Apple, Cochlear launch hearing implant sound processor for iPhone users

Implant can be controlled using the iPhone's volume controls, just like headphones

Apple has joined hands with Australia-based hearing assistance company Cochlear to launch the first iPhone-compatible cochlear sound processor implant.

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in June, Cochlear's Nucleus 7 Sound Processor can now stream sound directly from a compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to the sound processor, techcrunch.com reported on Thursday.

"We wanted to see something that could become ubiquitous out in the world," Sarah Herrlinger, senior manager (global accessibility policy and initiatives) at Apple, was quoted as telling TechCrunch.

"The approval of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is a turning point for people with hearing loss, opening the