TL;DR
- Android 17 Beta 3 brings new features for hearing aid users.
- It now allows them to silence notifications, ringtones, and other loud alerts from being played in their ears.
- The feature is expected to make its way to the stable Android 17 release.
Android 17 has stepped into its platform stability phase with the Beta 3 released yesterday. That means most of the changes we see with the latest build should make it to the stable version of Android 17. These newly added changes include broad support for “Bubbles” (floating windows), enhanced volume interface, more comprehensive VPN controls, and more. Along with these, Google also has an offering for folks with hearing difficulties.
Earlier this week, we spotted new settings in Android Canary to manage Bluetooth hearing aids better and limit certain noises from being played through them. Now, Google is bringing them to the beta channel with Android 17 Beta 3.
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With the latest update, the “Hearing devices” option inside Android’s Accessibility settings is getting two new toggles. While the first one lets users with hearing disabilities prevent notification alerts from chiming inside their hearing aids. Meanwhile, the second toggle prevents ringtones and alarms from blaring at high volume when hearing aids are connected.
Tushar Mehta / Android Authority
According to Google, this is designed to prevent “unwanted interruptions” from being played inside the ear. Besides the startling effect of sudden sounds, they can be especially harmful to people with impaired hearing and cause further damage.
Alongside ASHA-compatible hearing aids, these feature also applies to cochlear implants and other medical aids used to augment a user’s hearing capacity.
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