Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Forbes

Technology

Mark Sparrow, Contributor

Olive Union Puts Smart Hearables Within Reach Of Millions

A change in US legislation concerning over-the-counter hearing devices could mean many more people can afford help with hearing without paying out for expensive hearing aids. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS - stock.adobe.com

Following the successful pre-launch of Olive Pro, Olive Union is set to make its new 2-in-1 true wireless earbuds and smart hearing aids available from August 23. Olive Pro will be one of the first smart hearing aids available in the US. It looks and feels like a regular pair to of true wireless earbuds, but it has technology that can boost a user’s hearing. However, unlike traditional hearing aids that can cost thousands of dollars, the Olive Pro will go on sale for just $299

The founder and CEO of Olive Union, Owen Song, says: “Today, there are 48 million people in the US with some level of hearing loss, but less than 20% get the help they need. Our market research highlighted several key reasons why hearing aid penetration is so low, but the most common factors were high cost, accessibility and style.”

The average price of a single hearing aid (for one ear) is nearly $2,500/ For anyone with hearing loss in both ears, that cost doubles. However, to manufacture and produce one hearing aid, can cost as little as $150. This huge price disparity impacts consumers who need help to hear better and is one of the reasons why the FDA has been working for several years on guidelines that would enable hearing aid solutions to be sold over the counter. This move should make it much more affordable for people with hearing loss to get some relief and a price they can afford.

These new earphones from Olive Union sound great and are a useful way of helping a wearer to hear more clearly. Olive Union

“Creating a low-cost solution is only one part of the equation,” continues Song. “We’ve been pioneering affordable, accessible and stylish hearing for years and are happy to see the FDA - under President Biden’s direction - finally take hearing health seriously.”

Many people dismiss hearing loss as something that only happens to older people. However, it probably ought to be treated more like vision loss. You wouldn’t go without a pair of glasses if your site was poor. Around the world, 1.5 billion people live with some degree of hearing loss. The WHO predicts that figure could increase by nearly a billion by 2050. Less than half of today’s population with hearing loss is older than 65… not what most of us would call “old.”

Hearing loss is common because we expose ourselves to louder noises at closer proximities for longer periods than previous generations. However, because of the misconception and stigma surrounding hearing aids – not to mention access to affordable help – 80% of people with hearing loss won’t get the assistance they need.

The concept of Olive Pro is to put improved hearing within almost everyone’s reach by removing unnecessary barriers. Olive Pro look and function like any regular pair of true wireless earbuds, but they include a primary layer of hearing assistance and protection for the user. Olive Pro can distinguish and amplify human voices from background noise by using a proprietary Automatic Noise Background Cancelation (Hear-Thru) AI. The idea is for speech to be heard clearly, even in crowded environments like a restaurant or reception.

Olive Pro – 2-in-1 true wireless earbuds look, feel and function like AirPods Pro, but have all the benefits of a hearing aid. Olive Union

In both hearing mode and listening mode, Olive Pro can work for up to seven hours on a single charge. There are roughly two additional charges in the Olive Pro’s charging case for topping up the earbuds. For most people, Olive Pro are simply a good-quality pair of true wireless earbuds. For anyone with hearing loss, Olive Pro can deliver an immersive experience with personalized music EQ, so music, movies and calls sound just right even to someone with hearing loss. When the Hear-Thru mode isn’t toggled, Olive Pro switches over to ANC (active noise cancellation) mode which cuts out a lot of unwanted noise so that music can be enjoyed, even in noisy environments.

Traditional hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars to buy and that figure covers the initial cost of the device, the audiologist’s fees and maintenance charges. In contrast, Olive Pro retails for just $299 and is available online. The earbuds can be set up and maintained using a free smartphone app and a five-minute hearing test.

I tried a pair of Olive Pro. Although I don’t suffer from a diagnosed hearing loss, I’m not as young as I was and, like many of us, I do have some age-related hearing loss. To access the Olive Pro hearing test, I downloaded the My Olive app which is available for iOS and Android. The app is easy to use and walks the user through a hearing test that involves tapping a button as soon as the user hears a series of test tones that get progressively quieter. The test is carried out on both ears separately and, after five minutes, a graph appears showing hearing loss and frequency fall-off.

Olive Pro – 2-in-1 true wireless earbuds are impressive at boosting hearing for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Olive Union

The hearing test can be assigned a custom name and can be rerun and saved whenever the user likes. The user can even compare historical tests to track any progressive hearing loss over time. The app also gives the user the chance to tweak the hearing EQ and the music EQ to create a sound to suit. It’s all very easy to use and the app lets the user assign commands to the earbuds’ touch controls. The commands might be toggling between hearing or music mode, as well as the usual play and pause controls that most earbuds offer.

Olive Pro are supplied with a selection of excellent ear tips in different size that are a blend of silicone and memory foam. With the Hear-Thru mode engaged, the user can hear surrounding sounds much more clearly. There’s a slight delay but it’s such a low latency and certainly one of the best I’ve ever heard on a pair of earbuds. The level of amplification can be changed using the app and once adjusted Olive Pro can boost hearing by cutting through background noise to make conversation clearer.

A traditional hearing aid looks more discreet than a pair of true wireless earbuds and, for some people, wearing a pair of earbuds while holding a face-to-face conversation may appear a little strange at first. Some people may even think it looks rude. However, in time, as we grow used to hearable devices, it won’t seem so strange. It’s all about banishing the stigma of hearing loss.

When used in conjunction with the Olive software, the Olive Pro – 2-in-1 true wireless earbuds can measure the wearer's hearing and adjust settings accordingly. Olive Union

When it comes to music, Olive Pro are a fine pair of earbuds that reproduce a wide range of music with a superb soundstage and a neutral tone that suits most genres of music. There’s plenty of volume on offer and the EQ function is excellent for shaping the tone to suit the user. Adjustments can be saved and there are some presets already provided in the app. I wouldn’t say Olive Pro is the equal of a great pair of wired earphones, but as true wireless models go they’re not bad at all. If you add the hearing function into the equation, Olive Pro represent good value for money.

Verdict: For anyone with mild-to-moderately severe hearing loss, who finds chatter in a crowded room difficult when trying to hold a conversation, Olive Pro make a big difference. It takes a little while to get used to the Hear-Thru mode in much the same way that it takes a while to get used to a new prescription in a pair of glasses. Olive Pro are also good for watching the TV, another situation where many people with hearing loss struggle to hear. These earbuds also reproduce music well and they function impressively for a hearable device that’s priced within most people’s reach. I’m no expert when it comes to hearing aids but for anyone who suspects they have a certain amount of hearing loss, especially in social situations, they could benefit from trying a pair of Olive Pro before opting for a full-fat hearing aid at a much higher cost. We can expect to see a lot more of these hearable devices as the over-the-counter market is liberalized. Hopefully, devices of this type will go a long way to removing the stigma of hearing loss. And that can’t be a bad thing and could put hearing improvement within reach of many more people.

Pricing and Availability: Olive Pro are available from Amazon and Olive Union priced at $299.

More info: OliveUnion.com/US

Tech Specs: