Phonak Audéo™ Marvel and Phonak Virto™ B-Titanium both named CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honorees

STÄFA, Switzerland — (BUSINESS WIRE) — November 8, 2018 — Phonak today announced it has been named a two-time CES® 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for ‘Accessibility’ with Phonak Audéo Marvel and ‘3D Printing’ with Phonak Virto B-Titanium. The announcement was made during CES Unveiled New York, an invite-only tech event bringing together top media, exhibitors and industry leaders for a sneak peek of the products and trends expected at CES 2019.

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Announced last month, Phonak Audéo Marvel is the world’s first and only universal Bluetooth hearing aid to fully support direct stereo audio streaming from Android™ as well as iOS™ phones. This provides direct streaming access to the 86%¹ of worldwide smartphone owners who utilize Android. Because Marvel hearing aids utilize Bluetooth® Classic, they connect to Android, iPhone®, and billions of other Bluetooth devices – allowing hearing aid wearers to experience clear, rich sound and stream music, phone calls, video and more to both ears in full stereo.

In addition, Phonak Marvel hearing aids enhance accessibility because they are rechargeable, giving wearers a full day of hearing, including streaming, on a single charge. With Marvel, Phonak introduces of a full suite of smart apps designed to enhance the user experience. This includes allowing wearers to have their hearing aids adjusted remotely in an online session in real-time, removing barriers to distance and potentially leading to better patient outcomes.

The Phonak Virto B-Titanium is the world’s first 3D-printed titanium hearing aid designed and engineered with ultimate discretion in mind. The shell is made of medical grade titanium, making it 15x stronger, 50% thinner, and up to 26% smaller compared to standard acrylic shells. A thinner shell gives 3D modelers more real estate for electrical components and venting. It also enables a deeper placement in the ear canal, resulting in a virtually invisible fit.

“The CES Innovation Awards are a benchmark in consumer innovation and marketplace technology,” said Thomas Lang, Senior Vice President. “Our entire team is honored to have Phonak’s industry-leading hearing aids recognized for excellence in both Accessibility and 3D Printing. These award-winning hearing solutions continue to illustrate Phonak’s boundless commitment to helping people live a life with no limitations.”

Phonak Audéo Marvel and Phonak Virto B-Titanium will be on display in the Innovation Awards Showcase at the upcoming CES 2019.

An annual program that celebrates outstanding design, the CES Innovation Awards recognizes honorees across 28 product categories. A panel of judges, including designers, engineers and members of the tech media, reviews submissions based on design, functionality, consumer appeal, engineering and how the products compare with competition.

For more information, please visit www.phonak.com or www.phonakpro.com.

1. Global mobile landscape 2016, eMarketer, November 2016

About Phonak

Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, was created in 1947 out of a passion for taking on the most difficult hearing challenges. Seventy years later, this passion remains. As the industry’s leading innovator, we offer the broadest portfolio of life-changing hearing solutions. From pediatric to profound hearing loss, we remain committed to creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. We believe in creating a world where ‘Life is on’ for everyone.

At Phonak, we believe that hearing well is essential to living life to the fullest. For more than 70 years, we have remained true to our mission by developing pioneering hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. Life is on.

About CES

CES® is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years-the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) <