Users report Bluetooth connectivity, quality issues with iOS 4

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Users of iOS 4 on both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS say their handset has constantly dropped wireless Bluetooth connections with both headsets and in-car systems.



Numerous users contacted AppleInsider to say that they have experienced a number of problems specific to iOS 4 with Bluetooth connectivity. A number of people who upgraded their iPhone 3GS found that their phone's Bluetooth became problematic, even though it worked fine before the iOS 4 update. And others who bought a new iPhone 4 have encountered some of the same issues.



"Nearly every time I'm in my car the iPhone disconnects from the built-in Bluetooth system," one reader with an iPhone 4 wrote. "This never, ever happened with my 3G phone. I have a case number with AppleCare and they refuse to acknowledge the problem or replace the phone, even after having the problem persist after downloading a fresh copy of IOS 4, reinstalling the software and setting the phone up bare with no other apps. Could this be another antenna problem?"



In numerous threads on the official Apple Discussions forums, users have shared similar problems (1, 2, 3, 4). Those threads have only grown since iOS 4 and the iPhone 4 were released in late June.



Users have said that their Bluetooth connections will sporadically drop after the two devices are successfully paired. Others can connect, but are met with a message that says "no media found" when trying to play music. And some said they have experienced muffled voices when placing a call over Bluetooth.



Some users on the forums noted that the recent iOS 4.0.1 update did not fix the Bluetooth issues. The minor update featured a cosmetic fix that changed how the iPhone reports bars of signal strength.



The Bluetooth pairing issues are said to exist across a range of devices, including vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, car stereos from Pioneer and Alpine, and headsets from Motorola and Jawbone.



Some said they have fixed the problem by resetting the phone's settings. This can be done by launching the Settings application, choosing General, Reset, and Reset All Settings. Interestingly, the same fix was said to work for some who experienced issues with the proximity sensor on the iPhone 4. Apple has said it is working on a software fix for the proximity sensor problems with the iPhone 4, but has made no mention of the reported Bluetooth problems.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 71
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    I need to test the bluetooth on my device...
  • Reply 2 of 71
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    No problems with my iPhone 4 and my Samsung Bluetooth headset. Sorry for those that are having problems.



    That being said, I just want a fix for this flippin' proximity sensor issue.
  • Reply 3 of 71
    llamallama Posts: 102member
    Interestingly enough, I find that my iPhone 4 (iOS 4.0) works *better* on my Pioneer DEH-9800BT for bluetooth calls and MUCH better for BT Audio. My 3G would stop and stutter around using BT Audio so it was almost useless, while the iPhone 4 will play for over an hour (my normal commute) without a stutter or a dropped connection.



    I did have to reboot my phone one time when no one was able to hear anyone when initiating a BT call and then all subsequent calls were also in the same state and I could not switch away from the BT connection.
  • Reply 4 of 71
    duaneu2duaneu2 Posts: 19member
    Almost every day, my iPhone 4 disconnects from the car's Bluetooth (Ford Sync in-car system) when I pull out of my driveway. I can tell it to reconnect and it's fine the rest of the day - it doesn't happen any other time.
  • Reply 5 of 71
    llamallama Posts: 102member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post


    That being said, I just want a fix for this flippin' proximity sensor issue.



    I really only use my phone over BT, so I had no real feel for the proximity sensor business until recently. I've been driving a loaner without built in BT and have hung up on and/or muted almost every call. I doubt I did either in the 2 years I had my 3G.
  • Reply 6 of 71
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member
    Let's hear what issues Nokia has with BT. I bet that these problems are a challenge to the entire mobile industry. Plus, they likely affect no more than 0.55% of iPhones.
  • Reply 7 of 71
    teunisteunis Posts: 23member
    Just picked up an awesome new GLK350 and haven't had any issues with connectivity.

    Duane, Ford runs Microsoft software, not that it should cause any issues, but could that explain it a bit.
  • Reply 8 of 71
    katonahkatonah Posts: 95member
    I have a Lexus and no problems with the bluetooth connection.



    Maybe different car manufacturers' have different ways of finding a bluetooth device?



    Probably just a software glitch that needs tweaking....
  • Reply 9 of 71
    Really? The bluetooth has been working way better than my 3GS, in my experience. I use it to play music through my car stereo, and I feel like it skips/pops way less than it used to. I've never had it just disconnect, even when I'm holding it in my hand in the car.
  • Reply 10 of 71
    This just in!



    Today, Apple Inc. announced ToothTime, a new short range communications protocol for wireless devices. Apple started working on the new standard after users complained about buggy Bluetooth performance on iOS devices.



    "Here at Apple Inc, we love our users," said CEO Steve Jobs, "And when we realized how buggy Bluetooth was, we decided to help make things right by introducing our own proprietary standard. Trust me, Bluetooth is a big bag of hurt!"



    Asked about claims that Bluetooth worked fine under iOS 3 and under, Jobs responded, calling those claims, "a total crock!"



    COO Tim Cook noted that Bluetooth functionality would be disabled under all future revisions of iOS and its related devices through a future software update. "You want wireless device connectivity? You'll be able to buy ToothTime enabled accessories starting in Q4 of this year. Stay tuned, this protocol is something magical! No muffled calls, no dropped connections, only crystal clear sound and flawless data transfers."



    Apple executives reportedly began sending out ToothTime license applications to its accessory partners earlier this week.



    More on this fictional story as it develops...
  • Reply 11 of 71
    stonefreestonefree Posts: 242member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post


    No problems with my iPhone 4 and my Samsung Bluetooth headset. Sorry for those that are having problems.



    That being said, I just want a fix for this flippin' proximity sensor issue.



    I've had no Bluetooth issues with my iPhone 4 on my Mazda3's Bluetooth system. I bought the car on my last few weeks of my i3G and had a few dropped connections with that, so it seems the new antenna is working better for me so far as long as the phone isn't being held (which I don't do in the car anyway).



    I hadn't had any proximity sensors issues until yesterday when my cheek caused my iPhone4 to go into Hold or Mute mode 3 times during a call! I usually angle the phone away from my head so it hasn't previously been an issue but I fully understand how it can be a major issue for some.



    Still dropping calls in San Francisco when 3G is enabled, anxiously awaiting my badly needed bumper!
  • Reply 12 of 71
    I have had zero issues with BT. I have a Lexus and a Jeep Warngler with built in BT support and it works as well if not better than my 3GS did with the old OS.
  • Reply 13 of 71
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    If I want to listen to music, I always plug it in to the adapter but I do have issues with the BMW dock connector not staying clicked in. I don't usually listen to music while driving around town though, only for longer road trips. I did notice the no media found message when I was flipping through the menus the other day, but I didn't think to investigate further. I have 3GS on iOS 4.
  • Reply 14 of 71
    payecopayeco Posts: 580member
    I recently got a new BMW and I have a bluetooth related problem with my iPhone 4. My car uses bluetooth for the phone and a dock connector to play music/control the ipod. When I answer a phone call and then end it music will no longer play when connected to the dock connector. I have to restart the phone to get music to start playing again.



    EDIT: Thought I should add a little more clarity. The car stereo thinks it's playing music. I can move through the tracks, start playlists, etc. But I get no sound.
  • Reply 15 of 71
    bxs6408bxs6408 Posts: 72member
    No problems using 3GS or iPhone 4 in my 2010 Prius auto. Works fine without issues. The only thing is I cannot use radio or steering wheel controls to skip a song or skip forward. Have to use the Phone itself for that function(s) which kind of defeats hands-free play back. No matter, I'm quite happy with BT iPhone in my Prius.
  • Reply 16 of 71
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    I have been having issues all week trying implement bluetooth and get a reliable connection on one of my apps. Testing on 3GS IOS3 drops packets and hangs even on the 'reliable' setting. Very irritating.
  • Reply 17 of 71
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    You're holding it wrong.
  • Reply 18 of 71
    bigdaddypbigdaddyp Posts: 811member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DrDoppio View Post


    Let's hear what issues Nokia has with BT. I bet that these problems are a challenge to the entire mobile industry. Plus, they likely affect no more than 0.55% of iPhones.



    That maybe true. Why don't you head over to Nokia insider and report back.



    This is an Apple centric website and reports acordingly. I did not not get the feeling that Ai was being overly critical of Apple or had a Apple is doomed spin on the story.
  • Reply 19 of 71
    vrkiranvrkiran Posts: 110member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DrDoppio View Post


    Let's hear what issues Nokia has with BT. I bet that these problems are a challenge to the entire mobile industry. Plus, they likely affect no more than 0.55% of iPhones.



    Oh yeah, me too! How can there be any problem, common, Apple made it!
  • Reply 20 of 71
    vrkiranvrkiran Posts: 110member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1 View Post


    You're holding it wrong.



    The right way to hold it is balance it on a single (index) finger while keeping the phone horizontal.. sorta "fingering" pose!
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