Personal audio meets public health, as Futuresource whitepaper explores the future of sound

With more than 1.5 billion people worldwide already experiencing some form of hearing loss, the line between consumer audio and hearing health is beginning to fade away. Futuresource Consulting’s latest whitepaper investigates how true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds and next-generation audio technologies are reshaping access to hearing support, challenging long-established categories and opening new opportunities for brands. 

“Personal audio is exploring worlds far beyond the realm of entertainment,” says Saranraj Mathivanan, Senior Consultant at Futuresource Consulting. “It’s becoming a key component of the hearing health conversation. From AirPods to Auracast, we’re witnessing a shift where consumer devices are stepping in to fill critical gaps in accessibility, design and affordability.” 

Earbuds as everyday hearing aids

The research shows that adoption of traditional hearing aids remains stubbornly low, even as hearing loss rises across both younger and older demographics. Social stigma, limited insurance coverage and complex fitting processes are all barriers to buying. In contrast, TWS earbuds are increasingly embedding hearing-assist features, such as amplification, conversational enhancement and adaptive transparency, all packaged up in familiar, desirable form factors. The implementation of these features may also help raise awareness of hearing loss, which could encourage greater acceptance and future adoption of prescription hearing aids. 

Products from Apple, Samsung, Google, Huawei, Sony, Bose and many others are redefining what hearing support looks like. In addition, software platforms and chipsets such as Bragi OS, Mimi Hearing Technologies, Qualcomm S5 and MediaTek Filogic are pushing boundaries further, with AI-driven speech separation, personalisation and Bluetooth LE Audio capabilities. 

Auracast and the new public soundscape

A central theme of the whitepaper is Auracast, the new Bluetooth LE Audio feature enabling one-to-many broadcast streaming. Already piloted at the Sydney Opera House, St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Munich Airport, Auracast promises to make public spaces more accessible by allowing users to tap into shared audio streams through their own earbuds or hearing aids. This leap could replace decades-old telecoil systems with a scalable, discreet digital standard. 

A market ready for growth

The Futuresource study projects hearables with hearing support features to almost double between 2024 and 2028, climbing from 48 million to 85 million units. The growing presence of health dashboards, biometric sensors and AI-powered personalisation suggests consumer audio could play a pivotal role in making hearing support more mainstream. 

“Technology is closing the gap between lifestyle audio and medical devices,” says Mathivanan. “We’re seeing the rise of a new category of hearables that deliver premium entertainment, personalised wellness and discreet hearing assistance all at once.  

“And while OTC hearing aids have faced slower adoption than many anticipated, the rising potential of hybrid models, tele-audiology and consumer-friendly fitting apps could be on track to reshape accessibility.” 

The new Futuresource whitepaper, 'Consumer TWS: Paving the Future of Hearing Health', provides a detailed analysis of market dynamics, product innovation and consumer adoption, offering critical insights for audio brands, healthcare providers and policymakers alike. 

For more information or to download the free version of the whitepaper, visit here.