option to be an improvement and I doubt I'll wear my $4000 hearing aids ever again.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Thanks! Intriguing - I’m getting closer to needing HAs every day, I think.

 

[pedro47]

My update:

3-4 weeks ago I updated my iPhone so I could use the new hearing aid feature with my Airpods. The process began by taking a hearing test on my phone. You can also upload a hearing report taking elsewhere.

Things I like

• Airpods physically more comfortable to me than my HAs. I really hate the feeling of the HAs in my ear. Also don't like that they loop over my ears. I have long hair so my hair was frequently interfering with my HAs.
• I can control the hearing features on my Airpods at a much more granular level than I could with the app that my HAs use for the bluetooth. For instance I can adjust the ambient noise. There is something called "transparency mode". There is also a feature (that I haven't use) that allows really focused amplification if you were sitting close to someone having a conversation.
• The hearing feature on the Airpods is integrated and so much "easier" than the app provided with my traditional HAs. Just more intuitive and seamless.
• I listen to a lot of podcasts & music. The sound quality of my Airpods is so much better than listening to any streaming content through my HAs. So again, it's all just easier and better.
• My Airpods have a microphone . My HAs do not. Much easier to deal with when getting a phone call.
• I can repeat the hearing test whenever I want at my convenience.
• When I travel it's one less charging device I have to remember to bring with and charge.

Things I don't like

• The battery on the Airpods wouldn't get me through the whole day, unlike my HAs.
• It feels a bit socially awkward to be around people in a social setting while wearing Airpods. I think eventually society will catch up to this.
• I've worn the Airpods in a variety of settings. Two places where I had to remove them: a noisy, crowded restaurant that had tons of kids, conversation, and clanking dishes and silverware. My gym with loud music, a buzzer timing, and various people yelling out stuff. In both settings it's just "too much" and I go on sensory overload. However - this would be an issue with my traditional HAs as well. I was secretly hoping that the Airpods would be friendlier in those settings, but they are not.

All in all, I consider the Airpod option to be an improvement and I doubt I'll wear my $4000 hearing aids ever again.

I feel you can you used the AirPods as a backup to your HAs.
i liked the seven things, you liked about using your AirPods.
Does your AirPods improve your television listening capabilities .

 

[Cornell]

I feel you can you used the AirPods as a backup to your HAs.
i liked the seven things, you liked about using your AirPods.
Does your AirPods improve your television listening capabilities .

No . My AirPods are not serving as a backup. As I stated , I doubt I’ll ever wear my original hearing aids again.

Yes . I can hear the TV fine.

 

[pedro47]

No . My AirPods are not serving as a backup. As I stated , I doubt I’ll ever wear my original hearing aids again.

Yes . I can hear the TV fine.

Those new AirPods must be an excellent hearing device over your HAs.
Thanks for your very excellent personal observation of your AirPods.

I feel, I need a new Apple IPhone.

 

[Bucky]

No . My AirPods are not serving as a backup. As I stated , I doubt I’ll ever wear my original hearing aids again.

Yes . I can hear the TV fine.

on the other side I love my hearing aids ever since I had custom molds put on them. I also enjoy using the Oticon TV Streamer. Makes it so much more enjoyable to watch tv. I also have a program on them that reduces noise in loud settings but still allows me to carry a conversation.

my wife has no measurable hearing loss so we bought her a $35 pair of Bluetooth ear buds. She has them paired to our tv and her iPad and loves the better hearing experience

 

[noreenkate]

Two places where I had to remove them: a noisy, crowded restaurant that had tons of kids, conversation, and clanking dishes and silverware.

We just bought them for my SO- specifically for restaurant use…
His phonak HA is useless in restaurant situations no way he get rid of enough background use and the table top microphone to match his device are ridiculously cost prohibitive for experimenting.
Supposed to be an AirPod/iPhone feature that works the same way…haven’t figured it out yet.
Have you tried that feature?
We were able to figure out it works well with the bedroom AppleTV set top box..