Hearing technology is drawing increased attention at CES 2026, driven by a mix of changing demographics, political shifts and continued advances in miniaturized electronics. Although they don’t get the same spotlight as smartphones or AI-focused PCs, hearing aids are becoming increasingly visible in the broader consumer technology conversation.
Um It is predicted that 2.5 billion people worldwide will suffer from some form of hearing loss by 2050says the World Health Organization, with more than 700 million people need rehabilitation servicesi.e. about every fourth person on earth. Age is an important factor. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, more than a third of people over 65 already live with measurable hearing loss.
Despite growing demand, acceptance of hearing aids remains low. The prices and lack of insurance for such devices remain major obstacles in the U.S. market, with many devices costing thousands of dollars and most private plans offering little or no support. Added to this is stigma, lack of awareness and delayed treatment, many people simply do not have access to hearing aids.
Political changes change the market
A big change came in October 2022 when the USFDA finalized a rule establishing a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.. The change allows adults with what is believed to be mild to moderate hearing loss to purchase hearing aids directly from retail or online stores without a prescription.
Industry associations such as the Hearing Industries Association reported a significant improvement in market penetration following the policy change. Implementation is still uneven, but the shift has lowered barriers to entry and forced manufacturers to rethink pricing, design and distribution.
CES 2026 marks the next phase of this transition, a time when there will be a greater focus for businesses on utility and consumer acceptance – rather than regulatory accessibility.
Hearing aids as consumer technology
One of the clearest trends on the show floor is the continued convergence between hearing aids and consumer audio products. Hearing aids are increasingly viewed as everyday electronics rather than medical devices. Bluetooth connectivity, app-based controls and wellness-focused sound features are increasingly part of daily life, reflecting the expectation of how hearing technology should fit into it.
Design has become central to this transition. Smaller and less visible form factors are seen by most people as a big draw for early adopters, especially users who view traditional hearing aids as a symptom of age and disability.
An example of this shift is ELEHEAR, a hearing technology company operating in the OTC category. At CES 2026, the company introduced its newest OTC hearing aids, ELEHEAR Delight, a complete-in-canal (CIC) model designed to reduce visibility while maintaining core functionality.
AI moves from differentiator to baseline
The US hearing aid market is also undergoing a more integrated transformation on a broader scale due to artificial intelligence and machine learning. With the increasing adoption of AI in industrial applications, hearing aids can make real-time decisions about the audio environment, their user preferences and context to improve clarity and fit.
At CES, AI is increasingly seen as a basic capability rather than a standout feature. This transformation requires a move away from pure amplification toward contextual sound processing that can adapt to real-world environments such as restaurants, public transportation, and group conversations.
“Hearing technology goes beyond simple amplification,” he said David Hogan, Managing Director of ELEHEAR. “By adapting AI into OTC hearing aids, we are making advanced hearing technology more accessible and affordable.”
CES 2026 doesn’t represent a single breakthrough for hearing. Rather, it reveals a category that is constantly changing. Policymaker support, demographics, and incremental changes in AI and hardware are gradually changing the way hearing aids are perceived in terms of sales, design, and use.
Daily Sparkz works with external contributors. All contributor content is reviewed by the Daily Sparkz editorial team.
