Disconnect Hearing Aids using Tap or Switch

[Zaidy036]

I am looking for a quick way to disconnect and reconnect hearing aids on
an iPhone. This is so a companion can take part in a call with me
because when hearing aids are used the speaker is off.

The phone app includes on screen button selection of sound source
(speaker, hearing aid, etc.) but WhatsApp and Facetime do not. They
require going thru Settings-Accessibilty-Hearing Devices-MFI Hearing
Devices and then stop streaming to right and left separately. Another
slow method is instead of using MFI use Audio Routing-Call Audio and
change from Always to Never use Aids.

Double tap does not offer this function and I cannot figure out if
Switch Control or another method would work. Any suggestions would be
appreciated.

Yes, I have reported to Apple Facetime that a sound source button be added.

[Lewis]

In message <t47kn3$oi6$1...@dont-email.me> Zaidy036 <Er...@Bloch.com> wrote:
> I am looking for a quick way to disconnect and reconnect hearing aids on
> an iPhone. This is so a companion can take part in a call with me
> because when hearing aids are used the speaker is off.

I do not have any experience with hearing aids, but it is possible to
have a shortcut disable bluetooth, and it is quite possible that it is
also possible to discnnect the hearing aids.

For example, I have a shortcut "4G" that sets the phone to use LTE
(disabes the 5G entirely) and another, "5G" that enables 5G. I generally
leave my phone in LTE mode because it is 1) almost always on wifi and 2)
I am nearly never downloading very large items, but sometimes I need to
grab a 2-5GB file and then I turn on the 5G.

> The phone app includes on screen button selection of sound source
> (speaker, hearing aid, etc.) but WhatsApp and Facetime do not.

Control Center is available everywhere and lets you control the audio
output and input.

> They require going thru Settings-Accessibilty-Hearing Devices-MFI
> Hearing Devices and then stop streaming to right and left separately.
> Another slow method is instead of using MFI use Audio Routing-Call
> Audio and change from Always to Never use Aids.

This is probably something you can do in Shortcuts, and pair it with
automation. For example, have the shortcut disconnect the hearing aids
and then have an automation that when the hearing aids disconnect, set
output to speaker.

However, since i don't have hearing aids, I can't test any of this. This
might be a start, though it is already a bit outdated.

<https://tidbits.com/2020/05/30/exploring-hearing-aid-integration-in-ios/>

Other resources that might help are the Podfeet podcast which often has
episodes focusing on accessibility.

> Double tap does not offer this function and I cannot figure out if
> Switch Control or another method would work. Any suggestions would be
> appreciated.

The back-tap gestures can run any shortcut, so just about anything is
possible. As I said in another thread, my backtap connects to a remote
server and sends info into a remote shell script.

> Yes, I have reported to Apple Facetime that a sound source button be added.

Control Center.

Also, are you aware of the "live listen" feature of the phone? Not
related to your question but one of those very cool accessibility
features that everyone could make use of at some points.

--
To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you
hit the target.