The latest version of Android 15 will support hearing aids using the Bluetooth LE data transfer protocol. This technology is called Bluetooth Low Energy: the protocol connects two hearing aids to stream data, which saves energy. But neither Apple nor Google have long had a standardized way to stream audio using Bluetooth LE.
That’s why Apple and Google have developed their own proprietary hearing aid protocols based on Bluetooth LE. Apple calls this protocol Made for iPhone (MFi), while Google calls its audio streaming protocol for hearing aids ASHA. While Apple introduced the iOS protocol in 2013, Google only introduced it in 2019 with the release of Android 10.
Now Google has proposed a standardized way to stream audio over Bluetooth low energy: Bluetooth LE Audio. The protocol not only supports the development of standard software for Bluetooth hearing aids running on different platforms, but also implements new features such as Auracast, simultaneous audio transmission to all compatible devices.
Google promises to bring Bluetooth LE Audio to Android 15 with the next update.
Source: Ferra
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