The future of hearing health: Insights from Audio Collaborative 2025
The conversation around hearing health is rapidly evolving, and nowhere was this more evident than at the Audio Collaborative 2025 conference. The panel on “The Future of Hearing Health” brought together leading voices from across the industry - Rasika D’Souza (Futuresource), Blair Werp (Qualcomm), Alastair Moore (RNID), and Elfed Howells (Elevear) who set to the stage to discuss how technology, design, and innovation are shaping a more inclusive and healthier audio future.
The importance of hearing health in product design
A central theme of the panel was the critical role of hearing health in product design. The panellists emphasised that:
-
Inclusive design: Involving people with hearing loss in the design process is essential. This ensures that products are genuinely accessible and meet the real needs of users, rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions.
-
Prevention & awareness: Devices should not only support those already experiencing hearing loss but also help prevent it. Features such as safe listening modes, volume controls, and user education are now seen as vital components of responsible product design.
Key themes & insights
Rising Prevalence and Awareness
The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2050, 2.5 billion people will have some form of hearing loss, with one in ten experiencing disabling hearing loss. Hearing issues are no longer just associated with ageing; younger people are increasingly affected due to prolonged content consumption in various environments. The audio industry is responding by prioritising hearing health, driving both innovation and awareness.
Prevention vs. intervention
The panel highlighted the need for both preventative and supportive measures:
-
Preventative measures: Educating users about safe device usage and volume control to avoid hearing damage.
-
Intervention: Supporting those already experiencing hearing loss with accessible technology and features. Devices like earbuds can both protect (via noise cancellation) and potentially harm (if misused) hearing, making education and design choices more important than ever.
Social and behavioural impact
Hearing loss can lead to social isolation, especially as modern hearables make it harder for others to notice when someone is listening at unsafe volumes. There are also safety concerns—such as not hearing warnings in public spaces—and links to broader health issues, including cognitive fatigue and increased dementia risk. Early intervention is crucial, but many people delay seeking help for years.
Product design and industry response
The industry is moving towards more inclusive designs, actively involving people with hearing loss in product development. There’s a shift towards positive messaging—focusing on enhancing the listening experience for everyone, rather than simply “fixing” hearing. With the huge growth in consumer hearables, these devices can now provide a “first step” correction, encouraging users to seek further help if needed. Audio personalisation is becoming more prevalent, allowing consumers to listen in a way that sounds right for them. It’s encouraging to see the industry taking ownership to educate consumers, promote safe listening, and create an inclusive environment for enjoying entertainment and content.
Technology and AI in hearing health
Modern hearing health devices now routinely include advanced features such as Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), voice enhancement, and improved speech intelligibility. These are no longer reserved for high-end products—they are becoming standard expectations.
Artificial intelligence is at the heart of some of these advancements, enabling devices to:
-
Process sound in real time: AI algorithms can instantly analyse audio, distinguishing between different types of sounds. For example, they can block out background noise while allowing important sounds—like speech or alarms—to come through clearly.
-
Personalise the listening experience: Devices can learn from users’ habits and preferences, automatically adjusting settings to suit different environments (such as a busy street versus a quiet office). This ensures both optimal enjoyment and protection for the user’s hearing.
The result is clearer, safer, and more comfortable listening—whether using headphones, earbuds, or hearing aids. AI-driven personalisation also helps make these devices more accessible and effective for people with varying degrees of hearing ability.
Auracast and other technologies
The panel also spotlighted cutting-edge technologies like Auracast—a new Bluetooth audio broadcast standard that allows clear, low-latency audio to be transmitted directly to compatible headphones, earbuds, or hearing aids. This technology has powerful real-world applications, such as in train stations or airports, where announcements can be sent straight to users’ devices, greatly improving accessibility for people with hearing loss. The panel advocated for widespread adoption, suggesting that “every headphone should have this technology starting now.”
Other innovations, such as AI-powered edge processing, are enabling devices to adapt in real time to users’ environments and needs. Features like speech enhancement are being made available to all users, not just hidden in accessibility menus, promoting inclusivity and mainstream adoption.
Positive messaging and user experience
The industry is moving away from a “fix your hearing” approach, instead emphasising the enhancement of the listening experience for everyone. This positive messaging makes hearing health a valued part of product design. At the same time, advanced features must be easy to use—overly complex technology can alienate users, so simplicity and clear communication are essential.
Don’t miss the full panel discussion from Audio Collaborative 2025 for a deeper dive into these topics and to hear directly from the experts shaping the future of hearing health. The session is now available to stream, an essential watch for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, design, and wellbeing in audio. Download here.
To learn more about the full hearables report, please contact luke.brodin@futuresource-hq.com.
About Futuresource Consulting
Futuresource Consulting is a leading research and consulting firm, providing in-depth analysis and strategic insights across technology, media and consumer electronics.
Press Contact: Nicola Finn, Marketing Manager, Futuresource Consulting, nicola.finn@futuresource-hq.com
Latest Consumer Electronics Reports
Latest Consumer Electronics Insights