An Auracast Assistant app is coming to Starkey’s phone app, enabling iPhone users to connect to an Auracast.
And there’s more: this is a major update for the company, which launched its Omega AI hearing aids last autumn. It is also introducing Google Fast Pair connectivity and a new Push To Talk system.
Starkey says these are powerful updates that will simplify access to shared audio, streamline device pairing, and enable new forms of communication between hearing aid wearers.
Auracast Assistant comes to the My Starkey app
Incorporating the Auracast Assistant into the My Starkey app removes the issue of some mobile phones not being Auracast-enabled. While Apple has yet to adopt Auracast, the issue isn’t confined to the iPhone, as only a limited range of Android devices have the Assistant app built in. They include Samsung devices and Google Pixel 9 and 10 running Android 16.
Starkey Edge AI and Omega AI hearing aid wearers will be able to tap to join an Auracast, streaming the audio directly to their devices. The app also includes controls to adjust the streaming or hearing aid microphone volume and to select a different language for streaming, if needed.
The company says this means hearing aid wearers can easily access shared audio in public spaces where Auracast has been installed, such as airports, gyms, houses of worship, theatres, and event venues. It will also work with personal Auracasts, including TV streamers and dongles.
Fast Pair technology for the Omega AI range
Google Fast Pair is a new service that uses Bluetooth LE to make it easier to connect to nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices without placing additional demands on a battery or the user.
Designed for easy connectivity, Fast Pair-enabled devices include speakers, headphones, car kits, mice and keyboards, and hearing aids. The device can be assigned a unique name and supports easy switching between streaming audio and a phone call.
Fast Pair can connect these devices to Android devices, Chromebooks and Android TVs. Because settings are stored in the Google Account, it is easy to port paired items across devices.
Starkey’s Omega AI will be updated to support this technology, enabling one-tap connection between the phone and hearing aids. Fast Pair will detect the hearing aids and end the hassle – and hope – of placing the hearing aids close to the phone and having to attempt to pair them several times.
It’s like a walkie-talkie… introducing Push To Talk
The final update to Omega AI’s connectivity is a new feature, which Starkey says is an industry first.
Push To Talk lets an Omega AI hearing technology wearer send a voice message directly to another wearer, a bit like a walkie-talkie.
The feature can be programmed as a double-tap user control through Starkey’s Smart Assistant, offering a simple, hands-free way to stay connected.
What Starkey says about its updates
Starkey says that the Auracast Assistant, Google Fast Pair, and Push to Talk represent the latest innovations of Omega AI, combining advanced Bluetooth connectivity with practical, human-centred design to help users stay connected to the world around them.
Dr Achin Bhowmik, Starkey’s Chief Technology Officer, is delighted with the launches.
“Innovation starts with building intelligent platforms that can continuously evolve,” he said.
“We designed Omega AI from the ground up to incorporate advanced AI, Bluetooth LE Audio, and an intelligent software architecture, enabling innovations like Auracast assistant, Google Fast Pair, and Push to Talk, and setting a new standard for seamless, future-ready connectivity in hearing technology.”
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