Sony on Tuesday announced a new over-the-counter hearing aid in partnership with hearing brand WS Audiology. Pulling from and advancing earlier models, the CRE-C20 hearing aid comes with a rechargeable battery and more.
Like other over-the-counter hearing aids, which became prescription-free following a new rule from the Food and Drug Administration that went into effect in late 2022, Sony's new OTC hearing aid is meant for adults with mild or moderate signs of hearing loss.
The CRE-C20 hearing aids are rechargeable.
SonySony has two other hearing aids on the market, the CRE-C10 and the CRE-E10. The C20 is similar to the C10 in form, Sony said, but it's rechargeable through its case, lasting up to 28 hours. The C20 hearing aids also pair with an improved hearing aid sleeve that provides more grip and is supposedly more comfortable; these aren't available for the C10 or E10. Sony says there's advanced sound technology in the C20, with a feature that prioritizes speech clarity while maintaining awareness of surrounding noises.
The new C20 hearing aids will retail at $1,000. With the new pair on the market, the C10 hearing aids will now have a suggested retail of $800; the E10 hearing aids, which resemble earbuds and -- like the new C20 -- are rechargeable, will be priced at $1,100. They'll be available through Sony and at Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, CVS.com, HearUSA and through some hearing care places.
The C20 hearing aids have a year-long warranty; the hearing aids will be adjustable through Sony's Hearing Control app.
Despite being a widespread public health problem and an almost-inevitable part of aging, hearing aid uptake remains relatively low among people who could benefit from hearing aids. While they're often cheaper than prescription devices, most quality over-the-counter hearing aids run at least several hundred dollars, and people still run into barriers in care when there's an issue with their hearing aid.
However, there's been hope that traditional tech companies such as Sony with brand appeal may close some of the gap between recreational audiology and hearing care since it was first bridged in 2022.
Read more: Will AirPods Beat Out OTC Hearing Aids as Devices More People Will Use?