Amazon has updated the second-generation Fire TV Cube to make it the first streaming device to support the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) specification that debuted in 2019.
ASHA was developed by GN Hearing, Cochlear, and Google to make it easier for people to pair their hearing aids with devices that support the specification. That has primarily been restricted to Android smartphones and tablets since Google released Android 10 in September 2019.
Amazon says that "with this feature, your hearing aids connect with Fire TV at the system level, so you can not only enjoy audio from your favorite apps but also Alexa, music, navigational sounds, and more." The integration also lets people control the volume with an existing remote.
There are some limitations. Amazon says the feature is limited to compatible Bluetooth-equipped hearing aids developed by Starkey, and even though ASHA was designed to work over Bluetooth Low Energy, the company advises people to connect via Wi-Fi instead. Amazon says:
For an optimal experience, we recommend customers connect over a 5Ghz wifi network, within 10 feet and in line of sight to Fire TV Cube. Due to the small size of hearing aids, their radio antennas require closer proximity for the best connection. Customers with 2.4GHz wifi can still enjoy the feature, with range that varies depending on spectrum congestion.
Pairing compatible hearing aids with a Fire TV Cube is said to be similar to connecting some Bluetooth headphones, and Amazon says it's added a shortcut to make disconnecting the devices as easy as holding down the Home button and selecting "Disconnect Hearing Aids."
The company says it plans to expand ASHA support to additional streaming devices later this year, and on a page describing the accessibility features available on its Fire TV lineup, it says that it plans to make the feature available to people who use non-Starkey hearing aids as well.