The Best Smartphones For Hard of Hearing

All smartphones include accessibility features, but some are more comprehensive than others. 

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, it's important to choose a mobile phone that supports your needs and is compatible with assistive listening apps and/or hearing aids. 

Let's look at the best mobile phones for people with hearing loss.

How can smartphones help with hearing loss?

Smartphones have become an integral tool for everyday life, helping us communicate, save time, and access information. Let’s face it, when do you ever leave home without your phone?

Smartphones also help the millions of people living with hearing loss navigate the world with greater ease. From compatibility with hearing aids to captioning and real-time transcription, there are many ways mobile phones can support individuals with hearing loss.

This article will highlight what specific features to look for and share the best smartphones for hard of hearing seniors. 

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7 Key Smartphone Features for Hearing Loss

Here are the 7 most important best mobile phones for hearing aids and features to consider if you have hearing loss:

1. Hearing aid compatibility (HAC)

If you’re looking for the best mobile phone for hearing aids, check the HAC rating. The HAC rating is an FCC standard that indicates how well a phone works with hearing aids. All smartphones are required to be hearing aid compatible, and they’re labeled with “M” or “T” ratings. 

The T-rating refers to the mobile phone’s ability to pair with a hearing aid’s telecoil, which is especially beneficial if you have severe hearing loss. 

The M-rating applies to its interference potential. 

The scale ranges from 1 to 4, with higher values indicating higher compatibility, meaning M4/T4 represents an ideal rating. 

2. Real-Time Captioning 

The capability to convert text-to-speech and speech-to-text in real-time makes it easy to receive calls without hearing or speaking. Instead, you can type and write. This feature is available via apps like Nagish, making everyday conversations easy and private.

3. Live captions

Generate captions from videos and audio, making it easier to engage with multimedia content. 

4. Live transcriptions

Live transcription apps like Nagish have unique features that turn spoken words and surround sound into text. This feature is helpful during one-on-one conversations, social gatherings, class lectures, airport announcements, and more.

5. Bluetooth Connectivity

All smartphones include Bluetooth connectivity; simply make sure your hearing aids do as well. This will help you pair the two and work together to make your hearing experience more personalized.

6. Custom Sound Settings

The best smartphones for heard of hearing seniors allow the user to adjust the sounds and volume to fit their specific needs. This includes amplifying sounds that are harder to hear as well as enhancing ringtone and alarm volume.

7. Visual and Vibration Alerts 

This custom feature is very helpful to make sure people don’t miss incoming calls, messages or alerts by providing flash notifications and vibration patterns.

The Best Smartphones for Hearing Loss

9. Nokia G60 5G

The Nokia G60 5G is an affordable and eco-friendly smartphone offering a range of accessibility features that make it a solid choice for users with hearing loss. With durable build quality and hearing aid compatibility, it’s a reliable option for those seeking functionality on a budget. Key features include:

• M4/T4 Rating:
  The Nokia G60 5G is M4/T4 rated for hearing aid compatibility, ensuring excellent performance with telecoil-equipped hearing aids and minimal interference, making it ideal for users with hearing loss.
• Live Caption:
  Automatically generates captions for media such as videos, podcasts, and phone calls in real-time. Users can adjust caption appearance for better readability.
• Bluetooth Connectivity:
  Offers strong Bluetooth support for seamless audio streaming to hearing aids and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, ensuring crystal-clear sound.
• Sound Amplifier:
  Boosts softer sounds and minimizes background noise, providing a clearer listening experience for conversations and media playback, even in noisy environments.
• Visual Alerts:
  The phone features bright on-screen flash notifications and vibration patterns to ensure users don’t miss calls, messages, or important alerts.
• Eco-Friendly Design:
  Made with 60% recycled materials, the Nokia G60 5G is a sustainable choice without compromising functionality.
• Large Display:
  Its bright and large display makes it easy to read captions, transcriptions, and on-screen alerts, offering convenience for users who rely on visual cues.
• Customizable Audio Settings:
  Allows users to fine-tune volume and audio frequencies to suit their hearing preferences, creating a more personalized experience.

8. Sony Xperia 1 V

The Sony Xperia 1 V has high-quality audio and accessibility features. Known for its exceptional sound clarity and customization options, it’s a great choice for users with hearing loss. Key features include:

• M3/T4 Rating:
  The Sony Xperia 1 V is M3/T4 rated for hearing aid compatibility, offering excellent performance with telecoil-equipped hearing aids and minimal interference.
• Live Caption:
  Automatically generates real-time captions for media, including videos, podcasts, and phone calls. Users can customize caption settings such as font size and color for added convenience.
• Bluetooth Connectivity:
  Includes robust Bluetooth capabilities for seamless audio streaming to compatible hearing aids and other audio devices, ensuring a personalized listening experience.
• 360 Reality Audio:
  This unique feature delivers immersive sound quality by enhancing spatial audio. It’s particularly beneficial for those using headphones or hearing aids with Bluetooth compatibility.
• Sound Amplifier:
  Enhances quiet sounds while reducing background noise, making conversations and media playback clearer, even in noisy environments.
• Dynamic Vibration System:
  Provides tactile feedback during audio playback, such as videos or calls, offering an additional sensory cue for incoming alerts or multimedia.
• Notification LED:
  The Xperia 1 V features a bright LED notification system to alert users of calls, messages, and other notifications, ensuring you never miss an important alert.
• Customizable Sound Profiles:
  Allows users to adjust volume, balance, and frequency to suit their specific hearing needs, delivering a tailored audio experience.

The Sony Xperia 1 V combines cutting-edge technology with accessibility, making it an excellent choice for users looking for premium features and reliable support for hearing loss.

7. Motorola Edge 40 Pro

The Motorola Edge 40 Pro is a good and cost-effective option for those with hearing loss, offering a range of features designed to enhance accessibility and improve audio clarity. Key features include:

• M3/T3 Rating: The Motorola Edge 40 Pro is M3/T3 rated for hearing aid compatibility, ensuring good audio performance with telecoil-equipped hearing aids.
• Live Transcribe: Converts spoken words into text in real-time, which is especially useful in loud environments. However, some users report accuracy varies.
• Bluetooth Connectivity: Supports audio streaming directly to hearing aids, which is ideal for clear sound.
• Sound Amplifier: Boosts soft sounds and reduces loud background noise, making conversations easier to understand.
• Notification Alerts: The phone’s notification LED can be used to alert users of incoming calls and messages, providing a visual cue.
• Live Caption: Real-time captions are available for media, including videos and podcasts.

6. Jitterbug Smart4

The Jitterbug Smart4 is an affordable choice for users with hearing loss, especially those who prefer a simple and easy-to-use smartphone. It has a large screen design and an easy-to-navigate menu. Keep in mind that this model is particularly popular among senior individuals who may not be as tech-savvy.

• M4/T4 Rating: The Jitterbug Smart4 has a high M4/T4 rating, which indicates strong compatibility with hearing aids.
• Loud and Clear Audio: The phone is designed with a loudspeaker that ensures clear conversations, making it easier to hear during phone calls.
• Large Touchscreen and Intuitive Layout: The phone's large screen and straightforward interface make it easier to navigate for those who may not be as comfortable with more complex smartphones.
• Voice Typing: Allows for easy text input by speaking, which can be particularly helpful for those who have difficulty with small on-screen keyboards.
• Visual Alerts: The Jitterbug Smart4 also includes visual notifications, providing a flashing light for incoming calls and messages, which is beneficial for users with hearing loss.
• Affordable Pricing: The Jitterbug Smart4 is priced lower than many other smartphones with similar accessibility features, making it an excellent budget-friendly option.

5. OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12 offers accessibility features that improve audio clarity and provide customizable options. 

• M3/T3 Rating: The OnePlus 12 comes with an M3/T3 rating for hearing aid compatibility, offering good clarity and reduced interference for telecoil-equipped hearing aids.
• Live Caption: Automatically generates captions for spoken content in real-time, including phone calls, videos, and audio streams, with customizable options for font size and color.
• Hearing Aid Compatibility: Supports direct audio streaming to hearing aids.
• Sound Enhancement: Allows users to adjust the sound profile to their specific hearing needs, including options to boost high or low frequencies.
• Sound Amplifier: Amplifies ambient sounds and reduces background noise when using wired or Bluetooth headphones, making conversations easier to understand in noisy environments.
• Notification Flashing Light: Provides visual alerts for incoming calls and notifications, which is beneficial for users who have difficulty hearing their phone.
• Subtitles and Captions: Integrated support for displaying subtitles and captions across all media apps.

4. Google Pixel 8

Now, if you’re an Android user, the Google Pixel 8 is one of the best Androids for hard of hearing individuals, making the list due to the variety of features that support individuals with hearing loss. The most important features to highlight are:

• M3/T4 Rating: Google Pixel 8 has an M3/T4 rating for hearing aid compatibility, indicating a good level of compatibility for reducing interference and improving clarity and the highest level of compatibility with telecoil-equipped hearing aids.
• Live Captions: The Google Pixel 8 automatically captions videos, voicemails, phone calls, and podcasts in real-time. This feature receives mixed reviews due to its accuracy. 
• Live Transcribe Converts spoken words into text in real-time and supports over 80 languages. It is a great choice for people who experience difficulty listening in loud environments.
• Sound Amplifier: This feature enhances quiet sounds and reduces background noise when used with headphones. 
• Hearing Aid Compatibility: The Pixel 8 supports the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) standard, which allows direct streaming of quality audio to hearing aids.
• Sound Notifications: This feature alerts users to important sounds in their environment, such as alarms, doorbells, and even baby cries, through visual or vibration notifications.

3. Google Pixel 8a

If you’re looking to stay within a budget, the Google Pixel 8a is a cost-effective option that includes the features listed above. It's also considered one of the best Androids for hard-of-hearing individuals.

• M3/T3 Rating: The Google Pixel 8a has an M3/T3 rating for hearing aid compatibility, which indicates a good level of compatibility with hearing aids.
• Live Caption: This feature automatically captions any media playing on your phone, including videos, podcasts, and phone calls. It supports multiple languages.
• Live Transcribe: Converts spoken words into text in real-time, making it easier to follow conversations, especially in noisy environments. This feature supports over 80 languages.
• Sound Amplifier: Enhances quiet sounds and reduces background noise when using headphones.
• Sound Notifications: This feature alerts you to important sounds in your environment, such as alarms and doorbells with visual or vibration alerts. 
• Hearing Aid Compatibility (ASHA Support): Allows for direct streaming of audio to compatible hearing aids, providing a seamless audio experience without the need for additional accessories.

2. Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is another great choice for someone with hearing loss, including assistive technology features and hearing enhancements 

• M3/T3 Rating: The Samsung Galaxy S24 has an M3/T34 rating for hearing aid compatibility, indicating a good level of compatibility for reducing interference and improving clarity and the highest level of compatibility with telecoil-equipped hearing aids.
• Live Captions: The Samsung Galaxy S24 automatically detects speech and generates captions. You may also adjust how captions appear in apps such as YouTube.
• Live Transcribe With the live transcribe app, you can display live speech on screen.
• Sound Amplifier: This feature allows you to increase the volume of conversations around you in your hearing device. 
• Hearing Aid Compatibility: Pairs with hearing aids via Bluetooth to optimize sound quality.
• Adapt Sound: This feature helps you find the appropriate sound level for your needs.

1. iPhone 15

iPhone has added a significant list of accessibility features to support hearing loss, and the best iPhone for hard of hearing individuals is version 15, which includes:

• M3/T4 Rating: iPhone 15 has a M3/T4 rating for hearing aid and cochlear compatibility, indicating a good level of compatibility for reducing interference and improving clarity as well as the highest level of compatibility with telecoil-equipped hearing aids, making it one of the best iPhones for hard of hearing individuals.
• MFi: Made for iPhone: MFi is an Apple program that ensures that devices made for the iPhone work well with it. Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids integrate seamlessly with iOS devices so that users can stream audio and take hands-free calls from the iPhone to the hearing aids without needing to hold their iPhone.
• Live Listen: enhance clarity in noisy environments while streaming sound directly to your hearing aids or AirPods.
• Program Sound Recognition: The iPhone can be programmed to vibrate or visually alert you of specific sounds in your environment, such as the doorbell or a baby crying.
• Real-Time Text (RTT) and Teletypewriter (TTY): Support text communication during calls.
• Audio adjustments: To improve call clarity in noisy environments, you can enable mono audio, adjust the left/right sound balance, and turn on Phone Noise Cancellation.
• LED Flash for Alerts: The iPhone's LED flash provides visual notifications for incoming calls and alerts, which is especially helpful if you can't hear your phone.
• Headphone Audio: Customize the sound profile according to your specific hearing needs using manual inputs or an audiogram,
• Brown Noise: mask noise with calming “brown” noise, helping you focus or relax.
• Subtitles and Captions: Display subtitles and captions to follow along with videos and movies.
• Transcriptions: Transcriptions for Intercom messages from HomePod, providing a written version of spoken messages.
• Live Captions: Real-time transcription of spoken audio, including FaceTime or Podcasts, and in live conversations around you. Note that users report that accuracy may vary, and it is best to use apps designed for that purpose.
• Music Haptics: Feel vibrations that sync with the music's rhythm and beats to experience music.
  

Nagish: The Best Captioning App for Hard of Hearing 

While many smartphones include beneficial features for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and we've listed the best mobile phones for hearing aids, there’s no comparison to a dedicated platform that’s FCC-approved and specifically designed to cater to the needs of this community. Nagish is more than just a tool, it’s a comprehensive solution built with the hearing loss community in mind.

Why Choose Nagish?

The Nagish app is exclusively designed for those with hearing loss as an intuitive solution with constant updates and new functionalities driven by cutting-edge technologies and direct user feedback, ensuring that it continues to evolve and meet the growing needs of its users.

What Can You Do With Nagish?

With Nagish, you can go beyond basic features and integrate advanced capabilities that can be used with the best smartphone for hearing loss. It includes features like real-time transcription, customizable captioning, personalized options and tools for quick, flawless communication in real-time. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all mobile phones hearing aid compatible?

While most modern smartphones are compatible with hearing aids, it is not guaranteed for all models. Make sure to check the specifications before purchasing.

How do I know if a smartphone is HAC?

Look for the M (Microphone) and T (Telecoil) ratings on the smartphone. An M rating indicates compatibility with hearing aids in microphone mode, and a T rating indicates compatibility with telecoil mode. Ratings range from 1 to 4, 4 being the best, meaning M4/T4 rating is the highest rating and is considered the best mobile phone for hard of hearing individuals.

How does a smartphone’s HAC affect battery life?

Using hearing aid compatibility features may impact battery life, but the effect varies by model and usage patterns.

Can I use my smartphone’s voice assistant with my hearing aid?

Yes, many hearing aids are compatible with smartphone voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant, allowing for hands-free control and accessibility.

Are there any apps that complement the hearing loss features of smartphones?

Yes, several apps can enhance the communication experience, such as live transcription, text-to-speech and speech-to-text functionalities and captioning like Nagish.

Can I connect multiple hearing aids to one smartphone?

Yes, most modern smartphones allow you to connect multiple Bluetooth devices, including hearing aids. However, this functionality depends on your smartphone model and the hearing aid's compatibility. Ensure both devices support the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) standard for seamless connectivity.

What should I look for in a smartphone if I primarily use video calls?

If video calls are a priority, consider the following features:

• High-quality front-facing camera: Look for at least 8 MP for clear video feeds.
• Live captions: Ensure the phone offers real-time captions for video calls.
• Strong Bluetooth connectivity: For direct audio streaming to your hearing aids.
• Large screen size: A bigger screen makes it easier to read captions or see sign language clearly.
• Stable internet connection: Choose a phone that supports 5G for smoother video calls with minimal lag.

Do smartphones with hearing aid compatibility drain the battery faster?

Using features like Bluetooth streaming and hearing aid compatibility can slightly impact battery life, but advancements in technology have minimized this effect. Choosing a smartphone with a larger battery capacity (measured in mAh) or investing in portable charging solutions can help mitigate this concern.

Are live transcription apps like Nagish secure?

Yes, apps like Nagish are designed with user privacy in mind. Nagish uses end-to-end encryption and does not store transcriptions on its servers, ensuring your conversations remain private and secure.

What’s the difference between live captions and live transcription?

• Live captions: Automatically generate text from audio or video content, typically for media playback like YouTube videos or podcasts.
• Live transcription: Converts spoken words in real-time during conversations, phone calls, or meetings, making it more dynamic and versatile for live interactions.