Karl Strom

Editor in Chief

Karl Strom is the Editor in Chief of HearingTracker. He has been covering the hearing aid industry for over 30 years. 

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids Shown Cost-Effective in Simulation Model, Says JAMA Study

In a cost-effectiveness analysis simulation, OTC hearing aids were found to increase uptake of hearing loss intervention and should be...

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Go Ultra OTC Hearing Aids Debut on QVC Shopping Network

The Go Ultra over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid debuted on the QVC shopping network on Sunday, May 21. The new device is the first behind-the-ear...

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Made for iPhone (MFi) Hearing Aids Will Now Pair Directly with Mac Computers

Apple today announced a suite of accessibility improvements in its devices, among those being that Made-for-iPhone (MFi) hearing aids can now pair...

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Lexie B2 Hearing Aids Powered by Bose Now Stream Phone Calls from iPhones

Lexie Hearing will launch updates to their Lexie B2 Hearing Aids Powered by Bose, incorporating voice call streaming capabilities for iPhone users...

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Hearing Aid Sales Vault Upward by 9% in First Quarter of 2023; OTC Comprises 1% of Sales for Largest Manufacturers

First-quarter 2023 hearing aid sales statistics from the Hearing Industries Assn. (HIA) were substantially better than anticipated with a 9.1%...

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and DNN in Hearing Aids: Getting Past All the Noise–An Interview with Whisper’s Andreas Thelander Bertelsen

Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep neural networks (DNN) are transforming how hearing aids perform in noise, quiet, and for healthcare...

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CI2023 Conference in June to Feature (Re)Habilitation Connect Forum for Children and Adults with Cochlear Implants

CI2023 Cochlear Implants in Children and Adults will feature the (Re)Habilitation Connect Forum on June 9 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel in...

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Phonak Slim Joins Lumity Hearing Aid Family, Combining Style with Performance

The new Phonak Slim Lumity hearing aid features a sleek new design with unique left and right fittings that follow the natural contour of the head...

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GN at a Crossroads: Shareholders Reject Proposal to Raise Capital by Issuing New Shares

Reports from the GN Store Nord and its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held this morning indicate the company will need to seek other alternatives...

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Getting Real: An Interview with Oticon President Gary Rosenblum about Oticon Real Hearing Aids

HearingTracker interviews Oticon President Gary Rosenblum about the company's newest flagship hearing aid, Oticon Real, as well as BrainHearing,...

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Starkey Paves New Road for AI Revolution in Hearing Aids with Genesis AI Launch

Starkey Hearing Technologies believes its new Genesis AI hearing aid—and the chip platform powering it—will define AI-assisted hearing healthcare...

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Hearing Aid Sales in 2022 Flatten Due to Economic Headwinds

U.S. net hearing aid sales in 2022 increased nominally by 0.8% in 2022, or about 36,000 more units than in 2021 when pent-up demand caused sales...

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Frequency Therapeutics Abandons Hearing Loss Treatment Programs

Frequency Therapeutics Inc. has announced the cessation of its FX-322 and FX-345 programs designed to help people with sudden or noise-induced...

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Will Apple Make an OTC Hearing Aid?

The hearing healthcare market is currently a moving target that will continue to gyrate to a disruptive beat. Although Apple won’t officially say...

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Best OTC Hearing Aids of 2023: Price and Sound Comparison

Reputable brands like Sony, Bose, and Jabra are now in the hearing aid game. Here are our the pros and cons of the top 10 products.

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Sonova Halts Hearing Aid Sales to Costco; Pulls Products and Brochures

Sonova, manufacturer of Phonak and Unitron hearing aids, has discontinued the sale and promotion of its products at Costco, according to sources...

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Hearing Aid Sales Flatten in Second and Third Quarters of 2022

Through the first three-quarters of 2022, total U.S. hearing aid sales have increased by 1.9%, with private/commercial sales being flat (0.3%...

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Costco Stops Sales of Kirkland Signature 10 (KS10) Hearing Aids

Costco, one the the largest distributors of hearing aids in the US, has discontinued sales of Kirkland Signature 10 (KS10) hearing aids, according...

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CMS Expands Medicare Coverage for Cochlear Implants

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will broaden Medicare coverage of cochlear implants (CIs) by removing the...

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Sony and WSA Partner to Create an OTC Hearing Aid: A Rush for Consumer Electronic Giants into Hearing Aids?

The news that Sony and WSAudiology will deliver an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid places a spotlight on previous branding partnerships between...

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Apple AirPods Pro 2: Improved Hearing Aid Functionality

AirPods Pro 2 now offer better sound quality, more battery power, and noise cancellation for very loud sounds like sirens.

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The New FDA Rules for OTC Hearing Aids: What Do They Mean for People with Hearing Loss?

The FDA’s rules for OTC hearing aids promise sweeping changes for hearing healthcare, creating a new class of more affordable and accessible...

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FDA Clears Way for OTC Hearing Aids for People with Mild to Moderate Hearing Loss

The FDA's new rules for OTC hearing aids are designed to make amplification devices safe, affordable, and convenient to purchase over the counter...

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MDHearingAids Gains FDA Premarket Clearance for Smart Hearing Aids and App

The FDA has announced that Chicago-based MD HearingAid—a manufacturer and distributor of online hearing aids with a professional online support...

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FDA Final OTC Hearing Aid Rules Move Forward from OMB

The FDA’s final regulations for OTC hearing aids appear to be at or near the publication stage.

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Lexie Partners with Bose to Offer Lexie B1 Powered by Bose Hearing Aids

The Lexie B1 Powered by Bose hearing aids will employ Bose's previous SoundControl hearing aid technology, allowing people with mild-to-moderate...

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CMS Proposes Broadening Medicare Coverage for Cochlear Implants

CMS is proposing broadened Medicare coverage for cochlear implantation from ≤40% correct to ≤60% correct in the best-aided listening condition on...

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MDHearingAid, Nordic Semiconductor and the Bluetooth SIG Demonstrate Auracast™ Broadcast Audio at the HLAA Convention

HLAA attendees were provided with information about Bluetooth's new Auracast™ Broadcast Audio technology by representatives from MDHearingAid,...

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Custom Made by ReSound Hearing Aid Launched by GN: Interview with GN Hearing CEO Gitte Aabo

GN Hearing has launched their new rechargeable, iOS- and Android-smartphone compatible, Custom made by Resound hearing aid. Built for all-day use...

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Bluetooth's Auracast Will Open a New World of Audio for Hearing Aid Users

Auracast™ is important enough that it could completely transform how Bluetooth hearing aids and other listening devices gain access to audio...

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Costco Hearing Aids in 2023 - Models, Features, Prices, and Reviews

Costco uses its volume buying and distribution clout to offer lower prices for hearing aids than many private hearing aid practices.

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