Phonak Paradise - Made for iPhone?

Hearing Aids
#1

Does anyone know if the Phonak Paradise (particularly the P90) can link directly with the accessibility software in an iPhone?

I’ve recently changed from Resound Linx HAs which are Made for iPhone, so as well as working with the Resound App, also allow me to change the volume and programs from the iPhone accessibility section. With the Paradise I can only change settings from the app and cannot find out how to access the HA via the iPhone accessibility settings.

They are described as Made for Any phone - does this just mean bluetooth/app connectivity?

#2

Phonak Paradise is not “Made for iPhone” Yes, Made for Anyphone means they use Standard Bluetooth. I am doubtful the Phonak Paradise can link directly with iPhone’s accessibility software, but don’t know that for sure.

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#4

My wife has the KS9 aids and the iPhone 10.
She does just fine for hours many days.

#5

Is it able to use the accessibility features in the iPhone?

#6

I am not sure about all accessibility features. She gets text message notifications, phone call notifications, voicemail messages and can talk on her iPhone like I’d did with an Android phone.
As far as I can tell she can do anything I do with an Android phone.

I don’t know if she can use her phone like a remote mic as I have read about but she doesn’t need that. She appears to be very happy with her iPhone and KS9 aids.

#8

I don’t think it’s been established that iPhone accessibility features work with Paradise as was OP’s question. I’m still thinking they are not, based on this: Use hearing devices with iPhone - Apple Support
Paradise are not Made for iPhone. It’s not just a matter of being able to pair with the phone. It’s a matter of both the phone and the hearing aids being made to the same standard.

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#11

I’d go with @mdb on this one. It’s Bluetooth Classic, not mfi. Yes, you can make calls and listen to media (no differently than using a Bluetooth headset) but it’s not as tightly integrated into the os. You won’t be able to use Live Listen for example.

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#12

This is correct
As far as iPhones are concerned, Phonak hearing aids are the same as Bluetooth headsets.
Audio streams well but you can’t make use of special mfi features and access.

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#13

Yes, it can, but you have to connect it through settings + bluetooth and not through accessibility + hearing aids

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#14

I’m an iPhone user with mfi HAs previously (KS6s by Resound) now using KS10s (very similar to Phonak Paradise).
Mfi is FAR superior to classic bluetooth if you use your phone to change programs & make volume/tone adjustments. If you don’t use your phone to adjust your HAs – and you don’t use the TV connector GT 10-15’ away – you might be happy with classic bluetooth. If you want hands-free calling/answering, you could be disappointed with mfi.
I have an appointment later today to try the new Jabra HAs at Costco – specifically because mfi offers such improved connectivity. (FWIW, I actually like the Phonak “sound” better than Resound, but not being mfi is too big a price IMO.)

#15

I’m using a demo pair of Paradise. The HA pair in the Bluetooth (BT) settings, not the Accessibility/ hearing aid settings set up in the iPhone for MFI (made for iPhone). I’ve researched this extensively, and found that Apple developed its own low energy proprietary version of Bluetooth. (My husband, an engineer, calls it a bastard BT). Paradise is the first hearing aid that has the ability to use, and designed to use Classic Bluetooth, which is what commercial headsets like my husbands Sony earbuds use. I did check, and also found that since my Paradise aids are paired as regular BT and not MFI, I don’t have the use of the accessibility settings developed by Apple to work with its proprietary, mfi, BT. I miss them too as I used them with my Oticon Opn, an MFI HA, as easier to access than the Oticon app. But just wait! The new LE Audio Bluetooth 3.1 is out, and HA are expected to move to it. It will be a major improvement!

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#16

You might like Signia, then. I tried the new AX and the sound was very good. But I don’t know if Costco has them.

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#17

Wondering what others are thinking when comparing direct BT devices such as Phonak Audeo to MFI devices. I have used Oticon Opn1 and Signia Pure Nx7 previously (both made for iphone integrations). I am missing some mfi features for sure: accessibility shortcut, little more predictable audio routing. Using the HA mics for telephone calls with Phonak is great though, returning to hands-free would be great. I also like Phonak approach to let user adjust streaming audio volume with HA rocker (OPN and Signia both require phone in hand to adjust stream volume).

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#18

I think the biggest advantage of the direct BT connection that Phonak utilizes is the signal strength and connection stability, particularly when moving. I stream a lot, several hours a day on my feet and walking around. I have trialed several different HAs, and with Android, the connection is weak and extremely choppy; if my phone is in my right pocket, the left aid will become choppy and cut out entirely frequently (connection is fine if I’m stationary, for instance, working and my phone is just sitting on a table or desk). I have actually since switched to an iPhone recently solely based on their supposed better stability with MFi vs. ASHA. The connection is better, but still not great - I still get the choppiness sometimes, albeit not as bad. The Phonaks were the only HAs I had no issues with in terms of BT connection and stability, but unfortunately, I also felt that they were the least effective aids for complex and noisy environments, for me, so will not end up getting them.

I will note another feature I loved with Phonak that isn’t BT/phone dependent is the ability to adjust how much mic noise to allow in while streaming in the app. Great if you want more awareness of your surrounding environment while still streaming. I know for some other aids, that ratio can be adjusted in the software by the audiologist, but not manually in the app as needed.

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#19

Regarding the ineffectiveness of the Phonak aids in complex environments - was this a total ineffectiveness? Or was it just marginally worst than the other aids you trialled?

#20

My audiologist said they cannot link directly with the accessibility software.

I just updated to iOS 15.2 tonight.

Checking Settings: show
R-Phonak hearing aid Connected

LE_R-Phonak hearing aid NOT Connected
LEL-K-Phonak hearing aid NOT Connected

I have a managed corporate iPhone 8.

#21

For connecting with the phone, only one aid connects and then transmits signal to other hearing aid. Right is the default aid that connects although it is possible to change for the programmer to change it to the left. To connect directly to the accessibility software require Made for iPhone hearing aids.

#22

Thank you Wonderful explanation.

I’ve had my Paradise rechargeable hearing aids (supplied by Labour Ministry) for about 90 days. I just had that summary meeting with my wonderful audiologist.

I have mixed emotions about them. He has contacted PHONAK several times in my presence and has changed several settings in the autopens program. That helped a lot.

I have terrible results changing the little widget wax guards. As a result I don’t have any in now.

Works better for me than finding out weeks later I didn’t put them in right.

#23

I would say it was more than marginally worse. There were several instances in which I actually took my hearing aids out, and then was able to hear what I needed to to communicate (since my right ear is passable in most scenarios). I haven’t found myself needing to do that with other aids in similar situations.

The first scenario was when I was checking in for a doctor’s appointment. There were 3 receptionists in the area; one checking me in, another on the phone with someone, and the third speaking with a nurse. And there was also those plexiglass dividers. All of their voices (plus the nurse) were just all simultaneously mixed and jumbled in my ear, and I couldn’t understand one from the other and separate out which voice was actually directed at me. I tried to ask the person checking me in to speak up, but I could still barely understand a word. I pulled my aids out and it cleared up just fine for me then.

Second example is one of those casual restaurants where it’s an instant made to order meal (similar style to a Chipotle). It was relatively busy, several people in line, multiple customers being helped at the same time. Again, couldn’t understand really anything the person putting together my order was saying/asking me until I took my hearing aids out, and could tune out the person ahead or behind me. With other hearing aids, there was far less of a struggle to hear and understand the person I wanted to, though I’ll admit with the Signias I’m demoing so far, I haven’t been in as many more “complex” environments. But with a small sample of A/B comparisons I was able to do, there was still a noticeable difference in understanding for me, personally. But with my Oticon trial, I had significantly more success in understanding people in those situations.

#24

Ok. Thanks for the information. An appalling state of affairs. I have been in this exact situation with Phonak and their first fit algorithm and certain audiologists. On departure at the clinic they sound fine but if not programmed correctly, certain programs like comfort in noise, speech in noise and speech in loud noise do not sound right - usually in my experience down to a lack of gain to start of with - or in other words that the baseline volume was too low.

I can hear in all the situations you describe, but I have to be careful that I have put the volume up first - even after REM. With my Oticon aids I don’t have to do this.

Whether our experiences are isolated cases, or just confirm that Phonak continue to be plagued with issues of first fit acceptance - I don’t know.

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