Made for iPhone hearing aids can now pair with Mac; customized audio, too

As part of a flurry of new accessibility improvements announced by Apple today, the company says that Made for iPhone hearing aids can pair directly with Macs for the first time. Previously, pairing was only available with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

Compatible products already support pairing with more than one Apple device, so this move should make it much easier for people who use both Macs and iOS devices …

Made for iPhone hearing aids

Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing devices effectively combine the functionality of hearing aids and AirPods. They allow people with hearing impairment to switch seamlessly from listening to their environment, to listening to their devices. Phone calls, FaceTime, Music, Siri, and other content is all supported.

In some cases, MFi hearing aids will switch automatically from ambient listening to your Apple device, such as when you receive an incoming call on your iPhone, or starting to play a movie on an iPad.

Settings allow you to configure your MFi hearing devices on your iPhone, and now on your Mac. This includes choosing an audio preset, adjusting volume levels, and turning on Live Listen.

MFi pairing with Macs

Apple doesn’t provide much detail on this, including just a single bullet point in its accessibility news release:

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing users can pair Made for iPhone hearing devices directly to Mac and customize them for their hearing comfort

However, the reference to the “customizing” feature does suggest that connecting to a Mac will allow greater control over the audio experience. While an iPhone allows you to choose between different audio presets, this wording indicates the ability to fine-tune the audio output to your own needs and preferences.

Mac compatibility

The small print says that users will be able to pair Made for iPhone hearing devices with “select” Mac devices with an M1 chip, and all Mac devices with an M2 chip.

We’ll need to wait for further details on M1 Mac support.

Hearing device compatibility

Around 200 devices are supported, from 40 different brands.

Those marked with an asterisk additionally support bidirectional streaming, which allows users to talk hands-free through their hearing aid microphones. This feature requires iOS 15.2 and later on iPhones and iPads; Macs will require some version of Ventura.

Advance

• RIC, RIC LI
• SlimRIC

AGXO

• FX00*
• GX00 S
• GX00 SC

Amplifon

• Ampli-connect B
• Ampli-connect PO*
• Ampli-connect R 13
• Ampli-connect R 312
• Ampli-easy B
• Ampli-energy B*
• Ampli-energy B R
• Ampli-energy I*
• Ampli-energy I R WL
• Ampli-energy PO*
• Ampli-energy R*
• Ampli-energy R R
• Ampli-energy R R-D
• Ampli-mini 312 AS
• Ampli-mini PO*
• Ampli-mini R 312

Aquitis

• AEBB3D
• AF2 B
• AF2 E
• AMBB3D
• AMRB2D
• AMRR2D

Audibel

• A3i
• A4i
• A4i iQ
• Arc AI*
• Via*
• Via AI*
• Via Edge AI*

Audibene

• HORIZON ITC-R
• HORIZON RIC
• HORIZON RIC-R
• HORIZON RIC-S

Audifon

• Lewi
• Risa

Audigy

• AGXsevo AI*
• AGXsevo AIAGXsp 
• AGXsliv*
• AGXsliv AI*
• AGXsliv Edge AI*
• AGXsp 2
• AGXsp iQ
• AGXwE-F2
• Audigy AGXwM
• B-F2

Audika / Audika France

• First
• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S
• GX00 SC
• Legend
• PG X0

AudiLab

• Aligo*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral

Audio Service

• DUO LI G5
• DUO LI G6
• Duo G5
• ENERGY 4PLUS BLUE
• FDH RIC
• HP LI G6
• Ida BT G5
• ITC LI 7
• ITE LI 7
• Mood G5
• Mood G5 Li-Ion
• MOOD G6
• MOOD LI G6
• OZ BTE
• OZ RIC
• P G5
• P LI G6
• R LI 7
• R S 7
• SR LI 7
• STILINE BT
• Sun G5

AudioSync

• A3i
• A4i
• A4i iQ
• Arc AI*
• Via*
• Via AI*
• Via Edge AI*

Audix

• Lewi
• Risa

Auris

• Øre

Beltone

• Beltone Amaze
• Beltone Boost
• Beltone Boost Max
• Beltone Boost Plus
• Beltone Boost Ultra
• Beltone First
• Beltone Imagine*
• Beltone Legend
• Beltone Silk
• Beltone Rely
• Beltone Trust

Bernafon

• Aligo*
• Alpha*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral
• Leox
• Viron
• Viron A
• Zerena

Cochlear

• Baha 5
• Baha 5 Power
• Baha 5 SuperPower
• Kanso 2 Sound Processor
• Nucleus 7 Sound Processor

Cochlear Limited

• Kanso 2 Sound Processor
• Nucleus 7 Sound Processor

Concept

• Complete

Coselgi

• Effect EBB3D
• Effect F2
• Mojo MBR3D
• Mojo MRB2D
• Mojo MRBB3D
• Mojo MRR2D

Danalogic

• Ambio Smart

Danavox

• Alya
• Anthe
• Barani
• Danavox Aio
• Danavox Gala
• Danavox Logar
• Klar

EarLens

• EarLens Processor

EarQ

• EarQ
• FX0*
• GX0
• GX0 S

eMeritus

• eMeritus

GPL

• Aligo*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral

Grand Audition

• GF2 B
• GF2 E

HCS

• HCS BTE, BTE LI
• HCS Custom ITC/HS, ITE
• HCS RIC, RIC LI
• HCS SR LI

Hearbuy

• Vogue E

Hear.com

• HORIZON ITC-R
• HORIZON RIC
• HORIZON RIC-R
• HORIZON RIC-S

HearFocus

• HearFocus

HHM

• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S
• GX00 SC
• PG X0
• PG X0 C

Hoerluchs

• ICP BTE
• ICP RIC

Hörex

• Aligo*
• Capto
• Coral
• Serie 2*
• Serie 2+*
• Serie 2PLUS X*

Hormann

• Natural
• Spatial

iBelieve

• MOOD LI-ION

Incognito

• IC RIC 312
• IC RIC LI

Intela-Hear

• Atom

Interton

• Interton Centro
• Interton Ready
• Move

Jabra

• Enhance Pro
• Enhance Pro PM

Kind

• KINDakira XD10
• KINDakira KD20*
• KINDduro KD20*
• KINDduro XD10
• KINDduro XD20
• KINDevo*
• KINDnido
• KINDvitalo*
• KINDvitalo 10*
• KINDvitalo 20*
• KINDwings

Kirkland Signature

• KS 6.0
• KS 8.0

KOJ

• FX00*

Lisound

• Aligo*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral

Lively

• Lively

Lucid

• Lucid U series

Maico

• Aligo*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral

Med-EL

• AudioStream

MediTrend

• Aligo
• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S
• SoniTon AO*
• SoniTon CO
• SoniTon CZ

MicroAudio

• Aligo*
• Altena
• Capto
• Coral
• Microaudio

MicroTech

• Kinnect
• Kinnect 2
• Kinnect iQ
• Esentia AI*
• Esentia*
• Envy AI*
• Esentia Edge AI*

Mimitakara

• goHearing R1
• goHearing R2
• goHearing R3

Miracle-Ear

• IRHYTHM ME
• ME Custom
• ME DS BTE
• ME DS RIC 13
• MECONNECT R 312
• MEENERGY B
• MEENERGY I
• MEENERGY iR
• MEENERGY R
• MEENERGY RF
• MEMINI R 312

MK

• MK2 CHARGE NX-M
• MK2 CHARGE NX-P

Mosaic

• Mosaic M 8C
• Mosaic P 8C

MultiOpticas

• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S

NationsHearing

• Peak Pro 9
• Peak 7

NuEar

• iSDS
• iNOW
• iNOW iQ
• Circa AI*
• Circa*
• Circa Edge AI*
• Savant AI*

Optima

• Deuce

Optimus

• INSYNC
• INSYNC R

Oticon

• FX00*
• Opn
• Opn S
• Opn Play
• More*
• Play PX*
• Ruby
• Zircon*
• Optim
• Siya
• Xceed
• Xceed Play

Oticon Medical BAHS

• Ponto 4
• Ponto 5
• Sentio 1

Oton

• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S

Ouiezen

• OZ RIC 312
• OZ RIC LI
• OZ SLIM
• OZ TINI

Persona Medical

• Sombra

Philips

• HearLink
• HearLink 000
• HearLink 010
• HearLink 020
• HearLink 030*

Politec

• Aligo

Pro Akustik

• Aligo
• iPro.5*
• iPro.5 AI*
• ipro.6 AI*
• ipro.7 AI*
• pro+2 CO
• pro+3 CZ
• pro+4 AO*

ReSound

• ReSound Cala
• ReSound ENZO
• ReSound ENZO²
• ReSound ENZO 3D
• ReSound ENZO Q
• ReSound Forte
• Resound Key
• ReSound Lancio
• ReSound LiNX
• ReSound LiNX Quattro
• ReSound LiNX TS
• ReSound LiNX²
• ReSound LiNX 3D
• ReSound One*
• ReSound Preza
• ReSound Sola
• ReSound SOUSA Fine
• ReSound Up Smart
• ReSound Vida 

Rexton

• ADORE
• BICORE CUSTOM LI
• BICORE R-LI
• BICORE R312
• BICORE SR
• EMERALD M
• EMERALD S
• M-CORE B-LI
• M-CORE R-LI
• M-CORE R312
• M-CORE SR
• MOSAIC M
• MOSAIC P
• STELLAR M
• STELLAR RIC
• STERLING  ITC
• STERLING  ITE

SES

• FX00*
• GX00
• GX00 S
• GX00 SC

Signia

• Active
• Active Pro
• Insio C&G ITC
• Insio C&G ITE
• Insio ITC (BT)
• Insio ITE (BT)
• Motion 13
• Motion 13P
• Motion C&G
• Motion C&G P
• Motion C&G SP
• Motion CHARGE&GO
• Pure Charge&Go Nx
• Pure Charge&Go X
• Pure 13
• Pure 312
• Pure C&G
• Pure C&G T
• Pure Charge&Go
• Stretta HP
• Stretta M
• Stretta M-R
• Stretta RIC
• Stretta UP-R
• Styletto
• Styletto Connect

Sonic

• Captivate
• Enchant
• Radiant*
• Trek

Soniton

• COMF 10
• ECO 8
• HDO 13 LI
• INSIDE
• RIC 312 SPIRIT
• RIC LI SPIRIT
• SLIM LI STIL

Specsavers

• Advance

Starkey

• Evolv AI*
• Halo
• Halo 2
• Halo iQ
• Livio AI*
• Livio*
• Livio Edge AI*

Sympatico

• SYMPATICO DUO
• SYMPATICO MOOD

TruHearing

• Flyte
• Flyte 770
• Flyte 990
• TH BTE, BTE LI
• TH Canal/ITE, ITC/HS/ITE LI
• TH RIC, RIC LI
• TH SR LI

Udisens

• Udisens

Udio Finissimo

• Udito Finissimo

VIO

• VIO E
• VIO E LI
• VIO E STYLE

Widex

• Beyond Fusion 2
• EarQ Beyond Fusion 2
• EarQ EBB2D
• EarQ EBB3D
• EarQ ERB2D
• EarQ Fusion 2
• EarQ MRB2D
• EarQ MRR2D
• Effect EBB3D
• Enjoy E-F2
• Enjoy EBB3D
• Enjoy EBB2D
• Evoke EBB2D
• Evoke EBB3D
• Evoke ERB2D
• Evoke Fusion 2
• Magnify MBR3D
• Magnify MRB2D
• Magnify MRB3D
• Magnify MRR2D
• Moment MBB3D
• Moment MBR3D
• Moment MRB2D
• Moment MRR2D

Photo: Mark Paton/Unsplash