The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a new announcement that all smartphones sold in the United States should be compatible with hearing aids. This decision will improve accessibility for the more than 48 million Americans who experience some form of hearing loss. According to the announcement, the new rules will be implemented during a transition period.
The press release (PDF) states that all mobile devices, including smartphones and feature phones, must be compatible with hearing aids. The FCC also established a new Bluetooth device bonding standard to encourage hearing aid manufacturers to move away from proprietary technology and allow users to easily switch between compatible hearing aid devices without having to purchase new devices. did.
There’s also a new volume control benchmark that allows users to increase or decrease the volume of their device without distortion, allowing people who don’t use hearing aids but have hearing loss to hear clear audio.
Manufacturers must also clearly indicate whether their phones are compatible with hearing aids on their websites and all points of sale, and specify which compatibility standards their devices meet, such as telecoils or Bluetooth. You should also add details about the maximum volume level that your device can produce without distortion.
The FCC has not yet specified the exact length of the transition period during which all cell phones must meet the standards. So smartphone manufacturers have plenty of time to update their packaging as well as ensure that their upcoming devices are compatible with hearing aids.
Many smartphones such as the iPhone 16 and many other Android devices are already designed to be compatible with hearing aids. Recently, Apple also announced hearing aid features for AirPods Pro 2. This allows users to make personalized hearing adjustments, amplifying nearby sounds in real time to hear better.
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