apple watch and hearing aids

Hello,

If your hearing aids are bluetooth capable you can likely add them through bluetooth settings. Below I also posted the article about "Made for iPhone" hearing devices. Unfortunately, the Resound Omnia model is not one of the hearing aids that work at this advanced level. You may want to purchase one of the "Made for iPhone" models when you need to replace your current hearing aids.

Connect Apple Watch to Bluetooth headphones or speakers - Apple Support

"Pair Bluetooth headphones or speakers

You need Bluetooth headphones or speakers to listen to most audio on your Apple Watch (Siri, phone calls, voicemail, and voice memos play through the speaker on Apple Watch). Follow the instructions that came with the headphones or speakers to put them in discovery mode. When the Bluetooth device is ready, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app  on your Apple Watch, then tap Bluetooth.
2. Tap the device when it appears.

You can also tap  on the play screens of the Audiobooks, Music, Now Playing, and Podcasts apps to open the Bluetooth setting."

Use Siri on Apple Watch - Apple Support

"Choose how Siri responds

Siri can speak responses on your Apple Watch. Open the Settings app  on your Apple Watch, tap Siri, tap Siri Responses, then choose from the following:

• Always On: Siri speaks responses, even when your Apple Watch is in silent mode.
• Control With Silent Mode: Siri responses are silenced when your Apple Watch is set to silent mode.
• Headphones Only: Siri only speaks responses when your Apple Watch is connected to Bluetooth headphones.

To change the language and voice used for Siri, open the Settings app  on your Apple Watch, tap Siri, then tap Language or Siri Voice. When you tap Siri Voice you can choose a different variety or voice.

Note: The option to change Siri Voice is not available in all languages."

Use Made for iPhone hearing devices - Apple Support

I hope this helps.

"A hardware problem may be that Apple Watch is "not considered an i-device" (and your article would not apply to Watches, yet). When is something considered an i-device ? Would this, except for the small battery, prevent streaming from with MFi hearing aids?"

It is not a hardware problem. Your Apple Watch is Bluetooth and your Oticon aids are Bluetooth LE. The two different Bluetooth protocols are not compatible. There are no Apple employees on this Community Forum and we would not have any information regarding any future compatibility with Apple Watch.

My Oticon "Made for iPhone" hearing device can not receive an audio stream from the Apple watch. At least this is what I understand from the answer to my question yesterday: Hearing aid and Apple Watch SE 2022 - Apple Community

My Oticon MFi are not showing under settings -> bluetooth should they ? If they would, then streaming may start to work?

These hearing aids are currently connected by going to settings -> accessibility -> hearing aids

The latter type of connection seems to be the case for Resound Omnia also: https://www.resound.com/en/help/compatibility

As I understand it, this is due to a different bluetooth protocol (bluetooth LE).

But I'am wondering if this is just a software issue to be fixed in watchOS10?

A hardware problem may be that Apple Watch is "not considered an i-device" (and your article would not apply to Watches, yet). When is something considered an i-device ? Would this, except for the small battery, prevent streaming from with MFi hearing aids?

Ok, then. So, software issue only. It was very confusing, but it is clear now.

I posted a request to add Bluetooth LE to a next version of WatchOS on the Apple developers forum.

We'll just have to wait and see if MFi hearing aids will become compatible with Apple Watches.

If you want to send your request directly to Apple here is a Feedback link: Product Feedback - Apple