iPhone Hearing Aids

As the big hearing aid manufacturers duke it out for market share, they usually concentrate on acquiring practice groups which then become distribution hubs for their products. Rarely is there a product that helps drive new customer acquisition. The Lyric, when it first arrived, was a real innovation that created that kind of stir. ReSound launched the LiNX at the CES show in January of this year with the same kind of fanfare. Enough time has passed to take a look at its impact and at its potential to drive new custmers into the hearing industry. 

By now, Apple has shared their technology with other manufacturers as well, but the LiNX was first. Having seen a demonstration early on, I must say I was impressed. The interface for this hearing aid is carefully designed for baby boomers. All of the hearing aid controls can be accessed from an iPhone. If you are an iPhone user, learning to master this device is pretty easy. If not, it may take a while to gett he hang of it, but the sound quality is quite good and having mastery over one's hearing environment via a mobile phone is very appropriate for baby boomers. Pretty cool!

Here are a couple of reviews from users: this is from the Apple iTunes site and this is from a blogger who has been following the launch of the LiNX. My sense is that the product is great but consumers have not yet caught up with it. It's still not clear whether it is a game changer or an interesting niche product. Consumers, especially hearing aid consumers, can be fickle. Is this one ahead of its time or just right for baby boomers who need help with their hearing. We'll be watching this one.