An imagined Apple hearing aid, as proposed by writer Graham Bower. (Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac)
In an article posted on the CultofMac.com news site, writer Graham Bower describes the wireless, noise-canceling EarPods that are slated to ship with the new iPhone 7. Bower says that “from a hardware perspective,” these headphones would be very similar to hearing aids.
With this article, Bower implies that Apple’s new wireless EarPods might present another advanced wearable audio technology that is poised to disrupt the hearing industry. Bower writes, “In reality, Apple’s new EarPods will probably not double as hearing aids. But imagine if they did.” He argues that with the right feature set, though, the devices could change the way we hear digital audio and pave the way for transformative new audio experiences for everyone.
Bower reviews how Google Glass, Apple Watch, and several wearable fitness devices have gotten consumers accustomed to “wearables” and “hearables.” He reports that several Kickstarter “hearables” projects launched at CES in early January, though the products he refers to aren’t necessarily aimed at people with hearing loss.
The article, which echoes the now-familiar argument that today’s hearing aids are overpriced and not as impressive as they could be, outlines how even the newest hearing aids don’t solve all hearing problems, and aren’t always reliable for streaming audio and making phone calls. Bower, who is a hearing aid user, imagines a world where innovative new tech companies enter the consumer electronics market with revolutionary audio products that could disrupt the hearing aid industry, with positive results for all.
For more details on Apple EarPods, Bower’s interesting ideas, and some of the wearables and hearables described in his article, read the original post on the Apple news website.
Source: Apple; Cult of Mac; Graham Bower; Peter O’Shaughnessy
Image credit: Graham Bower
Yes it is right, as an iphone with airpods has all it is needed to become a serious competitor for hearing aids, just an app to convert it and the game is done. In effect there are already some app doing it. I use this fennex augmented hearing app. and at cost of zero (because it is free to download) i have a very powerfull soundbooster that work very well as hearing aids, all you need is an iphone and airpods or at least earbuds,
it is just a matter o time, iphone has all the potential required to be used as hearing aid! in an iphone there is microphones, headphones and something more than every hearing aid “CALCULATION POWER”. so it is just needed some software that might function as it. On the app store there is an app that could fit really well this function, it is called “Fennex augmented hearing app”, i tried it and i can assure that is a powerfull soundbooster and each sound is incredibly enhanced. So why apple’s products should not disrupt hearing technology?
Yes apple is the best in case of sound quality over mobile headsets is beautiful.
Yes apple is the best in case of sound quality over mobile headsets
iphone 7
The writer of the original article certainly has gained a lot of exposure simply by pasting an Apple logo onto regular BTEs. His premise is full of conjecture, what ifs, and imagining. It truly is an old refrain that all hearing problems are merely a technology problem and that all the dolts in the hearing care delivery system have ignored the breakthroughs in technology. I imagine a day when all these people realize that hearing loss, like many visual problems, are not simple technology issues but represent a fundamental alteration in the processing ability throughout every stage of the auditory system. But I guess technology represents hope, and hope is a good thing.
Both the term “assistive device” and “assistive technology” are applicable to any device that assists those with either hearing loss, voice loss, speech impediment, or language disorder.
the fact that earpods could be a serious competitor of hearing aids manufacturer, is already testified by the presence on the appstore of many apps already triyn to amplify the sounds surrounding us or to augment the audio imputs captured from microphones or let us better understand persons speakin in loud situations. i just installed an app called Fennex that specifically is though for apple/airpods , so it already seems ato wear a kind of hearing aid.