Bluetooth hearing aids have messed up app notifications

[Gallopinhairpin]

I have a Samsung S22 running Android 13. Recently I was issued a pair of Danalogic Bluetooth hearing aids. These operate with an app called BeMore. Among the facilities available is audio streaming direct from the phone. I haven't changed any settings in the phone or the app to enable this but nevertheless I found that some app audible notifications had started coming through the aids. I say "some" because not all do and to make matters worse I stopped getting sounds or vibration from the phone itself.

I've found that when the aids are turned off (overnight). or if I turn off Bluetooth on the phone, most of the notifications revert to the phone. One, my K-9 email client, doesn't. I've rechecked all the app settings. Everything is still enabled and the sound (Concertina) plays if I tap it but I don't get sound or vibration when a message arrives. Volume is set to maximum both in the notification settings and via the manual key on the phone.

This query is a bit of a last resort because I can't find any troubleshooting information or Forums on the Danalogic website. I'm just hoping that someone on here might have had experience with similar problems and might be able to offer some advice.

 

[Hadron]

This sounds like the phone is treating the hearing aids like headphones, since it's normal when they are connected for all audio, including notifications, to be routed to the headphones rather than using the phone speaker. As I'm not a hearing aid user I don't know whether there is a distinct bluetooth profile for those or how a phone would handle them differently, but if it's not in the BeMore app's settings I wonder whether the phone is seeing them as headphones and routing stuff to them independently of the app. Maybe go into the Bluetooth settings and tap the gear icon next to the device in the list of known devices and see what it says there (what sources it can route and what "audio device type" it thinks the hearing aids are?

The "some" part is more confusing, since it's not obvious why that should be. Though my s21 has an option in its Sounds settings "Separate app sound" which allows you to play some apps' sounds through a separate audio device and others through the phone speakers. Though that should require setting up (list of apps and choosing an audio device) before you can enable it, so shouldn't happen by accident. Probably worth checking anyway.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

Thanks for your reply. I think you're probably right that it's treating the aids as Bluetooth headphones. One thing I omitted to say was that I discovered I could stream audio files to the aids which tends to bear that out. Supposedly I should also be able to take phone calls through the aids but I haven't tried that yet. Thus far I've not found any settings in the BeMore app or in Bluetooth that offer any control over it.

My memory is rather confused over the issues I've experienced with the alert sounds and vibrations. While I had Bluetooth turned on I think I remember getting alerts through the aids from the email client but certainly not from the other apps (Messages and Whatsapp). To make things even more confusing I found that if I went into Settings, found the sounds for these apps, and tapped on them then all three played through the aids but with the possible exception of the email client they didn't play through the aids or through the phone when a message arrived. I'm now wondering if this has any significance for the lack of alerts for email with Bluetooth off. Maybe some flag somwhere in the OS has been toggled that's not visible in any settings.

I'm still fumbling my way forward with this and many things are unclear at the moment so I need to do some proper experiments then I'll report back.

 

[olbriar]

Hearing aids and Android is a slippery slope. My aids worked flawlessly with older versions of Android but have not behaved with Android 13. My phone thinks notifications are sent to my aids but my aids do not receive them way too often. I miss notification because the both the phone and the aids are silent. A temporary fix is to turn BT off and then back on. The connection will work for a while then without warning will quit working. An off and back on of BT will once again reconnect the phone and aids. The problem is... on never knows when the connection is broken to reboot BT and I miss many calls and notifications. Both Android and my hearing aid company are aware of the problem. I don't expect my aids to get a firmware upgrade for they are no longer in production. My hope is that Android have addressed the problem with 14 which I have not received. The connection problem makes using my aids with Android a worse than worthless feature as is.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

Thanks olbriar, that's very interesting and useful information. Although my symptoms are not exactly the same as yours it's clear from what you've said I shouldn't expect to get my aids working properly with my phone while it's running Android 13. I think my aids are probably still in current production so I'll try to contact the manufacturer to see if they're aware of the problem and have any updates pending.

The thing that's annoying me most at the moment is that somehow the use of Bluetooth with my aids has corrupted the alerts of my email client so it no longer works with Bluetooth turned off.

 

[olbriar]

Does your phone alerts work as before if you have your aids off or in their charger?

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

If you re-read the second paragraph of my original post you'll see I've answered your question.

My aids are not recharcheable.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

I still can't get notifications back on the email client. All settings look correct, see attached screenshots, and I've even tried toggling each of them off and on to see if that will reset something.

I've now emailed the aid manufacturer to see whether they're aware of the overall problem. I'll report back when/if I get a response.

Edit: Since this post I have had alerts from K-9 on receipt of messages but it still doesn't do it every time. I'm still investigating that.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

On the subject of notifications is it me or have the Android notification settings become considerably more disorganised in recent versions? For example when trying to find and set an individual sound for each app there seems to be no consistency in the paths to the list of sounds. You have to go hunting around trying lots of different links until you hopefully hit on the right one and once you've learned all these they change with the next version. It seems as though every time a new version comes out the developers throw all the cards in the air and start from scratch. What happened to evolution ffs?

 

[olbriar]

I wish I had some answer for your missing notifications. While you wait to hear back from the aid manufacturer you might try this simple test. Turn off your aids, reboot your phone, and see if your K9 notifications return to your phone. Your notification settings seem correct.

Another test suggested from a google search was to forget the BT to aids connection and to go through the process of establishing that connection again. I wish I had more to offer. I know that the problem has to be frustrating.

 

[Hadron]

On the subject of notifications is it me or have the Android notification settings become considerably more disorganised in recent versions? For example when trying to find and set an individual sound for each app there seems to be no consistency in the paths to the list of sounds. You have to go hunting around trying lots of different links until you hopefully hit on the right one and once you've learned all these they change with the next version. It seems as though every time a new version comes out the developers throw all the cards in the air and start from scratch. What happened to evolution ffs?

If there isn't consistency in how individual apps set notification sounds that's because those apps are doing their own thing rather than using the system dialogue. I just checked half a dozen apps that I know I have custom notifications for and all but one used the same setting tool, almost all through the system notification settings. The one exception was Facebook Messenger, and FB are notorious for writing software badly. So actually I'd say that my apps (all third party, by the way) are very consistent on this, if anything more so than 10 years ago.

But are you using "paths" in the technical sense (Linux file paths) and using a file browser to set the sounds? Because I can't think of any reason the locations would change, and if you keep your own notifications in the standard location (a Notifications folder in the internal storage) and use the system sound picker to select sounds you don't need to worry about actual file paths.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

I suppose this ought really to be in a separate thread as it's a bit off topic. However in answer to your questions:

I was going in via Settings > Notifications > App Notifications as shown in my earlier screenshots so I'm sure you're right in that the apps are 'doing their own thing'. As you can see it was then necessary to drill down through three more pages to find the sound and it was not obvious that tapping 'Messages' in the penultimate page would get me there - it appeared to be just a switch for notifications for messages. Note also that "Allow notifications" appears in two successive pages which is a bit confusing - does this switch have a different effect in each or is it duplicated? I guess only the app developers can answer that.

Having said all that I've just checked my last phone, an S5, and the sounds are no easier to find in that so it's clearly just my memory playing tricks.

I was using "path" in the sense of the route to the desired page.

I haven't come across the system sound picker. That's a new one on me. How does that work and how do you get to it?

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

Hi olbriar,

Thanks again for your reply. I always turn my phone off overnight and also my aids so I've effectively done what you suggest. In fact, as I mentioned in my edit to my earlier post I am now getting sound and vibration notifications from K-9 although not every time a new message comes in. I think what's happening is that if I have the app open and swipe down to tell it to look for new messages it won't generate an alert. That's quite logical since I'm looking at the screen. I also don't get alerts if my PC reads the message from the server first and I've always accepted that as a feature of K-9.

Before I do any further experiments I'm going to wait for a response from the manufacturer. As it's a weekend it'll obviously take a few days but as soon as I know more I'll report back.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

I've had a very prompt response from the manufacturer. Looks like I'm out of luck :

*******************
Please check our list of compatible phones on our website.

go.gn.com/app-support

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

These are the S22 models listed as compatible, the regular S22 is not listed as compatible due to connectivity issues. If this is the case you can disconnect the devices in Bluetooth. This will only affect the streaming settings of the phone, any use off the app is still possible.
********************

Needless to say I have the regular S22

I don't understand what they mean by disconnecting the devices in Bluetooth and still being able to use the app. Is disconnecting different from unpairing?

If I can use the app I can live without the streaming.

 

[olbriar]

That is a bummer that the aids are not compatible with your phone. Both phone and aids are a substantial investment. I don't know if you are within the grace period of your recent Danalogic acquisition but you might check with your audiologist and see if they can be traded for a compatible aid. Being connected to the phone is a wonderful feature when it works. Notifications and especially phone calls going straight to the aids keeps you in the loop and makes communication outstanding.

I would think that disconnecting the aids from BT would be unpairing them. I don't know how the BeMore app would have the ability to manage your aids without a BT connection. Being as they were so prompt at returning mail, it might be worth your time to ask exactly what they are advising. You can also test the connection by turning off BT or unpairing the aids and see if the BeMore app remains a tool to manage sound profiles.

I ultimately hope that your audiologist will take care of you. It's not the end of the world if you can't get any satisfaction but it is a shame if you are forced to use your fathers tech with the leading edge equipment you have invested in. Good luck!

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

It is indeed disappointing. I can see you are not in the UK . My aids were provided by the NHS so I don't have the option of exchanging them for different ones, even if compatible ones exist for my phone. From what I've gleaned it appears that I would have had a much wider choice and much greater success if I'd owned an iPhone. I agree that being able to stream telephone ringtones and receive calls would be really useful. I did actually manage to stream a music file before I turned the Bluetooth off but being unable to receive alerts is not really acceptable.

Like you I would have thought that disconnecting the aids would be the same as unpairing them and I can't see how the app could then communicate. I was waiting to see if I got any suggestions here before I asked the manufacturer to clarify what they were advising but I think I will get back to them.

 

[olbriar]

iPhone lead the way for phone and aid connections. Most all recently manufactured aids are compatible with them. I put off getting aids far too long. Mostly I didn't want to admit my hearing was very poor. I then waited a number of years until the ability to stream was somewhat incorporated in the Android OS and some phones. I did a lot of research before buying just to make sure that my phone and aid purchase were compatible. I was a happy consumer until Android 12 and 13 when my solid connection became intermittent. Now I'm just frustrated. I do enjoy being able to hear again though I went so long without aids that I have a lot of trouble understanding speech. I hear it but I don't understand it far too often.

By the sounds of your situation, your only course of action is to replace your phone. I don't know your situation but when you upgrade your current phone you should make certain that they are compatible with your aids. Your S22 is a great phone and close to the leading edge of tech. I love my S21 or I would change phones as well. BT streams to aids isn't a must but it is nice. It's a shame that aid consumers are of a minority and it simply isn't a priority of Android and phones that use the OS.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

I've only recently bought my S22 so it will be a while before I upgrade again - I kept the last one for 7 years!

I didn't hesitate to go for a hearing test as soon as I became aware my hearing was getting poor. You'll probably laugh but I check my hearing by how well I can hear the bleeps from my house alarm panel, which is in the cloak cupboard. That's how I knew it was time to do something. I've had aids for 10 years now.

It's interesting what you say about understanding speech as I'm experiencing the same problem. Often speech, especially from the TV or radio, just sounds like a garbled mix of sound. I've started to think this is a problem with cognition due to old age rather than hearing although I do think that people on TV don't articulate their speech as clearly as in the past. I don't have such severe problems with recordings of material from many years ago.

I've had another quick response from the manufacturer :

"if you go to your settings on the phone and click on Bluetooth, the list of connected devices will show. If you click on the hearing aids and select disconnect, the streaming connection will stop."

I've done this and it does work. The Bemore app still controls the aids and the phone still produces alerts and vibration so I'm a (fairly) happy bunny.

 

[olbriar]

I'm not getting old, I'm there. My audiologist explained my speech recognition problem was due to being so tardy to getting aids. I actually understand speech far better without my aids. I have to be close to hear it however. I think the problem is related more to the added frequencies I now hear with the aids. I listen to sixties and seventies music all of the time. I've heard the same songs for decades yet they sound so different now that they are difficult to recognize at first and sound muddy like it is a different artist doing the songs. I had fifty+ years to adapt to my hearing deficit and only five years to adapt to my aids. Who knows. I do feel more connected with the world with my aids but it's not a hearing cure. I guess that's why they are called hearing aids and not hearing fix.

I think it's outstanding that your aid company has been so quick to respond to your problem. Having the ability to use the BeMore app to manage sound profiles and volume is a real plus. I suspect that the app also has a limited but useful equalizer as well. I created a profile that makes speech and music much easier for me to understand.

The feature to stream to your aids is an added perk that can easily be lived without. Being able to manage your hearing is paramount. I'm glad that you have that feature. It's wonderful while out dining or in a crowd to pull your phone out and dial in the situation for best hearing. It draws no attention and so easily accomplished.

 

[Hadron]

I think the manufacturer got confused: you said "s22", they saw "s22 5G" on their list of compatible devices and jumped to the conclusion that this is a different model. But in fact there is no non-5G version of the s22, they are all "s22 5G" (but nobody ever bothers saying "5G" because it's redundant). As far as I know the s20 was the last model to come in both 5G and non-5G models. I have also confirmed that the Samsung UK site shows no non-5G version (and sometimes calls it the s22 5G but in most places just the s22).

Disconnecting is not the same as unpairing, but I still don't see how the app would communicate with the aids when disconnected.

The difference is that when two devices are paired they recognise each other and can connect (or disconnect) whenever needed. If they are unpaired they are unknown to each other, and you have to go through the pairing again to connect. So my headphones are paired with my phone, which means that when I turn them on they will connect to it and the phone will route audio through them, but when one of my students turns their headphones on my phone won't start routing audio to them because they are not paired.

My kitchen radio is an example of a device my phone is paired with but which I connect to (and disconnect from) manually: normally I leave it disconnected, but if I want to catch up on a radio programme I missed I'll open my bluetooth preferences, find the radio in my list of paired devices, and touch that to connect to it, then go to BBC Sounds and play the programme (i.e. I use the kitchen radio as a bluetooth speaker). When I've finished I'll go back to the bluetooth preferences and touch the radio in the list of devices to disconnect from it again (because I don't want every sound I play to go through the radio for the rest of the evening). If I wanted to unpair I'd touch the geat icon by the radio's name and select "unpair" from the options. But the point here is that when the radio is disconnected the phone doesn't play sounds through it, so I don't know what they mean (unless just that you can control hearing aid settings using the app and then disconnect it).

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

I'm not getting old, I'm there

I'm old enough to remember someone wearing a hearing aid consisting of a single earphone and a box hanging on a lanyard round their neck 😆.
Yes the app does have a very basic equaliser : bass, mid and treble.

I still don't see how the app would communicate with the aids when disconnected

Me neither but it does. Assuming you're right about the S22 5G my phone ought to be compatible but it clearly isn't. Maybe that's down to the version of Android as olbriar suggested. I don't know if I'll ever get an update to another version and if so whether that would resolve the streaming issue. Time will tell I guess.

I don't know what they mean (unless just that you can control hearing aid settings using the app and then disconnect it

No, it controls the aids while disconnected. In fact when the app is closed it continues to run in the background to support a rather smart function that can switch between a set of preset settings (called Favourites) depending on the phone's location. So if I have set it up to assist with a high noise level in a pub, for example, it can automatically switch to that setting whenever I go there.

 

[Hadron]

Me neither but it does. Assuming you're right about the S22 5G my phone ought to be compatible but it clearly isn't. Maybe that's down to the version of Android as olbriar suggested. I don't know if I'll ever get an update to another version and if so whether that would resolve the streaming issue. Time will tell I guess.

The s22 should get updates all the way to Android 16, in about 2 year's time (Android 14 is rolling out now). It's more likely that the hearing aid manufacturer will fail to update things than that your Android version won't be updated. However there's always a risk when 2 different companies are involved that each will decide it's the other's job to fix a problem, or that the bigger one (the phone manufacturer, or worse, Google themselves) will just feel it's not really a priority for them.

 

[Gallopinhairpin]

Yes, I agree it seems very likely that Google won't regard it as a priority. Looking on the bright side if the aid manufacturer decides to do something about it at least it's possible to update the firmware using the app. One can live in hope.