A new direct-to-consumer model from Bose wins FDA approval.
In a seismic shift to the hearing-aid market, the new Bose SoundControl ™ Hearing Aids are the first to be cleared by the FDA for direct-to-consumer sale. At $849.95, the new SoundControl™ Hearing Aids are priced far below the $2,300 average cost of conventional hearing aids, and they don’t require a prescription, doctor visit, or hearing test. Paired with the Bose Hear app, the devices allows users to fit, program, and control them for natural, lifelike sound. Using two simple controls, users can personalize audio settings to achieve hundreds of hearing options in about 30 minutes.
“In the United States alone, approximately 48 million people suffer from some degree of hearing loss that interferes with their life. But the cost and complexity of treatment have become major barriers to getting help,” said Brian Maguire, category director of Bose Hear. “The Bose Hear app lets owners set up and customize their Sound-Control™ Hearing Aids from home—in less than an hour—to reconnect with the moments that matter. That’s an amazing advancement the industry has been missing and is nothing short of a breakthrough.”
Developed by Bose scientists, audiologists, and engineers, the Bose SoundControl™ Hearing Aids are the combined result of over 30 years of research in mobile audio, mobile sound management, and advanced data science. Weighing 3 grams each, the devices feature a behind-the-ear, receiver-in-canal design and contain two microphones, one tiny speaker, and a standard 312 zinc-air battery.
For personalized help, users can book a video appointment with a Bose Hear Product Expert at no extra cost. What’s the downside? If there is one, it’s only this: Unlike other Bose products, their hearing aids don’t stream music. Bose.com
This article originally appeared in the December 2021 issue.
