I have just purchased the bernafon zerena 9 from Costco. I get fitted today. Just wondering how important it is to have an iPhone? The hearing aids are not degraded simply because I don’t have an iPhone. Just looking for reassurances. Thanks for giving me the help.
The made for iphone (mfi) capability is an added feature. It doesn’t affect the performance of the aids. You could turn off the radio for the mfi to get marginally better battery life. If you have a smartphone anyway then you can have a little control of the aids. Things like volume and programs and mics and such. But that doesn’t require the mfi radio.
In a way though, you’ve paid for something you’re not going to use.
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If you don’t have trouble understanding on the phone, it remains an option. If the aids don’t help as much as you like, again an option.
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Would the resound be a better option? I love the Idea of a smartphone and technology. But, like you said. Paying for something I am not using
I don’t have opinions on what HA’s are better than another. It’s your money and they’re your ears. As KenP said…options. Having it you can enjoy the option. Not having it you have no chance to enjoy the option. The Resound Forte is also mfi.
Do you have a smartphone?
Yes I have a smartphone.
As you said you don’t have an iphone. But as I said you can control the HA’s with a smartphone app (I’m deducing that you probably have an Android-OS phone). I’m not sure but it might be that only the Phonak Brio 3 from Costco is the only Costco offering that doesn’t have mfi. But I’m not sure.
Again…options…and your money.
All the Costco aides are currently made for iPhone except for Phonak Brio 3. All are ok. One needs a criteria to pick by. How did you end up choosing the Zerenas? Fitter’s recommendation? That’s likely a better critieria than any you’d come up with on your own at this point.
Yes it was the audiologist. I am up for a new phone in 3 months
We are in the same boat ha I don’t have a iphone either! I still use my flip top,I love it,so I will not go out and buy a high price phone just so I can use my hearing aid. It seems that all of these hearing aids that are coming out are to be used on the iphones,
Not quite. Either no direct connect like the KS7 and Brio 3 (and I’m sure others) or any bluetooth phone to Phonak Direct or yes made for iphone. Made for iphone has done so well because Apple went ahead and made something proprietary for themselves. Bluetooth standards are trying to get there. Us non-Apple types are waiting for that.
You can still get little remote control clickers for all these HA’s if you don’t have a smartphone. And they all have intermediate devices to send sounds to the HA’s.