Best hearing aid breakthroughs of 2025

Hearing technology is evolving at an unbelievable pace, and 2025 is bringing some of the biggest changes yet. From AI-powered hearing aids to game-changing Bluetooth LE and Auracast streaming.

In this article and video, I take a deep dive into how hearing aid manufacturers like ReSound, Widex, Phonak, Oticon, Signia, Starkey, and Unitron are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Plus, I take a look a what might be coming next in hearing aids, with my predictions for 2025 and beyond. Will AI hearing aids finally solve the problem of background noise? Will Bluetooth LE and Auracast make traditional streaming devices obsolete? What’s the best hearing aid for 2025? Let’s find out together.

Hearing aid tech isn’t just moving forward, it’s absolutely flying. The last couple of years have brought some of the biggest leaps we’ve seen in decades. And, as we roll into 2025, we’re not just talking about minor tweaks and upgrades, we’re talking about a proper shift in how hearing aids fit into people’s lives.

And here’s the thing, it’s not just about crisper sound or a bit more volume. No, hearing aids today are smarter, more connected, and more personalised than ever before.

So, what’s been happening, what’s coming next and, most importantly, how do these innovations actually make a difference to people in the real world? Let’s get stuck in…

_{Watch audiologist Adam Bostock explain how hearing aid manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.}

When I’m in clinic and talking to people about technology and what hearing aids can actually do, I’m nearly always met with an element of surprise. But, I suppose this technology is reserved for what is a fairly large niche, and you don’t know what you don’t know.

The truth is that the technology inside these tiny devices is constantly pushing boundaries, and we are really lucky that the market is growing and, therefore, competition is strong between manufacturers. With the addition of over the counter hearing aids into the marketplace, this pushes innovation. They push each other to be better, and this is a good thing, right?

Over the last few years we’ve seen some really impressive launches from manufacturers showcasing some impressive technology. When you take that into the real world with people actually using it, it means people are getting a better quality of life, and it’s helping them hear better in more situations than ever before.

It’s been really exciting for us as clinicians to start using this new tech. This is especially true for us as an independent clinic as we’re not tied to one brand in particular, so it’s been great to experience using all of this innovation.

So, what stood out over the last few years? Well, one of the biggest areas of focus for hearing aid manufacturers in recent years has been tackling one of the most common frustrations for people with hearing loss – understanding speech in background noise.

And it makes sense. Directional microphones, and the sophisticated sound processing algorithms that support them, have improved dramatically. Take the ReSound Nexia, launched in autumn 2023, we’ve had outstanding feedback from users on its performance in noisy environments.

Another trend is the rise of AI powered hearing aids. Now, AI is a bit of a buzzword, stick it on anything and it instantly sounds more advanced. But, in the case of hearing aids, it’s actually making a real difference.

Starkey’s Edge AI is designed to mimic the brain’s auditory cortex, dynamically optimising sound in real time, and it delivers some remarkable results. Phonak, part of the Sonova Group, has also embraced AI with its latest Infineo Sphere technology, which performs exceptionally well in noisy conditions.

Other manufacturers are taking a different approach with AI. Widex and Signia integrate AI into their smartphone apps, allowing users to personalise their sound experience. Now, when you find yourself struggling to hear, you can open the app and choose between two sound adjustments, whichever sounds better to you. Meanwhile, this data is gathered from users worldwide, continuously refining the algorithm to improve sound quality for everybody. It’s an incredible example of AI adapting to real-world listening needs.

Another major leap forward is in Bluetooth streaming technology. Now, over the last few products cycles, most manufacturers have incorporated Bluetooth LE into their hearing aids. ReSound, in particular, has gone a step further by integrating Auracast technology, opening the door to a more connected world.

This technology is set to replace the outdated, unreliable loop systems of the past. Soon you’ll be able to walk into a public space and connect seamlessly to an audio broadcast. Imagine choosing which TV to listen to at the gym, touring a museum with audio guides in your preferred language, or enjoying theatre performances with crystal clear sound streamed directly to your hearing aids.

Bluetooth LE is set to revolutionise personal streaming and, until now, users have been tied to manufacturer specific streaming devices, each varying in quality, ease of use, and reliability. Worse still, upgrading hearing aids often meant buying a new streaming accessory. With Bluetooth LE, expect universal streaming devices that work across all hearing aid brands. In fact, TVs are already shipping with Auracast built in, eliminating the need for additional streaming hardware.

Of course, for this ecosystem to function fully, public spaces need to adopt the necessary infrastructure and, while this is still in its early stages, adoption is accelerating. As more consumer electronics integrate this technology, expect to see real world applications expand rapidly.

So, let’s start with what we know is coming. I was just about to say that ReSound was due another launch and, right on cue, guess what’s just been announced by the right honourable Matthew Allsop, no less? The ReSound Vivia.

Now, in technology, you have early adopters, pioneers if you will, and ReSound tend to fall into that category. But, for some reason, they’ve held back from the AI bandwagon so far. But not for much longer, as the ReSound Vivia is claiming to be the smallest AI powered hearing aid yet.

What’s exciting about this? Well, what really matters is what’s inside. Vivia features Intelligent Focus, which is designed to work more like the brain does, pulling speech out of noise and making conversations clearer, even in challenging environments. It also supports Bluetooth LE audio and Auracast, just like the previous Nexia, so it’s built for the future of wireless connectivity.

This is looking really good on paper, at least. One of the downsides to using AI processing in hearing aids is that it requires a separate processing chip and it is incredibly power hungry. So, AI powered hearing aids tend to be bigger to make way for more technology and a bigger battery.

If you take the Phonak Infinio Sphere, for example, whilst you get amazing technology, it’s a bit of a compromise on the form factor. The sphere is a big hearing aid and the battery life in AI mode isn’t that great.

ReSound, however, are claiming excellent battery life in AI mode, and the same form factor as the Nexia, which is one of, if not the smallest, rechargeable, receiver in the canal (RIC) devices on the market. How have they managed to do this? How does it sound? I don’t know yet, but I’ll be getting my hands on some soon and will be putting them through their paces.

When can we expect to see it in the UK? Well, ReSound usually launches new technology in the US first but, based on previous timelines, I’d expect Vivia to land in the UK sometime around spring. This means it won’t be long before we can actually test it out and see how it stacks up.

Now, every time Widex announces an event, we at Alto get a little bit excited, because when they launch a new platform it’s usually a big deal. But, let’s be honest here, Widex is long overdue a platform update. The last time they introduced a major platform shift was Widex Moment, which came out in 2020.

That was over four years ago and since then we’ve seen plenty of great technology updates from them – things like the Sound Assist remote microphone and the SmartRIC, which has been a brilliant addition to their line-up. But, in terms of core technology, they’ve been working off the same platform for a while now.

So, what do I think? 2025 is the year that we’ll see a completely new Widex platform, and if they stick to what they do best, we can expect them to double down on natural sound quality.

Widex users love that incredibly clean, detailed sound that makes everything feel natural, thanks to features like zero delay technology, which reduces processing time. So, I’d expect them to take that even further, maybe we’ll see new processing algorithms that improve how sound is reconstructed, or even more refinements to how AI shapes the listening experience.

If Widex does launch new platform this year, it’s going to be a major moment for hearing aid technology.

Now Phonak has just launched their Infinio platform, which means we probably won’t see anything new from them this year in terms of chip sets, but their sister company Unitron, that’s a different story.

Unitron is still running on an older chip, whilst Phonak’s latest models have already moved to Infinio. Historically, Unitron tends to follow just behind Phonak, often using the same core technology but with their own unique approach to features and fitting flexibility.

Infinio sound really nice and we’ve had some great success with them recently, especially for first time users. So, I’d say a Unitron launch is almost guaranteed this year. If they follow the usual pattern, this will probably mean we’ll see Unitron adopting the Infinio chipset, bringing them up to the latest AI powered processing and making their models much more competitive with what Phonak have just released.

The real question is will Unitron add anything unique or will they just mirror what Phonak is doing? If Unitron can carve out their own identity, while still benefiting from that powerful new chip, they could be a serious contender in 2025.

So, in terms of confirmed new technology, we’ve got the ReSound Vivia coming this spring, Widex is almost certainly launching a longer overdue new platform, and Unitron is likely going to catch up with Phonak’s latest processing power.

That’s a lot of movement in the hearing tech world and, dare I say, there could be surprises from other manufacturers along the way – think Oticon, Starkey, Signia – let’s wait and see what they’ve got up their sleeve. I think we’re in for a really interesting year!

So, what’s next in hearing aid technology? Well, as I’ve said already, we’ve already seen huge advances in the last few years. AI has arrived, connectivity is improved, and streaming has become much more seamless. But, we’re still scratching the surface in terms of what hearing aids will look like in the future.

There are a few areas that I think are going to define hearing aid innovation in 2025 and beyond. Some of these we know are coming, others are pure speculation, but they’re all incredibly exciting.

So, AI is already making a difference to hearing aids, helping to separate speech from background noise and find tuning settings based on your environment. But what if hearing aids don’t just react to your surroundings, but predict what you need before you even think about it?

Right now, AI driven hearing aids adjust in real time, but what if they could go a step further, learning your routine, understanding the places you visit regularly, and automatically setting themselves up for the best possible hearing experience?

Walk into your favourite café and the aids already know you want to focus on the person across from you, not the cluttering of the coffee cups. Step into a theatre and they instantly shift to a setting that enhances distant speech. AI is already impressive, but the next step is anticipatory hearing, where your hearing aids are always one step ahead.

And then there’s real time machine learning. Right now, some AI powered hearing aids, like Widex and Signia, let you compare two different settings and choose which sounds better. But what if your hearing aids could take that a step further, constantly running thousands of micro adjustments in the background, tweaking your hearing experience based on what your brain actually likes, rather than just a set of pre-programmed options? We’ve seen elements of this so far, but I think manufacturers are going to improve on this massively, and that’s where I think we’re headed.

Now, we’re right at the start of a new era of wireless audio with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, but I don’t think people quite realise how big this is going to be. But what about taking it even further?

Right now, connectivity is mostly about entertainment, but what if we saw even better smart home integration, built directly into hearing aids? Imagine getting real time audio notifications straight into your ears. Your doorbell rings and your hearing aids gently lower the volume of what you’re listening to and let you know someone’s at the door. Maybe your hearing aids could even alert you to something like a boiling kettle or an alarm going off in another room.

The technology exists and we’ve seen small elements of it before, but I think this is something that might take even more of a front seat with AI processing ability.

So, where does this all leave us? 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year. We’ve got confirmed new technology from ReSound, likely a major platform refresh from Widex, and probably a new chip set from Unitron.

But beyond that, we’re looking at AI that thinks ahead of you, connectivity that replaces outdated loop systems, and sound processing that could revolutionise speech clarity. I think we’re on the verge of hearing technology being completely redefined. This is going to help so many more people hear better and I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

To say up to date with the latest hearing aid advances, as well as our honest and independent reviews, please visit our Alto Hearing YouTube channel.

Review by Adam Bostock – Senior Audiologist