Poor App... poor ease-of-use.. has potential

I have had my ReSound LiNX for 4 months. I am using the most current version of the app with IOS 8 on an iPhone 6. I gave the app a 2 because of the improved Bluetooth connectivity otherwise I would have rated it 1. The Bluetooth connection has improved with IOS 8 but is still not 100% reliable. I want to be clear that the problems and issues I have outlined below are related SOLELY to the ReSound Smart App – the LiNX hearing aids are the best hearing aids I have had in 20 years of wearing hearing aids.

The mute button on the volume page was removed in the latest version of the Smart app. I don’t know ReSound’s thinking behind this but they only made use of the app worse than it already was. I mute most commercials when watching TV via the TV Streamer; now I have to slide the volume to 0 (lowest level) for mute. I then have to use the slider to go back to the prior level to unmute. This doesn’t sound difficult but in actual use it is a pain – the button was easier to use.

My impression is that app navigation was not designed by someone who actually uses the app frequently. Most of my use of the app occurs while watching TV. I use the app to select programs, My Places, and adjust volume/treble/base/mute. I have recommended simpler navigation to ReSound based on how I use the app.

My Places has limited value to me. Being GPS based means that I can only save one Place per GPS location. In my home I need multiple Place’s: 1) general listening 2) TV listening through my TV Streamer 3) listening to conversations through the mini mike – GPS based Places don’t allow this. All My Places are lost when my audiologist connects my hearing aids to the ReSound program on her computer – this mean revisiting each GPS tagged location to restore My Place’s previously saved – this is not practical. I recommended to ReSound that the current volume/treble/base settings in the hearing aids be saved in the hearing aid memory when tagging a Place instead tagging Place’s based on a GPS location. I also reported to ReSound that the Place’s map feature has no practical value to me in this application.

ReSound stated that they “must develop the app for a universal worldwide audience”. I am guessing this means ReSound will only change from GPS based Places to just tagging current settings if they get enough demand.
Volume settings are remembered when switching between programs; Treble and Base settings are not. I regularly switch between my TV Streamer and Program 1 when watching TV. Every time I switch programs I have to manually readjust the treble and base settings; remember – I can’t use a Place to restore the settings because multiple Places in single GPS location doesn’t work. I have reported this issue to ReSound as another reason GPS location based tagging isn’t practical.

The LiNX are VERY expensive hearing aids – the high cost presumably is based partly on the ReSound Smart app feature for the iPhone. ReSound acknowledged receipt of my reporting the above issues in early July, 2014. ReSound also acknowledged that my recommendations and issues would be passed onto their app development team. ReSound has been unresponsive to several follow-up attempts by me for an update since my first contact in July.

Final Comment: Prior to this version of the app there were several reviews on the App Store but they have been deleted – many rated the app similar to this review. None of them supported this app having a 4+ Rating. Do your homework – check reviews on this product elsewhere.

UPDATE: Many more reviews on the U.S. App Store. Check them out!

Ken.ca about ReSound Smart, v1.2.1