Today’s hearing aids are more sophisticated than ever! One of the greatest advances in hearing aid technology is the ability to pair them to a variety of smartphones, including Apple iPhones and several Android handsets. The connection between smartphones and hearing aids brings a long list of incredible benefits. Here is my top 10 list of things you can do with your smartphone-connected hearing aids.

1. For Apple iPhone-connected hearing aids you can make quick hearing aid adjustments with the Apple Hearing Controls. Apple has created a Hearing Control function that can be quickly accessed in the Control Center. For hearing aids paired to an iPhone, this feature lets you quickly and easily adjust hearing aid volume or change memories.

2. Find misplaced hearing aids. For Starkey hearing aids paired to a smartphone, you can use the Thrive Mobile App to locate misplaced hearing aids. Using a map, the Find My Hearing Aids feature shows you the last location the aids were wirelessly connected to the phone. And, if they are nearby, shows you when you are getting close to them.

3. Hear your “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” responses through your hearing aids. When using voice assistants like Apple’s Siri or Android’s OK Google, you can ask your question and hear the response through your paired hearing aids. So the next time you need to know the weather forecast or find the nearest coffee shop, just ask Siri and hear her answer through your hearing aids! Of course, the specific phone and operating system needs to be compatible for direct streaming to Starkey hearing aids.

4. Translate languages live to hearing aids. With Starkey’s Livio Edge AI hearing aids and the Thrive Mobile App, you can have a foreign language translated and streamed in your native language through your hearing aids. This makes communicating with those who speak another language easier. It is a fantastic feature when traveling!

5. Hear an indicator through your hearing aids when an email, calendar update, text or social media notification occurs. Within the Thrive Mobile App, simply turn on Alerts. Now, every time you receive an email, a text message, a calendar notification or social media update you will hear an unobtrusive audible indicator through your Starkey Livio Edge AI hearing aids. You will immediately be notified when that important text or update comes through!

6. Set reminders for daily, weekly, monthly or yearly events and hear those reminders in the hearing aids. With Starkey’s Livio Edge AI devices you can schedule reminders in the Thrive Mobile App by speaking them. Simply “double tap” your Livio Edge AI device and say something like: “Remind me to go for a walk today at 6:00 PM.” Then, at 6:00 PM you will hear a reminder in your hearing aids telling you to go for a walk. This can be done for anything you want to be reminded about!

7. Watch movies or TV and stream the audio directly to your paired hearing aids. Our smartphones have become a common way to view videos, movies and TV. With your hearing aids paired to your smartphone, now whenever you watch something on the phone, the audio is streamed directly to your hearing aids. The hearing aids will automatically switch to a special streaming memory for the best sound quality matched to your individual hearing needs.

8. See how many steps you have taken, minutes of exercise you have completed and how often you have stood up per hour. Starkey’s Livio Edge AI devices have motion sensors built directly into them that can monitor your physical movement. Every step you take is counted. Each minute of exercise you complete is recorded. And, each time you get up and walk around is identified. This activity information can be viewed in the Thrive Mobile App allowing you to keep an eye on your physical activity. Tracking this information can help motivate you to lead a more active lifestyle.

9. Stream high-fidelity, stereo music directly to paired hearing aids and personalize the sound quality. Anytime you want to listen to your favorite musician, playlist or streaming service, it is streamed directly to your hearing aids. Your hearing aids provide the highest sound quality possible, tuned for your individual hearing loss. Your smartphone-connected hearing aids are the best wireless earbuds available!

10. Track how much you are stimulating your brain. It is a proven fact that the number one factor in slowing down cognitive decline is social engagement. Starkey’s Livio Edge AI devices use artificial intelligence to track your daily hearing aid use, if you are listening to and engaging with speech, and if you are experiencing a variety of listening situations. This information can be viewed in the Thrive Mobile App. Having this information at hand allows you to maximize the benefits of better hearing on your brain!