Phone calls with watch and made-for-iPhone hearing aids

[Mike Boreham]

Can someone clarify how the apple watch is supposed to work with MFI hearing aids. I am thinking of getting an apple watch but really need to understand how it is supposed to work....and whether it does.

If I have my iPhone in my pocket and watch on my wrist, I assume the phone will alert me to the incoming call. I believe I can answer the incoming call using the watch (phone stays in pocket), and the callers voice will stream straight to my hearing aids as now.

But, main question: does the watch microphone automatically take over transmitting my voice? Do I need to hold the watch near my face or is the microphone sensitive enough on my wrist with my hands at my sides?

Does all the above work well? speedy connections, clarity of sound?

I have seen one thread reporting problems with Starkey Halo's not streaming streaming phone. I have ReSound Enzo 9s.

Thanks

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Old thread - but I have the ReSound Linx 2's and a watch. You do get call notifications on the watch, but if you answer the call from the watch you get audio through the watch's speaker - not through your aids. When I get a call I look on the watch to see who it is, but pull the phone out of my pocket to answer (mic in the phone is active).

There is still a lot of functionality with the watch, ReSound's watch app lets you change almost all settings (with the glaring exception of recalling stored Favorites). Plus I use the watch all the time as a remote for streaming audio from the phone - music & Podcast apps mostly.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Old thread - but I have the ReSound Linx 2's and a watch. You do get call notifications on the watch, but if you answer the call from the watch you get audio through the watch's speaker - not through your aids. When I get a call I look on the watch to see who it is, but pull the phone out of my pocket to answer (mic in the phone is active).

There is still a lot of functionality with the watch, ReSound's watch app lets you change almost all settings (with the glaring exception of recalling stored Favorites). Plus I use the watch all the time as a remote for streaming audio from the phone - music & Podcast apps mostly.

Thanks very much! Old topic but still valid. I did get an Apple watch shortly after my OP, and my experience is exactly like yours.

I have been discussing the same topic in another (closed) forum with someone whose wife has the latest Resound Enzo 9 Mk 2 (or 'squared' I think they may be called). I think hers are equivalent to your Linx 2 i.e. second generation made-for-apple HAs. Mine are the original Enzo 9. He says that if she answers the incoming phone call on her watch the audio is streamed to her hearing aids, not just the watch speaker, which would be very useful.

I am slightly doubtful about his claim, which we have concluded may be a feature of the Mk2 model. OTOH if she is watching TV and and an incoming phone call comes in, her HAs don't revert to TV when the call is ended, which she finds annoying and which is hardly a good feature. There may be some misunderstandings in that exchange.

Getting the best out of the latest technology can be quite complex!

I am very pleased with the watch for lots of reasons, but find I mostly control my hearing aids with the phone rather than the watch.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I am very pleased with the watch for lots of reasons, but find I mostly control my hearing aids with the phone rather than the watch.

Ditto. As I mentioned I use the watch for play/pause and adjusting volume of streaming audio a lot, that works fine - and of course there are a lot of other great watch features that have nothing to do with the hearing aids. The ReSound watch app itself is a little sluggish (it has to reconnect to the app in the phone, which actually makes the changes).

If it allowed me to choose one of my saved Favorite settings that's something I might do - but I seldom use either ReSound app (iPhone or Watch) at all other than for that purpose. Triple-clicking the Home button for the built-in Accessibility options is far simpler.

 

[Mike Boreham]

.....I seldom use either ReSound app (iPhone or Watch) at all other than for that purpose. Triple-clicking the Home button for the built-in Accessibility options is far simpler.

Interesting, I always use the ReSound app rather than triple click. It does some features I use like treble and bass control. I might give triple click another go.