Hearing aid support is coming to Android

Google has started working with GN Hearing to develop a new open specification that allows hearing aids to stream audio from Android phones. This allows for greater accessibility.

It works by using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) spec, which is, as the name implies, a way to transmit sound wirelessly without consuming a lot of power. The specification is called Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). Users of the ReSound LiNX Quattro and Beltone Amaze hearing aids will be able to take advantage of this feature when a future Android update arrives.

Around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. The number is estimated to increase to 900 million people by 2050. This new feature will certainly alleviate some accessibility problems people with hearing aids have.