{"id":12989,"date":"2022-01-30T22:03:32","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T22:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/?p=12989"},"modified":"2022-09-05T15:16:19","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T15:16:19","slug":"hearing-health-news-january-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/hearing-health-news-january-22\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Health News – January ’22"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Phonak Aud\u00e9o Paradise Life now available nationwide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Originally announced<\/a> back in August of 2021, the new Phonak Aud\u00e9o Life waterproof hearing aid is now available nationwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can think of Aud\u00e9o Life as just the waterproof version of Phonak\u2019s existing Aud\u00e9o Paradise hearing aid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aud\u00e9o Life hearing aids are showerproof and splash proof and can even be submerged in up to 50 cm (19.6 in) and still function normally. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Aud\u00e9o Life is the first hearing aid to be marketed as waterproof in over a decade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Under the hood, Aud\u00e9o Life  is powered by the same Paradise technology that allows for direct connectivity to any Bluetooth device. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For now, Aud\u00e9o Life is only available in the premium (90) technology level, which means they don\u2019t come cheap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then again, replacing hearing aids ruined by water also isn\u2019t cheap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oticon SmartChargers now available <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Originally announced back in late 2021, the SmartCharger is now available nationwide\u2014and not just with new orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have existing Oticon More hearing aids you can now order this charger, and we think you should. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SmartCharger is Oticon\u2019s answer to a strong consumer demand for portable charging solutions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The SmartCharger is a more versatile charger than the standard charger that\u2019s included with all orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s designed for travel, with a protective lid and built-in power bank that stores a minimum of 3 full charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 3 hour charge provides a full day of power, and a 30-minute quick charge provides an additional six hours of power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also features a built-in drying function that automatically removes moisture from hearing aids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not a lot of noise from CES 2022<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas had another relatively quiet year due to COVID-19, with just a third of its usual attendees.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few hearing aid manufacturers picked up awards for their latest products, but these products have been out for some time already. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of new innovations that will directly impact the current hearing aid market in the near term, there were basically none. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to suggest there\u2019s no innovation going on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to low energy Bluetooth, earbuds are getting more functionality and the earbud industry is becoming one of the fastest growing segments in consumer electronics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several exhibitors showed off their latest products in this category, such as Jabra, which makes one of the best all around earbuds on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Jabra Enhance Plus is a hybrid between a hearing aid and smart earbud, offering medical-grade technology, personalized sound, and streaming of phone calls and music.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It remains to be seen how much interest earbud manufacturers have in designing features for those with hearing loss, as compared to their overall market, the hearing loss category is just a small segment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However as the world of hearing aids and earbuds continue to converge, we expect innovation from smart earbuds to \u201ctrickle-up\u201d and into hearing aids in the coming years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HIA submits comments to the FDA on the proposed rules for over-the-counter hearing aids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Hearing Industries Association, an organization representing  hearing aid manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and hearing health professionals, has responded to the proposed over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid rules published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HIA\u2019s core position is that the FDA should balance their goals of accessibility and affordability with safety and effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HIA provided provided several recommendations<\/a> to the FDA to protect consumers and safely and effectively provide access to hearing loss solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HIA is urging the FDA to protect consumers in the following ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n