EssilorLuxottica launches Nuance Audio Plus hearing aid glasses with improved voice boosting and 10-hour battery life

EssilorLuxottica introduced the Nuance Audio Plus as an upgraded version of its Nuance Audio smart glasses, which function as discreet over-the-counter hearing aids. The new model retains the FDA-cleared hearing aid technology embedded in the temple arms while adding enhancements focused on audio performance and usability.

The primary improvements center on sound amplification, with better speech clarity in noisy environments and two distinct modes accessible via a mobile app: Frontal for face-to-face conversations and All-Around for general ambient sound. Users can choose from four pre-configured amplification settings and adjust background noise reduction across three levels.

Battery life has increased to up to 10 hours, supported by a sleep mode activated by folding the temple arms and a quick wake-up function when unfolded. Additional on-frame controls, including a dedicated power slider and separate volume buttons, aim to minimize the need to interact with the companion mobile app during use.

The Nuance Audio Plus is available in the US in three frame styles, Square, Pathos, and Upturn, and five color options, with pricing starting at $829 before adding prescription lenses. The original Nuance Audio model remains available at a lower starting price of $699, providing a tiered product lineup.

A notable limitation is that direct call answering is supported only when paired with an iPhone, leaving Android users without this convenience feature. This platform restriction may influence purchasing decisions among users who rely on Android devices for daily communication.