{"id":13089,"date":"2022-05-02T19:14:21","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T19:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/?p=13089"},"modified":"2023-06-29T20:04:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T20:04:42","slug":"hearing-health-news-april-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/hearing-health-news-april-22\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Health News &#8211; April &#8217;22"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"otc\">Senators Grassley, Warren introduce bill to increase pressure on FDA to issue final rule on over-the-counter hearing aids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Almost five years ago, Senators Grassley and Warren passed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/news\/news-releases\/bipartisan-over-counter-hearing-aid-legislation-close-becoming-law\">Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act<\/a>, with the goals of increasing competition, lowering costs for consumers, and ensuring that people can buy hearing aids right off the shelf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On April 7th, 2022, Grassley and Warren introduced a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/BILLS-117s4043is\/pdf\/BILLS-117s4043is.pdf\">bill<\/a> that would apply additional pressure on the FDA to finalize the rule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As it stands, the public comment period closed Jan 18, 2022, and we\u2019re all now waiting for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue a final rule to establish a category of over-the-counter hearing aids.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s been a long time coming, but it\u2019s now looking like the rule will be finalized by the fall of \u201822.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the final rule has been issued, there <em>may<\/em> be an increase in direct-to-consumer and over-the-counter hearing aid options on the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unclear how this bill will actually change the hearing aid industry or adoption rates, and how many manufacturers are really waiting for the rule to be finalized before bringing their products to market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"life\">Phonak expands waterproof Aud\u00e9o Life to all technology levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phonak announced their waterproof Aud\u00e9o Life&nbsp;hearing aid back in August of \u201821, but made it available only in the premium (90) technology level.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to that limited release it was inaccessible to folks who didn\u2019t need or didn\u2019t want the 90 technology level and the premium price that goes along with it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re happy to report that Aud\u00e9o Life can now be ordered in all Phonak tech levels, including 90, 70, 50, and 30.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So far Aud\u00e9o Life hasn\u2019t been as popular as we thought it might be with our customers, and only about 2-3% of our Phonak customers are choosing the Life model.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, those who have ordered it have been happy with their choice and the freedom that a waterproof hearing aid provides.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our recent customer Jerry shares his experience with Aud\u00e9o Life (below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-zip-gutenberg-zip-youtube zip-post-inside-video\"><div class=\"plyr__video-embed zip-youtube-player\" id=\"playerghzip\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3nTO0neK2js\"><\/iframe><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fit\">Phonak announces two new hearing aids designed for active lifestyles, and health and fashion-conscious wearers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phonak has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonova.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-04\/Phonak_Media%20Release_Fit_Life_Slim_220426.pdf\">announced<\/a> two new hearing aids that we expect to be available this summer\u2014 Phonak Slim, and Phonak Aud\u00e9o Fit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both are built on Phonak\u2019s current Paradise platform and offer some new functionality, and a new unique design.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, a bit on what we consider to be the more exciting release\u2014Phonak Aud\u00e9o Fit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phonak Aud\u00e9o Fit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Aud\u00e9o Fit is a new rechargeable receiver-in-canal style hearing aid that will utilize built in sensors to let the wearer know about various health indicators, including heart rate, steps, activity levels and distances walked or run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With access to personal activity data from sensors that are built into this innovative hearing aid, users can also pursue healthy habits and set personal goals to the sound of their own fitness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;this.classList.add('is-broken');this.closest('figure')?.classList.add('is-broken')\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?resize=640%2C426&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Phonak Aud\u00e9o Fit will pair with the myPhonak App giving users insight into various health indicators<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We don\u2019t know much about Aud\u00e9o Fit beyond what the press release says, but we think Fit will be available in 70 and 90 technology levels initially. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also think that some of these new \u201cactivity-data\u201d features (like step counting), will be available in and backwards compatible with <em>all<\/em> Aud\u00e9o Paradise models.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some releases (like <em>maybe<\/em> the Slim, shown below) are more experimental in nature, to test consumer demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However we think the features Phonak is making available with Aud\u00e9o Fit, and the updates to the myPhonak app, are most likely here to stay and will probably be available in all Phonak hearing aids in the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"slim\">Phonak Slim<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Phonak describes this new hearing aid as \u201cstylish and designed to look and feel different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should definitely look different, because Slim is the first receiver-in-canal style hearing aid (ever), that is uniquely designed for the right and left ear individually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With all other receiver-in-canal hearing aids on the market, the right and left hearing aids are actually interchangeable, whereas the Phonak Slim is designed for either a right or left ear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll see how that translates to the physical fit of the device.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;this.classList.add('is-broken');this.closest('figure')?.classList.add('is-broken')\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak-slim.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak-slim.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak-slim.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak-slim.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak-slim.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Phonak Slim is uniquely contoured to match the right and left ear individually and is designed for fashion-conscious wearers<\/em><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Phonak Slim comes in a variety of two-tone colors &#8211; silver\/black, graphite\/black, and copper\/black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We<em> think<\/em> Slim will be available in the 90, 70, and 50 tech levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slim will be a rechargeable hearing aid, and that means it\u2019ll require a new charger, but that hasn\u2019t been announced yet. We\u2019re hoping for a sleek portable charger something along the lines of an Airpod charger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If Phonak Slim looks familiar, that\u2019s because it shares the same pin-shaped lithium-ion rechargeable battery style as the <a href=\"\/signia-styletto-ax\">Signia Styletto<\/a>, as some savvy consumers have pointed out over at the <a href=\"https:\/\/forum.hearingtracker.com\/t\/phonak-accentuates-lifestyles-with-three-new-additions-to-its-paradise-line\/67795\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/forum.hearingtracker.com\/t\/phonak-accentuates-lifestyles-with-three-new-additions-to-its-paradise-line\/67795\">HearingTracker forum.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We don\u2019t expect Slim to be more popular than the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phonakpro.com\/us\/en\/products\/hearing-aids\/audeo-paradise\/overview-audeo-paradise.html\">Aud\u00e9o PR<\/a> style that 77% of our Phonak customers buy\u2014we expect it to have around the same popularity as Aud\u00e9o Life, low single digits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On their own, none of these announcements from Phonak are game changing. However, when Phonak ultimately converges all this tech (and more) in their next flagship product, that\u2019ll be a different story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sig\">Signia expands the Augmented Xperience platform with a new 312 AX RIC and upgraded features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Signia\u2019s most popular hearing aid is the Pure Charge&amp;GO AX, released May 18, 2021.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signia has just announced that on May 2nd they\u2019ll begin taking orders for the non-rechargeable version of this hearing aid, called Pure 312 AX. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be 3 models available, in the 7, 5, and 3 technology levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signia has also released a new CROS transmitter with a 312 battery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will be Signia\u2019s first non-rechargeable hearing aid on the new(ish) Augmented Xperience platform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope Signia will soon bring their other models onto the AX platform, such as Silk, Styletto, and Active<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to these new products, Signia is adding 3 new features to the AX platform:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OVP 2.0 (Levels 7,5,3)- Own Voice Processing 2.0 makes it easier for users to acclimate to wearing hearing aids by making their voice sound less artificial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Auto EchoShield (Level 7 only)- helps reduce the echo so users can hear clearer regardless of their listening environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AX HandsFree \u2013 <em>iPhone only<\/em> (Levels 7, 5, and 3)-  lets users take or make hands-free calls while their hands are busy with other tasks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Any new hearing aids on the AX platform that are shipped after May 2<sup>nd<\/sup> will include these new features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you purchased a Signia AX hearing aid prior to May 2, you can contact your hearing provider and get a firmware update on your current hearing aids which will make these features available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senators Grassley, Warren introduce bill to increase pressure on FDA to issue final rule on over-the-counter hearing aids Almost five years ago, Senators Grassley and Warren passed the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act, with the goals of increasing competition, lowering costs for consumers, and ensuring that people can buy hearing aids right off the shelf. On [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/phonak_audeo_p_fit_app.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13089"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13089\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13842,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13089\/revisions\/13842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ziphearing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}