The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday the regulation enabling access to over-the-counter hearing aids for millions of Americans. In an announcement, GN said it shares this ambition to bring hearing support to the millions in the US who have mild or moderate hearing loss but no hearing aid. Accordingly, GN confirms its intention to launch Jabra Enhance Plus, a miniaturized “true wireless earbud that delivers a 3-in-1 experience of hearing enhancement, music, and calls,” in the OTC hearing aid category.
Today, millions of people in the US with hearing loss benefit from the advice and care of a hearing care professional. However, there are still 50 million more who find themselves noticing some degree of hearing loss, perhaps occasionally and typically in noisy situations, who have not yet sought or found a solution that helps them with their particular hearing challenges. GN wants to help these people by developing new types of hearing solutions tailored to their lifestyles and compliant with the new OTC regulation.
Jabra Enhance Plus is engineered specifically for this audience. In a new, miniaturized true wireless form factor design, around half the size of Jabra’s smallest true wireless earbuds, it includes the calls, music functionality, and experience that users expect from true wireless earbuds, according to GN. They will provide “hearing help for users in a miniaturized, discreet, stylish, and comfortable design.” Their “extremely small size helps them visually blend in during conversations.” The earbuds can be individualized via a user’s smartphone through the Jabra Enhance app.
Jabra Enhance Plus has been selling through GN’s network of ReSound independents and Beltone partners and “has succeeded in opening hearing health care to a new audience” – on average, Jabra Enhance Plus users are 18 years younger than users of GN’s prescription hearing aid range*.
By planning to launch Jabra Enhance Plus under the new OTC hearing aid regulation, GN intends to make this innovative hearing health solution more widely accessible. Those looking to make their first step in their hearing health journey will also now be able to choose Jabra Enhance Plus in more channels, for instance at selected Best Buy stores and online in the fall.
While the intention is for Jabra Enhance Plus to be bought as easily as a pair of headphones in Best Buy or online, for those looking for more support for a purchase or after having acquired their Jabra Enhance Plus set, the nationwide network of Certified Jabra Enhance Centers (supplied by GN’s select Hearing Care Professional partners) is available to offer consultation and advice to Jabra Enhance Plus users.
Learn more about the new Jabra Enhance Plus at: www.jabra.com/enhance-plus.
* Internal GN data from US market
Source: GN
