The term MFi is more colloquially recognised now as ‘Made for iPhone’, but ultimately means for iPhones, iPads and iPods (and Apple Watches).

MFi is a licensing program for developers of hardware and software peripherals that work with Apple’s iPods, iPads and iPhones.

The MFi program covers various device connectors including the headphone jack, original dock connector and the newer Lightning connector, as well as Apple AirPlay support. Companies joining the MFi program and passing certification tests are able to display certain MFi-related logos on their product packaging, like the “Made for iPod” badge.

So, ‘MFi‘ is an Apple specific certification that allows / approves other technologies to integrate with Apple devices.

Smart-phones became ubiquitous in the late noughties (true smart-phones as we now know them that is) and it was soon obvious to hearing aid manufacturers that their digital hearing aids would have to be designed to be able to be directly linked to our mobiles phones in order to make them more functional, effective, and appealing.

So, despite Android being the much more widely used platform, it was Apple who took the lead in working with leading hearing aid manufacturers as Apple have a simpler single-platform system to work on (see the next section for more on this).

Made-for-iPhone (MFi) hearing aids were first introduced by ReSound in 2014 with their ‘ReSound LiNX‘ hearing aid, followed very shortly by Starkey with the ‘Starkey Halo’. There are now five  leading global hearing aid manufacturers offering premium spec hearing aids with made-for-iphone technology (ReSound, Starkey, Widex, Bernafon and Oticon).

The main three benefits of MFi hearing aid technology are:

• Direct wireless audio streaming from iPhones & iPads– phonecalls, music, apps etc.
• Direct wireless TV streaming
• Advanced remote control functionality –  via a dedicated app

Please note however:

‘made-for-iPhone’ hearing aids can be used just as hearing aids alone. You can ignore the benefits of MFI, or you can use other accessories supplied by the hearing aid manufacturers to enhance their functionality.

Ok this is where it gets a bit confusing – because there are two strategies for audio streaming  from Android devices – and one of those strategies can also stream audio from practically any other Bluetooth phone (i.e. Windows or older tech mobile phones).

• Made for ALL-phone hearing aids, and
• Made for Android hearing aids

We decided it was easier separate the pages on this as the developments were changing. Therefore please read our dedicated webpage on Made for Android Hearing Aids.

We cannot say one made for iphone hearing aid is better than all the others – they are all good. But, particular features of one brand may suit you more than another – and we can help guide you through all the advantages. The key is trialling one or two following discussions on the merits of the leading brands. At Crystal Hearing we WILL advise on the best product to suit your needs, rather than the product that gives us the most profit.

We can supply the following Made for iPhone hearing aid brands:

ReSound – Oticon – Widex – Signia – Starkey – Bernafon 

---

For ‘Made-for-All’ and ‘Made-for-Android’ – click here

 

As MFI hearing aids develop more and more features will become available. The key benefits of course though are AUDIO STREAMING to your hearing aids and REMOTE CONTROL of your hearing aid settings.

Our favourite feature is the Spatial Configurator in Signia hearing aids – a simply setting on your phone that allows you to choose which direction you want to hear – and change the beam focus for front facing requirements.

 

Spatial Configurator – By Signia

Streaming

Generally broken into two key benefits – mobile phone calls and TV. But you can also stream from any other device with audio output – such as your compueter, digital radio, and phone apps like Googe Maps.

INTERESTING FACTS – for people with severe to profound hearing loss:

• Streamed phone-calls to both ears improves phone call listening by an average of 50% in speech recognition tests
• If you stream video phone-calls (i.e. Facetime) this increases to approximately 70% improvement.

For the TV – you can receive high definition stereo streaming from the TV’s  direct to your hearing aids  (you do require a TV adaptor but it plugs into your TV – not around your neck etc).

Remote control

Via the dedicated phone App for the hearing aid you can now control your hearing aids without the need for a separate remote control.

Having more control allows you to fine tune your hearing aids in different environments to suit your needs.

The key functions may change between the different manufacturers.

Remote control functionality may include:

• Volume control
• Mute function
• Home function – to reset any changes back to default
• Programme change – for different environments
• Changing directional focus for noisy environments – left, right, back, front
• Controlling wind noise and general noise
• Changing the frequency response

With some hearing aids you can save preferred settings.

You can geo-locate programme settings to automatically switch on when you arrive at a frequent place.

ALSO:

FIND MY HEARING AIDS – You can locate lost hearing aids using the built in hearing aid locator

REMOTE TUNING – We can adjust your hearing aids remotely. This is a great way of tweaking the settings on initial set up to make sure you get the very best set-up, without repeated trips to see us. It also means we can supply hearing aids, at our prices, to clients travelling greater distances.

FIRMWARE UPDATES – GN Resound hearing aids only at present – keep your hearing aids up to date with live updates via the dedicated app.

LANGUAGE TRANSLATE – You can use google translate to decipher what a foreigner is saying, direct in your ears! We have no idea how you reply mind!

Multiple devices

MFi hearing aids can only connect to one Apple device at a time. Whereas the Phonak Marvel MFA can connect to two Apple devices simultaneously – i.e. a Macbook and and iPhone.

Phone calls

MFi hearing aids do not (at present) have the ability to answer phone calls via the push button on the hearing aids, nor do they transmit the speakers voice via the microphones on the hearing aids – thus ‘handsfree calling’ is NOT a feature of MFi hearing aids. If you want hands-free calling and the ability to answer calls by pressing the hearing aid then you should consider the Phonak and Unitron hearing aids.

Interference

With 2.4gHz streaming technology it is not unheard of to have interference from other electrical items – this appears to be quite rare but it is not unheard of.

MFi hearing aids are available as medium sized receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids (including rechargeable option) or  custom in-ear hearing aids as per the left image (CIC, ITC, full-shell, and remote microphone (Resound only)).

In 2019 ReSound launched completely-in-canal MFi hearing aids – the downside of these is that they have a somewhat ugly antenna loop sticking out of the hearing aid – you can see this in the right image, if you look just above the battery door compartment.