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FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

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Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#101

Post by systemtest »

freedomben wrote: post #98
car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

> In contrast, the AirPods run out after a few hours and are also destined to become landfill due to their built in battery. Also will entrench the user in a walled garden ecosystem from a very specific giant tech company that isn't big on making their products compatible with other companies.

I have no issues using my AirPods on Android.

Automatic device switching doesn’t work but that doesn’t work on my Sony headphones either.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#102

Post by echoangle »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #74
sneak wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some RGB LEDs in the airpods that change color depending on the mode could also achieve this.

The issue would be battery use. The batteries in these things are tiny , and using them as hearing aids could mean longer use. Having a phone lockscreen indicator of status would be a good way to show this. I think the phone interface for audiograms is ridiculously complex. They need to improve that.

How would a phone lockscreen indicator work? If someone walks up to you in a store with AirPods in, how are you seeing the indicator on the phone in their pocket? The situations where I can look at the lock screen of the phone of the person I'm speaking to are pretty limited.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#103

Post by echoangle »

sneak wrote: post #49

Hearing aids are neither food nor drugs. Same goes for glasses and contact lenses, and CPAP machines. These should never have required approval or prescriptions in the first place. So many people are kept from getting what they need by these arbitrary restrictions.

Do you think having companies make defibrillators without any approval is a good idea? Those aren't food nor drugs either.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#104

Post by explorigin »

systemtest wrote: post #101
freedomben wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In contrast, the AirPods run out after a few hours and are also destined to become landfill due to their built in battery. Also will entrench the user in a walled garden ecosystem from a very specific giant tech company that isn't big on making their products compatible with other companies.

I have no issues using my AirPods on Android. Automatic device switching doesn’t work but that doesn’t work on my Sony headphones either.

+1 on this. I use them with my android phone, steamdeck, windows computer, TV. They work great!

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#105

Post by Terretta »

freedomben wrote: post #98
car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

> In contrast, the AirPods run out after a few hours and are also destined to become landfill due to their built in battery. Also will entrench the user in a walled garden ecosystem from a very specific giant tech company that isn't big on making their products compatible with other companies.

> will entrench the user in a walled garden ecosystem from a very specific giant tech company that isn't big on making their products compatible with other companies

Are you suggesting AirPods aren't Bluetooth 5.3 and aren't compatible with Bluetooth audio sources? Or that it doesn't play AAC, MP3, and FLAC?

The proprietary capabilities (such as instant smart switching between active devices) are all incremental, taking nothing away from normal Bluetooth usage.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#106

Post by echoangle »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #93
StressedDev wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is Apple violating people’s privacy? They have done a far better job than other companies from what I'm have seen.

Scanning for image hashes on everyone's phone is one.

They aren't doing that currently though, right? The only thing I remember is the NeuralHash thing which was delayed and then never came.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#107

Post by kasey_junk »

alias_neo wrote: post #85
AshamedCaptain wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note also phonaks are traditionally a couple thousand euros a piece while even the most expensive airpods are still around 300 the pair. Certainly the phonaks are impressively small, lasting, good quality, and imperceptible, but is the almost 10x price markup justified? The biggest problem with hearing aids (and doctors/calibrators/whatever) is that they are ridiculously expensive... the attitude/stigma much less so.…

I don't think I've ever seen someone with a hearing aid and though anything negative of it, I get it people can be self-conscious, but for something like a hearing aid I think it's unjustified. On the other hand, I can't bring myself to keep earbuds (airpods or w/e) in my ears while talking to someone, regardless of if I can hear them properly, I just seems incredibly rude. My uneducated opinion, is that someone usin…

I don’t think the stigma is around hearing loss it’s about age.

And stigma is probably not the right word, it’s an internal acceptance issue.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#108

Post by systemtest »

pcardoso wrote: post #67

One of my kids was born with a slight hearing loss and I think this is huge. We got from the local health service some basic hearing aids that cost around 1000 euro but we are contemplating buying some high-end Phonak devices that are around 5000 euro as recommended by some experts. In comparison to this the AirPods (280 euro?) are almost free.

Does your nations healthcare system not cover that?

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#109

Post by righthand »

car wrote: post #66

With the AirPods now officially becoming hearing aids, it will hopefully reduce the stigma and attitude towards hearing aids and allow many more people to realize how bad their hearing actually is. I have been wearing hearing aids for a few years now (Phonak). I've also used the AirPods Pro with the accessibility audiogram feature (basically making them hearing aids), which is really good and has also been around for…

Most people don’t wear hearing aids because they don’t like how it looks and think their hearing isn’t bad enough to warrant social stigma from it. I don’t see how Airpods solve that problem as they are very unsightly, no matter how much pundits say they love them.

In fact you mentioning how they are like hearing aids has made me justify never wanting a pair.

Re: FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software

#110

Post by righthand »

_fat_santa wrote: post #92

This is huge. Previously if you were hard of hearing, a pair of hearing aids could cost upwards of $2,000. Now Apple just brought that price down to ~$250. Even if you use them everyday and assume a shelf life of 1.5yrs (which is roughly mine and others' experience with AirPods), you would be replacing your Airpods for 12 years before the cost caught up with a single pair of hearing aids. Even if you think Airpods ar…

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