Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Android 16 will deliver better support for LE Audio hearing aids, i.e. hearing aids that connect through Bluetooth LE Audio.
- The update includes new ambient volume controls that let you adjust the level of external sound.
- It also adds a feature that lets users switch between the built-in mics on hearing aids and the mic on the phone during voice calls.
Google is constantly working to make Android more accessible, and at last week’s Galaxy Unpacked event, the company announced that it was launching LE Audio compatibility for hearing aids. Google didn’t share many details about this new feature, except that Android would be getting a new dialog that lets users quickly change presets. With the release of the first Android 16 beta the following day, though, we learned a bit more information about how Google is improving hearing aid support in Android.
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In case you aren’t aware, LE Audio is the latest Bluetooth audio standard, replacing Bluetooth Classic Audio profiles like A2DP. It’s composed of a set of Bluetooth profiles that all operate over Bluetooth Low Energy. These profiles enable new features like Auracast, i.e. audio broadcasting over Bluetooth, and hearing aid support. Hearing aids that use LE Audio enjoy enhanced performance, better battery life, and improved compatibility across various platforms.
Following the release of Android 16 Beta 1 last week, Google published documentation that revealed some of the new hearing aid-related improvements coming to Android. These include new ambient volume controls for LE Audio hearing aids as well as a feature that allows users to use their phone’s microphone for voice calls instead of the mic in hearing aids.
Ambient volume controls for LEA hearing aids
Google says that Android 16 adds the ability for users of LE Audio hearing aids to “adjust the volume of ambient sound that is picked up by the hearing aid’s microphones.” This will be helpful in places where background noise is either too loud or too quiet.
Although the documentation doesn’t mention how users can adjust the volume of ambient sound, I found strings that suggest there will be a new “surroundings” option in the hearing aid dialog. This option will let users control the ambient volume of the left bud, the right bud, or both at the same time. There will also be an option to quickly mute or unmute sounds coming from surroundings.
Code
Surroundings Collapse to unified control Expand to left and right separated controls Left Right Couldn’t update surroundings Mute surroundings Unmute surroundingsFurthermore, there’s evidence this is going to be tied to the new “surroundings” slider that Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners are seeing after updating to Android 16 Beta 1. It would be nice if Google were to update the Pixel Buds Pro 2 to act as hearing aids over LE Audio, but there’s no evidence yet to suggest that will be the case.
Phone as microphone input for voice calls with LEA hearing aids
Next, Google says that Android 16 also adds the ability for users of LE Audio hearing aids to “switch between the built-in microphones on the hearing aids and the microphone on their phone for voice calls.” The company says this can be helpful in noisy environments or in other situations where the hearing aid’s microphone may not perform well. It can also be helpful to switch mics when the battery is low on hearing aids, as it’ll help prolong their battery life.
Strings I found in Android 16 Beta 1 suggest that there will be a “switch” button in the notification that appears when connected to a hearing aid. There will also be a notification that appears when users are in a voice call that informs them that they can switch mics.
Code
Settings Switch Active Connected Disconnected Loading You can use your hearing aid microphone for hands-free calling. This only switches your mic during the call. Switch to hearing aid mic? For better sound or if your hearing aid battery is low. This only switches your mic during the call. Switch to phone mic?It’s great to see companies like Google go beyond what’s required of them. The FCC last year mandated that mobile phones in the US be compatible with hearing aids, a rule that Android follows by supporting LE Audio. These two enhancements in Android 16 aren’t required by law, but they improve the quality of life of people who rely on hearing aids. Hopefully Google also rolls out Fast Pair support for hearing aids soon, as it will make it easier for users to pair their new hearing aids to their Android devices.
Google says these hearing aid changes are live in Android 16 Beta 1, but since I don’t have a pair of LE Audio hearing aids, I can’t test them for myself. If you have an LE Audio hearing aid and you’re running Android 16 Beta 1 on your Pixel device, let us know if you see these new features!
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