Except it’s a separate device, so it didn’t swallow it. It’s just an abstraction on an already existing thing. Digital wallets is something that swallowed wallets, for example.

By definition and per every observable statistic, most people do not carry iPhones around.

I don't carry around any Apple device, neither do most of people (including various IT folks in various banks) I know. You can't tweak its settings without one.

Fair. I was more referring to smart phones in general. The argument was “you need a $1000 device for this $200 thing”. But if other manufacturers come out with similar hearing aids, I’d expect most to work with either iOS or android and would require one of the two $1000 devices to work.