Bluetooth technology is used in many of the devices we use in our everyday lives including headsets, smartphones, laptops, speakers – and hearing aids. Bluetooth technology makes it easy to transmit data such as photos, music, videos and even the sound of a voice without the need for cables.

Classic Bluetooth is the original Bluetooth technology. It is used mostly in devices such as wireless headsets, gaming controllers and mobile phones.

Oticon hearing aids use a newer technology called Bluetooth Low Energy that comes with the great advantage of consuming much less power than Classic Bluetooth. This ensures a longer battery life for your hearing aids.

Classic Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy technology protocols cannot talk to each other. This is why Oticon hearing aids cannot communicate directly with many widely available devices that use Classic Bluetooth.

Furthermore, the standard Bluetooth Low Energy protocol is designed for data transmission only. For this reason, Apple®, Android™ and Oticon have all developed their own Bluetooth Low Energy protocols to also be able to transmit audio - as well as other data formats.

How do Oticon Bluetooth hearing aids communicate with other mobile devices?

Bluetooth Low Energy is already used in Apple’s mobile products such as the iPhone®, which makes it possible to stream audio directly from iPhone and iPad® to all Oticon Bluetooth hearing aids – be it phone calls, music or any other sound. The sound streaming is supported by Apple’s LEA (Low Energy Audio) protocol.

Some recent Android phones support the new Android ASHA (Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids) protocol, meaning they can directly stream sound to compatible hearing aids such as Oticon More. Click here to see which Android devices support direct streaming to Oticon More.

However, most Android devices still support only Classic Bluetooth wireless technology. As this technology consumes much more power, Oticon hearing aids do not use it - which means direct streaming from the non-ASHA phones is not possible. This is where Oticon ConnectClip comes in handy!

ConnectClip is a device that wirelessly connects your mobile phone (Android or iPhone) to your Oticon Bluetooth hearing aids. As ConnectClip features both Classic Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy, it can speak to both the hearing aids and the devices that only have Classic Bluetooth technology. Communication between the two devices then becomes possible.

It also offers two-way audio, meaning it can stream your voice back to your phone. This two-way connection means you can enjoy the comfort of having hands-free phone calls with friends and family.

ConnectClip is also helpful when you need to listen directly to someone’s voice - in a crowded or noisy environment, for instance. In this case, ConnectClip works as a small remote microphone that is worn by your conversation partner. ConnectClip captures their voice and streams it directly into your ears through your hearing aids.

If you would like to learn more about the possibilities of connecting your hearing aids to the devices in your life, including your phone and television, then please follow this link to read our blog post about Oticon connectivity.