A lot has been made lately about hearing aids being “made for iPhone”. While Apple phones enjoy a devoted following, they represent a minority share of the phone market. Over 55% of the US smartphone market as of 2Q2017, and estimated as high as 85% worldwide, runs on Android in phone models from many manufacturers. Your choice in hearing aid technology shouldn’t be restricted by the type of phone you carry, right? With the new Phonak Audeo B-Direct, listeners now can connect their hearing aids to virtually any modern cellphone – Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC, Huawei, or others – supporting industry standard Bluetooth technology.
Until recently, Phonak hearing aids connected to Bluetooth indirectly, through an external body-worn streaming device. With the new Sonova SWORD wireless chip inside, Phonak hearing aids can now offer direct Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, with lower power consumption for longer battery life. (Apple products leverage both Bluetooth for control, and a proprietary protocol optimized for streaming audio with hearing aids.)
SWORD stands for Sonova Wireless One Radio Digital. This new chip provides both Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity in “classic” mode, and ear-to-ear wireless connectivity between a pair of hearing aids. SWORD also supports AirStream technology, allowing plug-and-play connection for high quality TV streaming. SWORD is envisioned as the technology platform for the next wave of Phonak hearing aids.
The Phonak Audeo B-Direct can connect to practically any phone with Bluetooth – be it a smartphone or a classic phone. This enables features such as truly hands-free calling, and call answer or reject by pushing a button on the hearing aids. The Audeo B-Direct can also connect to most tablets, and to computers for use with video calling applications.
We are excited to introduce listeners to this new technology. Call us today to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive hearing evaluation, and we can explore together if the Phonak Audeo B-Direct is the right hearing solution for you.
