Apple's Hearing Aid for Hipsters

A new hearing aid compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch will sync wirelessly with the devices and use Apple's iOS 7's new accessibility options. But will it be enough to encourage people to get a hearing aid now that it works with an iPhone?

The new device, GN ReSound's LiNX, is a cross between a hearing aid and a Bluetooth, so that most of Apple's apps and services can be accessed by the earpiece, according to CNN. While not using an Apple device, the hearing aid operates as a standard device for the hearing impaired.

Apple worked with the Danish company and there are plenty of offerings for the hearing impaired on Apple devices. The first feature is Live Listen which turns an iPhone into a microphone so users can stream a person's voice without all the background noise. Users will never lose their hearing aids because Apple includes GPS search.
 
Audiologists hope the new device can make hearing aids more stylish or cool. "Right now, people wait about eight years on average between the time they think they have a hearing problem and when they see someone about it," audiologist Dr. Ken Smith told CNN. Only about 1 in 5 people in the United States who need a hearing aid  actually have one.
 
The LiNX is smaller and less obvious and already linked with tech giant Apple which can only make more attractive.  "The association with Apple is going to make a great difference in getting people in the door in the first place," Smith said.
 
 
 
 
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