I didn’t realise that and it’s disappointing, but I believe if you have the Audioclip that it can be paired with other devices.
The TP Link UB500 V2 USB nano dongle is sold as Bluetooth 5.3, is very cheap and potentially might solve the problem but there are very complicated discussions going on on their forum with early adopters having compatibility problems of different kinds.
It’s Bluetooth 5.3. No mention of LE Audio, so still Bluetooth Classic Audio. Won’t do anything for the Philips. Sure, the Audioclip might do what you want if you don’t mind the extra device.
How could they have made Bluetooth LE Audio so confusing? I’m normally fairly tech savvy but this one has my head in a spin! 
I am having doubts now, thinking Spheres may be the way to go, more so for the excellent reviews and simplicity of the bluetooth. Not really interested in the connect clip, so it would probably mean a new phone, that would be another £500 or £600 on top of what I have so far paid. Getting closer but still a way to go to Wholesale Hearings price for the Sphere’s £2500.
I’m having similar thoughts. I’m attracted to the Philips because of the price obviously but also because I have heard good reports about their ability to handle music. I reckon that Phonak will quite soon bring out an HA which integrates the 2 processors in the Infinio with better power handling. As a glasses wearer (who isn’t?) I’m put off by the size of the Infinios too.
Why would you need a new phone for the Philips? They will apparently pair to iPhones and Androids no? Do you self program? If not, with Wholesale Hearing you are really stuck with the Target software’s generic fitting profile for your audiogram. Having said that, that’s pretty much all you get at Costco anyway.
The main reason I would require a new phone is for hands free calls as my current phone is not LE compatible. I have backtracked on my decision regarding the audio clip, and prepared to give it a try. Did you go for the tv streamer or clip? No I don’t self program.
I went for the clip without even realising that it was needed to connect to my PC.
Their website says the bare hearing aids are compatible with my iPhone 11 for two way communication (£200 on Amazon). Pixel 7 similar price.
My Android phone requires the clip. If I decide to keep the 9050’s I may look at a change of phone but not into the latest and greatest Samsung or iPhone, probably a older model like the ones you mentioned.
I’m not unduly bothered about needing the clip. If I can be paired to more than two devices I will be pleased and that will compensate for having to have the clip. I read somewhere they connect with the closest paired device and that might not always be so great.
https://www.connevans.co.uk/product/41460505/3L194850/Philips-HearLink-Hearing-Aid-AudioClip-Bluetooth-Link-and-Wireless-Microphone I feel a little happier, not all doom and gloom. Lol
Are you sure the Moto Edge will work with the 9050 the way you want it to work? Philips seems to say their aids need the clip to work with a Moto Edge.
Well, my ears -while using the 9050s - tell me the Moto Edge (2024) will stream music to the 9050s. Once I port a phone number in, I’ll know what the device will do with on a phone call: two way -or- only streaming audio IN.
I find it disappointing that the cell phone manufacturers don’t incorporate the same programming and Bluetooth circuitry into their phones as Phillips, and the two dozen other HA manufacturers put into the “clips”. In the Corporate world, you just need to follow the money to see the rational behind the actions. My guess is that it’s either a side-agreement they all have with one another, or the HA companies are charging Samsung/Sony/Motorola/OnePlus/RedMi/etc./etc outrageous fees to use the circuitry/software/technology.
?? Gentleman’s Agreement or Dollars, or, what would you guess?
Edit: Apple gets a royalty from any one who uses their MFi technology (It’s apparently Hardware+Software) to connect to an Apple product. https://mfi.apple.com/en/faqs Per other sources, these royalties are a significant revenue generator for Apple.
I have 9050s and the AudioClip. My Samsung S22+ does not do LE audio, but does do ASHA, and it streams phone call audio OK without the clip. But that is not hands free. I have paired the clip to 2 PCs and the phone. I get sound to the phone, but no sound from the clip microphone to the PC/phone. I don’t know what the problem is. My Oticon ConnectClip works fine (microphone audio included) with these devices.
That’s a bummer - standards are lacking or not being adhered to. Possibly a case of being an early adopter or rather ‘on the bleeding edge’. Let Philips know - they should be able to adapt the firmware if they already got it right with the Oticon version of the clip.
I was replying to someone in another thread about Bluetooth 5.3 and decided to ask Claude (the Anthropic AI) for an explanation. It’s good I think, although someone here may know better.
Bluetooth 5.3 is the core specification that includes both traditional Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) capabilities. Think of it as the foundation or complete package.
Bluetooth LE Audio is specifically a feature set built on top of BLE (Low Energy) that focuses on audio transmission. It was actually introduced with Bluetooth 5.2, but most implementations came with 5.3. The key features of LE Audio include:
1. LC3 codec - A more efficient codec that provides better audio quality at lower bit rates compared to the classic SBC codec
2. Multi-stream audio - Ability to send independent audio streams to multiple devices simultaneously
3. Broadcast Audio - Allows one device to broadcast to multiple receivers (like sharing audio with multiple listeners)
4. Lower power consumption for audio transmission
So while Bluetooth 5.3 is the complete specification including all features (both Classic and LE), LE Audio is a specific audio-focused feature set utilizing the Low Energy part of the protocol.
1 Like
There aren’t that many HA manufacturers. Signia, ReSound, Diamant, Starkey, and Phonak’s owner all market aids under multiple brand names.
Phonak and Apple don’t seem to be in a hurry to do BT LE Audio. ReSound, Signia, and Diamant have had aids for months that support BT LE Audio to at least some extent. I think Signia wasn’t as quick to market as the other 2, but their aids do it now, according to recent reports.
Apple has supported aids to some extent for some years. The Android standard before BT LE AUdio is ‘ASHA" (Android Streaming for Hearing Aids’). Google, Samsung, and OneTouch have supported ASHA for several years. Lenovo has not claimed adherence to ASHA, as far as I can see. I haven’t seen references to ASHA on the Lenovo website, which means that they don’t think it’s important enough to mention or that they don’t support it. That’s Lenovo’s users’ problem, not the aids’.
HA manufacturers list their compatibility with phones. If you have a phone that isn’t listed for your HAs, all bets are off.
If you check on Lenovo compatibility, you’ll see they specify a phone clip for Lenovo phones. If your Moto Edge doesn’t provide satisfaction without the clip, the problem is with the phone, not with the HA. The best approach is to use a phone that specifies compatibility with ASHA and/or BT LE Audio to connect to the 9050.
I think many of us will be interested in your results, so please post them.
If I were buying a new phone, I’d check my HA manufacturer’s compatibility list before buying, though. My Galaxy S20 5G wasn’t on anyone’s list, and it didn’t work well with my Jabras, so I switched to Apple. I do not like the Apple phone or ecosystem, but it’s much less annoying than my Samsung with my HAs. Other than that, Android is better for everything else I do on the phone - but the HA control is more important to me than all the other stuff combined. 
I have 9050’s for a month and had issues of streaming my phone calls. I went to Apple store and they suggested I update to iOS 18.0.1. Problem seems fixed. I did not realize that the HA app was also updated at the same time to 1.4.1, so that might have helped with connectivity as well. For the past 24 hours I had no connectivity issues
2 Likes
I was hoping to upgrade on speech clarity, going from the KS10s to the Phillips 9050. Bluetooth connectivity has been an issue. I have had the right side cut out. I’ve been told that I cannot have my phone in my pocket for the Bluetooth to be clear (to me and the other caller). Even out of my pocket, my wife won’t talk to me if I use Bluetooth due to background noise. The KS10s have never had this problem. I’m in conference calls many hours a week, and I’m able to get coffee, take bathroom breaks, etc., all with my phone in my pocket. This is the case with both my iPhone 13 Pro and 16 Pro.
Nope, just that it was updated by the audiologist when I got them.