Interference Between Apple Watch and MFI Hearing Aids

Question

Level 1

9 points

Interference Between Apple Watch and MFI Hearing Aids

Ever since I got these Halo 2 hearing aids, I will occasionally get a rhythmic clicking sound while streaming. It will come on suddenly and without warning. On talking with Starkey tech support, they told me that it is a problem with my Apple Watch interfering with the bluetooth of the hearing aid.

To test this, when it happens, I turn off my apple watch and the clicking goes away. It works this way every single time.

From what I was told, Apple has been notified of this, but after several releases of Watch OS and IOS, nothing has changed.

Apple, when are you actually going to care and resolve this issue? I want to buy an Apple Watch 3, but I won't until I know that you have fixed this issue.

Anyone else have this problem?

Posted on May 3, 2018 11:31 AM

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Answer 1

May 6, 2018 10:34 PM in response to tbuzzard

I have the same problem with an audible 'click' in MFi hearing aids. Unlike you, I have not had relief by turning the Apple Watch to off/airplane mode; the clicking persists. I wear an Apple Watch series 2.

It is intermittent but very, very persistent: I have tried four different MFi hearing aids, from four different manufacturers. They ALL have this same behavior. This same behavior has persisted across all iOS releases since February 2017.

Clicking sound has occurred for me with the following devices:

Earlens
Resound LiNX2
Oticon Opn1
Signia 312 Pure Nx7

I have been reporting this issue to Apple for more than a year. It has been 5 months since they responded:

"we are currently investigating this issue. We cannot comment on when it may be resolved."

Happy Hearing!

ones & zeros

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Answer 2

tbuzzard Author

Level 1

9 points

May 7, 2018 5:30 AM in response to 0110_1001

Unfortunately, the user base of MFI hearing aid users who use Apple Watches is so small in comparison to their total customer base, I doubt Apple is putting much effort, if any, into finding a solution.

It is good to know that this is happening with other brands besides Starkey.

Come on, Apple! Get your act together!

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Answer 3

impacted

Level 1

13 points

Jun 7, 2018 6:15 PM in response to tbuzzard

Testing Signia NX7 devices and the clicking is so annoying. Fancy having a MFi device that interferes with Apple Watch. Noticed too that the interference disrupts the steps tracker. I have walked the same route for three years and know to the metre the distances. With the new hearing aids the steps tracker is 700 metres out over 7km. 10%!!! C'mon Apple my age group is increasingly becoming deaf and MFi is promoted as the bees knees. No phone calls routed via Apple Watch to Aids! Sound interference as the channels are not split between low energy Bluetooth connections and now interference with step tracking?

Apple ecosystem is what we are promised. Help our disability - don't hinder it!

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Interference Between Apple Watch and MFI Hearing Aids

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