Hi. I've recently needed to start using hearing aids. One of the things, quite apart from selecting the best hearing aids that is really bugging me, is the state of accessibility with hearing aid apps. Not a surprise I guess, but still disappointing. Oticons app is completely and utterly unusable for example.
I recently saw a post on applevis about the Starkey app, indicating that some bits were usable and some completely not. I wondered if anyone who uses the cap could get in contact with me or discuss here whetehr accessibility has changed, how the hearing aids behave with the phone etc and has anyone had any luck contacting Starkey to fix this.
By Edd_p, 1 December, 2023
Forum
iOS and iPadOS
Comments
I've been keeping an eye on…
I've been keeping an eye on the Starkey app conversations too, and it seems like it's hit or miss for users. I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard similar things about its accessibility.
Have you thought about contacting Starkey directly? They might have some updates or workarounds.
Hope you find a solution that works for you soon!
Yeah I have contacted them,…
Yeah I have contacted them, always the way though that they just have no idea what you're talking about. you spend 25 minutes explaining what Voiceover is. I'm just sad that given what they are, no one thought to test this.
My Starkey
The current version as of today December 1, 2023 is v1.2.0. The interface and therefore the accessibility and issues that I documented in the app review on AppleVis appears to be the same. As always my advice remains the same: choose hearing aids on the hearing performance and best match to your prescription and get models that allow you to do as many functions without using any app as possible. Even if you have a perfectly accessible ap, pulling out your phone to make a quick adjustment, e.g., switching to crowd noise program, is not a practical thing to do despite what any marketing hype or audiologist promotes. Of course it's preferable for the apps to work so we can get all the features we pay for. Sadly this is a dream at this point.
Hi Travis thanks for getting…
Hi Travis thanks for getting in touch I did read your review of the app and it was very informative thank you. How do you find the starkeys in general? I realise this is crossing over into hearing aid conversation not the app, happy to discuss in a private message if you prefer. I have tried phonak lumitys and foudn the sound natural, the app usable but the way they stream with bluetooth horrible. the sound was also a bit thin. I've tried oticon reals, they sound very digital and totally unusuable app. I've never tried starkey but I'm hoping they sound a bit less digital and more natural, less like a robotic delay like the oticons. Are you able to adjust any equalisation settings, speech noise, any other tinkering you can do from the app or is it really limited? that would bother me a lot as I'm a tinkerer.
Starkey Evolv
Hello
Unfortunately, the most advanced Starkey hearing aids available in Colombia are Evolv, so I already have my Evolv 2400.
I also have accessibility issues with the Thrive app.
But I have a problem:
I always keep my iPhone in my pocket while traveling on public transportation.
The security in the city where I live is not good.
I realize that every time I get a call and answer with the Starkey hearing aids, the voice is very low, and the person who calls says that only the noise around me is heard.
Do you know if anything can be done to make my voice come out through the microphone of the Starkey hearing aids?
I don't want to take my iPhone out of my pocket every time someone calls.
Blessings, have a nice day!
Thoughts
Hi,
The equalizers in My Starkey are not accessible to VoiceOver. You'd have to get an assistant, and I have not done that.
There are a couple of on/off settings for the accessories stream and phone/media stream such as Bass, and those VoiceOver can toggle.
On a daily basis I just use the app to check battery status. And one time the app did an over the air firmware update which I got through with VoiceOver.
As for their sound, it is so subjective. They're fine to me, but I'm not a good person to ask as I have very little range of hearing. If you are still sensitive to natural sounds I have been told Widex is closest; I have never tried them.
Starkey, according to my audiologist, has the industry's best feedback manager. So if you have been prone to getting feedback from other aids Starkey may be worth a try.
As for the Evolv, or any hearing aids and mFI two-way audio, I do not think they really do that much noise cancelling. Not as well as the iPhone's built in microphone. I only use mine in quiet settings. Also I find that the sending range for my Starkey Genesis AI in two-way mode is very short, I need to hold the iPhone close to them for the caller to hear me clearly. It seems the aids do not send out a very strong Bluetooth signal. I can't leave my iPhone in my pocket and talk hands free most of the time, it is too unclear to the caller even if I can usually hear ok on my end. So I think leaving your phone in your pcoket, using two-way mode on a bus is likely giving you two problems: lack of noise cancelling and Bluetooth range from the aids back to the iPhone.
If not in a pocket, ...
Might you consider alternatives to keeping your iPhone in a pocket?
1) How about putting the iPhone on a lanyard worn around your neck under a jacket/coat, making the iPhone less visible?
2) Or in a pouch closer to your upper body and mouth?
3) Or might you consider a Bluetooth microphone worn around your neck, while the iPhone remains in a pocket?
I am new to this discussion and am considering alternative options, for I, too, dislike taking the iPhone out of a pocket while traveling/walking in public.
Thoughts appreciated.