Hearing Aids Market

Market Overview

The global hearing aids market size was valued at USD 5.70 billion in 2022. It is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 8.01 billion in 2031, growing at a CAGR of 3.86% over the forecast period (2023–2031). The increasing demand for wireless and smart hearing aids drives the market's growth.

Hearing aids are mainly battery-powered electronic devices designed to relieve the strain of hearing for individuals suffering from hearing disabilities. These devices are available in small sizes and are easy to wear in or behind the ear. Usually, a hearing aid works with its three core components, which include:

• › A microphone that picks up sound around the user
• › An amplifier that makes the sound louder
• › A receiver that sends these amplified sounds into the ear of the wearer

The impact of hearing aids is an innovative and developing field, and the findings are mostly upbeat. It was observed that the effect of an individual's social life and mood might creep up on them if they fail to understand speech in a noisy environment. In such cases, surgery or other medical help can improve the condition. However, surgery is not appropriate for everyone. Therefore, the usage of hearing aids is highly recommended for the best treatment outcomes.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Growing Demand for Wireless and Smart Hearing Aids

People with hearing loss must deploy hearing aids to listen to various sounds and perform their daily activities continuously. Typically, conventional hearing aids limit the wearer's access to many personal activities, including audio devices such as mobile phones and music players. For instance, according to several research studies, it was found that earlier, to use a music player while jogging, a user was supposed to remove hearing aids to accommodate a pair of earbuds. Moreover, wireless technology is playing a pivotal role in people's lives worldwide, and the majority of the population worldwide now relies on wireless applications in some way or another.

Additionally, introducing wireless technology such as Bluetooth, electromagnetic compatibility (telecoil), and frequency modulation (FM) compatibility benefits hearing aid users with better sound quality, improved localization, convenience, and vastly increased connectivity in their everyday lives. Modern wireless hearing aids allow users to link to their electronics and stream signals straight to their hearing aids. Moreover, smart hearing aids can be coupled with other digital gadgets like smartphones, tablets, and other smart electronics to provide a better and fuller connection with streaming calls and entertainment and covertly regulate the sound without contacting the wearer's ears. Hence, the growing demand for wireless and smart hearing aids boosts the market growth.

New Product Approvals/Launches

The development and release of numerous cutting-edge, incredibly effective hearing aids for the treatment of various varieties of hearing loss is the result of vendors' ongoing attention to technological advancements and upgrades. As a result, the market is witnessing the ongoing launch of several advanced and innovative hearing aids and major improvements in design, sound clarity, size, and noise reduction in recently commercialized hearing aids. The launch of next-generation hearing aids results in higher acceptance among all hearing loss patient groups worldwide.

Furthermore, the growing market penetration of hearing aids in both developed and developing countries has encouraged several vendors to develop and launch advanced hearing aids to address the prevailing unmet patients' needs for the treatment of hearing loss. New product approvals/launches, coupled with R&D activities, assist vendors in expanding their presence, enhancing market growth, and sustaining their market position in the global hearing aids market. As a result, market players are actively involved in launching innovative hearing aids to penetrate and tap both major and untapped markets.

Moreover, major players such as Sonova, WS Audiology, Demant, GN Store Nord, and Starkey dominate the worldwide market due to their continuous involvement in product innovations and launches. Several other players, such as RION, Audina Hearing Instruments, Century Hearing Aids, and IN4 Technology, among others, are also developing and launching new hearing aids as per end-user requirements. Hence, the latest product approvals and launches positively impacted the growth of the hearing aid market.

Market Restraint

Insufficient Reimbursement Coverage for Hearing Aids

Financial constraints provide a significant barrier for individuals with hearing loss seeking to utilize hearing aids. Reimbursement plays a significant role in shaping the global hearing aid industry. Insurance carriers worldwide give minimal or nonexistent coverage for hearing aids, resulting in the restricted use of these devices. Hearing aids are considered non-essential or optional devices, limiting the extent of insurance coverage healthcare providers provide. The absence of insurance coverage and exorbitant expenses linked to hearing aids impede the expansion of the market.

Furthermore, hearing aid reimbursement is nonexistent or severely limited even in industrialized nations like Japan, the US, France, Germany, the UK, Switzerland, and Spain. It is an out-of-pocket expense for a majority of the population. For instance, Medicare Part-B provides coverage for hearing examinations, whereas some Medicare Advantage plans, such as Medicare Part-C, partially cover hearing exams and hearing aids. Private insurance schemes are either financially unattractive or apply strict criteria/conditions for hearing aids. Hearing aid uptake is very sensitive to government reimbursement and subsidy system changes, impacting the amount of funds available to end-users. This impacts the penetration of hearing aids in the global market.

Market Opportunities

Emergence of AI for the Hearing Aids Design

The AI technology in hearing aids is quicker, more efficient, and quickly picks up on wearer preferences. Machine learning has also paved the way for other improvements to hearing aid technology, including Signia's (WS Audiology) Own Voice Processing (OVP). Signia Nx, the world's most advanced hearing aid platform, offers the first genuine solution to your voice issue. It delivers unsurpassed first-fit acceptance by combining uncompromised audibility with a natural-sounding voice. The world's first OVP helps improve spontaneous acceptance of one's voice by about 75% of dissatisfied hearing aid wearers.

Additionally, the key to OVP is Signia's leading Ultra HDe2e binaural link, which offers continuous full-bandwidth audio exchange, enabling dynamic scanning and processing of the wearer's voice completely independently from all other sounds, including all other voices. This allows hearing care professionals to fine-tune the hearing aids for optimal audibility of the acoustic environment without compromising this audibility to improve the sound quality of the wearer's voice. In such a way, Signia Nx with OVP benefits all hearing aid wearers by replicating the natural hearing experience to deliver the highest sound quality and releasing the hearing aid's full potential for the best hearing performance in any situation, even in noisy environments.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global hearing aids market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

Europe Dominates the Global Market

Europe is the most significant global hearing aid market shareholder and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.66% during the forecast period. The main reasons for the sizeable market share in this region are the existence of major market players, improved disease awareness, and high healthcare spending. This region's main sources of income are the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The regional market is experiencing expansion due to the improving reimbursement conditions in nations like the U.K. and Germany and the rising number of product approvals and launches in various nations. As per a 2021 publication by Hear-it, over 58.5 million Europeans were afflicted with hearing impairment. Germany and Spain constituted 15.3% and 11.3% of the total hearing loss cases, respectively. In 2021, a research study financed by Cochlear Europe revealed that 77% of individuals with hearing loss experienced the ability to perceive speech following the implantation procedure.

North America is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.88% during the forecast period. The hearing aid market is growing in North America mainly due to the high prevalence of hearing loss and technological innovations in hearing aids. For instance, a Canadian study found that around 25% of people with hearing loss were younger than 40, and 70% were younger than 60. Hearing loss is reported to be common among adolescents and children in both the US and Canada. Moreover, the availability of advanced healthcare infrastructure, constant technological innovations, and the growing acceptance of technologically advanced hearing aids are accelerating the market growth in the region.

Latin American hearing aids are expected to have development potential due to the growing incidence of hearing loss among the aging population. According to the WHO, in Latin America, about 4−6% of the population is affected by disabling hearing loss, whereas the rates among North American and European countries are 2−4%. For instance, 38% of those 65 or older and 6% of individuals overall have incapacitating hearing loss. Moreover, 32 million people in the region—or 9% of all hearing-impaired persons worldwide—have mild to severe hearing loss.

Furthermore, the aging population is a major risk factor for many diseases. For instance, the population over 60 in Latin America was around 43 million in 2000 and is likely to reach around 100.5 million by 2025 and around 183.7 million by 2050. Such growing risks of hearing loss, primarily due to the increasing aging population, are boosting the demand for effective treatment devices, including hearing aids.

Segmental Analysis

The global hearing aid market is bifurcated by product, hearing loss, technology, patient group, and distribution type.

Based on product, the global hearing aids market is segmented into BTE, RITE/RIC, ITE, ITC, CIC, and IIC. 

The BTE segment dominates the global market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.50% during the forecast period. The availability of affordable BTE hearing aids has led to their greater acceptance in emerging nations, hence contributing to the industry's overall growth. In emerging economies, hearing aids offered through public bodies and several buying groups are mostly of BTE types. Moreover, in countries where there is no reimbursement coverage for premium hearing aids, such as ITC, CIC, and IIC, patients have the option to use BTE hearing aids for hearing loss, thereby contributing to the larger market share. For instance, in India, the insurance policies and the CGHS cover hearing aid expenses based on BTE device type for a certain period.

Based on hearing loss, the global hearing aids market is segmented into sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss. 

The sensorineural segment owns the highest market share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.14% during the forecast period. Sensorineural hearing loss is mainly caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or hearing nerve due to aging, genetic factors, and other reasons. People of all age groups are most commonly affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss. However, aging is the major cause of sensorineural hearing loss. For instance, individuals aged 40−50 years are mostly affected by sensorineural hearing loss. There is a dramatic increase in the number of people aged 65 and up worldwide. The World Health Organization projects that people aged 60 and older will rise from 900 million in 2015 to two billion in 2025. Moreover, the growing aging population has a higher risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss, contributing to this segment's growth.

Based on technology, the global hearing aids market is segmented into digital and analog. 

The digital segment dominates the global market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.17% during the forecast period. Major market companies are concentrating on releasing technologically advanced digital hearing aids because of the growing demand for sophisticated and enhanced listening experiences, as well as for invisible, advanced features and visually pleasing devices. Moreover, key market players such as WS Audiology, Sonova, Demant, GN Store Nord, and Starkey Hearing Technologies are focusing on introducing innovative technology-enabled hearing aids to meet the demand for the hearing-impaired patient population worldwide.

For instance, WS Audiology launched its innovative digital hearing aid, the EVOKE series, in 2018 with SoundSense Learn. It launched a COM-DEX accessory for hearing aids to control the discreet sound from Apple mobiles and BEYOND 2.4 GHZ, the leading sound connectivity. Also, WS Audiology introduced some unique products and platforms, like the Nx platform, through Signia in April 2018.

Based on patient groups, the global hearing aids market is segmented into adult and pediatric segments. 

The adult segment owns the highest market share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.18% during the forecast period. Several epidemiological studies have estimated that by 2050, low- and middle-income countries will have approximately 80% of the older population. Hearing loss prevalence escalates substantially with advancing age. For instance, approximately 93% of 466 million people with hearing loss are mostly 65 years and above. One out of every three individuals aged 65−74 years has some degree of hearing loss.

Likewise, one in every two individuals aged 75 years and above has hearing loss. Hearing loss is prominent among older adults, especially in regions such as the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the growing burden of the elderly hearing-impaired population has led to the increasing usage of hearing aids, which will likely promote market growth.

Based on distribution type, the global hearing aids market is segmented into retailers, independent practices, buying groups/networks, and government purchases/public organizations. 

The retailer's segment dominates the global market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.37% during the forecast period. This segment dominates the global hearing aid market as most of the hearing aids are sold to patients by large retailers. The rising prevalence of hearing loss, mainly in the adult population, is a major factor driving this segment's market growth. Moreover, the increasing demand for technologically advanced hearing aids from the elderly population is encouraging large retailers to procure such innovative products from manufacturers, directly contributing to this segment's growth in recent years.

Recent Developments

• July 2023 – Phonak, a world-renowned provider of innovative hearing aids, has introduced ECHHO (Enhancing Cognitive Health by Hearing Optimization), which follows recent research suggesting that addressing hearing loss in the elderly may delay the onset of cognitive decline. This dedicated training program aims to empower hearing care professionals (HCPs) with the knowledge and tools to better integrate the cognitive health aspect into their discussions with clients.
• May 2023 – Phonak, a leading global provider of life-changing hearing solutions, announced it had earned three prestigious accolades from Forbes Health, a leader and trusted destination for unbiased health advice, news, and reviews. Phonak was recognized for its cutting-edge technologies, intuitive functionality, and performance.