Sony and WSA(WS Audiology from Denmark) have partnered together, but what for? With the agreement, the brands aim to develop and supply new products and services in the OTC(Over The Counter) self-fitting hearing aid market.
And both brands plan to start with the market of the United States. With the partnership, the brands combine the technological and medical expertise that each of the brands has.
This combination of expertise will eventually result in the creation of solutions that will shape and carry this new field forward. Towards the end of the agreement, the field will be capable of leveraging Sony’s longstanding product and audio maturation technologies.
Furthermore, the partnership will also leverage the brand image of Sony, its consumer sales, and its service infrastructure that takes care of a wide array of products.
And with the strength that WSA has in terms of hearing aid technology and innovation, the distribution power in the professional channel of this partnership has a high potential as well.
Let’s not forget that hearing aids have been at the forefront in terms of providing better solutions for people who have hearing loss for more than 100 years.
Nonetheless, the companies will prioritize the most in offering enhanced services and products. They will strive to create OTC hearing aids that will not only be comfortable to wear but will offer a natural fit.
Basically, by focusing on hearing aids, the brands are trying to make a world where high-end hearing aids can easily be obtained by those who need them. And by high-end, both the brands aim to offer something that is easy to use and has personalization features.
WSA and Sony are working on the first ever product in the partnership. It will be launched under the Sony brand. And it is for the U.S market. The FDA(Food and Drug Administration) published the final ruling for this product on August 16th, 2022.
And the ruling allows the hearing aids to be sold as an OTC product that does not require any prescription. It will be effective from October 2022. The details regarding the product will be out as soon as the product reaches close to the launch date.
According to the Deputy President of the New Business & Technology Development Group of Sony, “Sony Corporation’s vision is to continue to deliver Kando and Anshin to people and society across the world through the pursuit of technology and new challenges.”
He further added, “We are honored to collaborate with WSA, one of the leading companies in hearing aid field, building up the trust of users for many years. We strive to utilize our longstanding technologies to contribute to ‘Anshin’ in people’s daily lives, and create ‘Kando’ by expanding the possibilities of future products and services.”
Anshin and Kando are Japanese words with various meanings, such as reassurance, peace of mind, trust, and reliability.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.