March 2025 Ushers In A New Era Of Hearing Health

From Awareness to Transformation

As it does each year, March began with World Hearing Day on March 3rd, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about hearing health and access to care. The 2025 theme, “Changing Mindsets,” called for ending the stigma around hearing loss and making ear and hearing care a universal priority.

That message set the tone for a month filled with remarkable developments in auditory accessibility. What began as a campaign for awareness quickly evolved into industry-defining moments — shifting the conversation from hearing loss to hearing life.

Apple Continues to Redefine Hearing Health

Apple, long known for emotional storytelling wrapped in elegant product messaging, released its Someday video on the first day of spring to introduce the upcoming AirPods 4. Starring Pedro Pascal, the cinematic short follows a man navigating the quiet aftermath of a breakup. In his solitude, active noise cancellation becomes more than a feature — it becomes a form of emotional regulation.

The message is carried through more than just performance. The video’s expressive use of music, movement, and color elevates the narrative. A dance choreography of everyday, kind of funky, motions — paired with bold, saturated hues and carefully placed moments of silence — creates a world where emotion and environment are visually and sonically intertwined. Sound is not just heard — it is felt.

The behind-the-scenes footage, released alongside the campaign, further reveals Apple’s creative process. It shows how directors, designers, choreographers, and engineers came together to create something that’s part commercial, part art film. The goal was not to sell a feature. It was to create empathy for how we process noise that overwhelm us emotionally.

Apple’s intent was clear. This campaign wasn’t just about promoting a new product but about illustrating how personal tech can support emotional wellness. Apple showed how noise cancellation can play a meaningful role in hearing health and wellbeing.

GN Group Showcase a Global Shift

While Apple redefined the personal, GN Group showcased a leap forward in the public realm. At the Sydney Opera House, GN demonstrated the real-world potential of Auracast, a new broadcast audio standard built into its Nexia and newly launched Vivia hearing aids.

In a recent conversation, Peter Karlstromer, CEO of GN Group, shared with me that Auracast represents more than a technical feature — it is a fundamental shift in how people experience sound in public. His view is that GN’s work is not focused solely on hearing aids — it is about creating technologies that help people connect, communicate, and feel more fully part of the world around them.

“We don’t see hearing technology as something that fixes a problem,” Peter said. “We see it as a way to unlock participation — at work, at home, and in public. Auracast is an example of how we can take down barriers and create shared experiences through sound.”

He described Auracast as a meaningful step toward eliminating the friction and stigma that have long accompanied hearing assistance in public environments. Whether in concert halls or transit systems, the aim is to provide direct, high-quality access to hearing — without requiring extra effort or explanation from the user. GN’s contribution, as he framed it, is part of a broader mission: to design hearing technology that connect natural engagement with life.

Importantly, GN’s implementation of Auracast is not a standalone initiative but part of a much larger collaboration coordinated by the Bluetooth SIG, involving companies across sectors — from consumer electronics to AV infrastructure and public spaces. The real strength of Auracast lies in this multi-industry effort, which GN is helping to shape and accelerate with its leadership in hearing technology.

As we look at the momentum building around hearing health, it is worth reminding ourselves that greater auditory accessibility does not happen in isolation. It is the result of collaboration. The progress we are seeing today is made possible by partners aligning around shared values and inclusive design.

This kind of coordinated progress reflects a principle I have often heard from a colleague: “It takes a village.” GN and Bluetooth show what is possible when companies align around inclusion — not just as a product but that value is imperative.

On a personal note, I received the Vivia hearing aid this month. While I am still exploring its speech clarity technology, the improved Bluetooth connectivity and seamless Auracast integration are changing how I move through daily environments. It’s not just about hearing better — it is about engaging more deeply with the world around me.

Samsung and Google Join In

To close out March, it was announced that select Galaxy, Android and Pixel smartphones will support Auracast, marking another important milestone in the technology’s adoption. With this move, millions of Galaxy, Android and Pixel users — whether they use hearing aids, earbuds, or other receivers — can now tune into high-quality, broadcast audio in Auracast-enabled environments.

This is more than just a feature update. It signals that interoperability and public sound access are becoming baseline expectations across the tech landscape. From museums and airports to arenas and office spaces, the idea that anyone can tap into live audio — clearly and personally — is no longer hypothetical. It is here.

Auracast is set to redefine how we experience shared audio — think tuning into airport announcements, silently watching TVs at the gym, or sharing playlists with a crowd — all directly through your personal earbuds. It represents a shift from isolated listening to socially aware hearing.

According to ABI Research, 2.4 million Auracast-enabled deployments are projected by 2030, nearly half expected to transform public venues into audio-accessible environments at scale. These developments point to a massive opportunity for tech manufacturers, transportation hubs, entertainment venues, and workplaces aiming to improve inclusivity through sound.

Samsung’s and Google’s embrace of Auracast reinforces a broader shift: inclusive sound is no longer about specialized devices but mainstream access.

AAA 2025: A Profession at a Crossroads

As this article is being written, American Audiology of Academy (AAA) 2025 is underway in New Orleans. The event comes at a pivotal moment. The hearing care profession is navigating a transition between long-standing prescriptive models and a fast-moving over-the-counter market. These rapid shifts have introduced opportunity, disruption, and, at times, uncertainty.

Audiologists and hearing care providers are now being challenged to think beyond devices, to consider new delivery models, new expectations, and new ways to meet people where they are. The goal is not just broader access to hearing care — it is meaningful, intuitive, and human-centered care.

The Sound of Progress

What we have witnessed this March is more than a collection of product launches and announcements. It is a collective movement built on storytelling, empathy, and partnership.

Apple reframed noise management as emotional support. GN and Bluetooth turned technical infrastructure into a shared human experience. Samsung and Google made it clear that this is a future for everyone, not just a select few. And the hearing care profession is being challenged to rethink how it offers hearing solutions.

This moment is not just about hearing technology. It is about designing for dignity, participation, and connection.

March 2025 was not a bad month for auditory accessibility, after all.

And that is what progress should look and sound like.