iOS 9.1 update gives Sprint iPhone users access to Continuity-style Wi-Fi Calling

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in iPhone edited October 2015
Following the release of iOS 9.1 on Wednesday, Sprint announced that iPhone users updating their firmware will be able to take advantage of improved Wi-Fi Calling, expanding on Apple's Continuity feature.




Calls to a Sprint iPhone number can now be set to ring on any compatible Apple product signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID, the carrier said. This includes Macs, iPads, Apple Watches, and the iPod touch.

The core iPhone must be an iPhone 5s/5c or later, and all devices must be updated to the latest version of iOS, OS X, or watchOS. After that, each secondary device should have "Calls from iPhone" toggled on under FaceTime settings.

While Continuity provides similar functions, it normally requires an iPhone to have both cellular and Wi-Fi connections active. With Wi-Fi Calling, the feature should work even when a cellular signal is weak or non-existent.

Sprint rival AT&T recently announced NumberSync, which likewise takes after Continuity. AT&T's technology casts a wider net though, linking devices via LTE, and without limiting users to the Apple platform. The catch, though, is that all devices will have to be on a Mobile Share plan.

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  • Reply 1 of 10
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,481member
    Following the release of iOS 9.1 on Wednesday, Sprint announced that iPhone users updating their firmware will be able to take advantage of improved Wi-Fi Calling, expanding on Apple's Continuity feature.

    <div align="center"><img src="http://photos.appleinsidercdn.com/gallery/14668-10383-wificalling-iphone6-l.jpg" alt="" height="359" />
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    Calls to a Sprint iPhone number can now be set to ring on any compatible Apple product signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID, the carrier said. This includes Macs, iPads, Apple Watches, and the iPod touch.

    The core iPhone must be an iPhone 5s/5c or later, and all devices must be updated to the latest version of <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/10/21/apple-releases-ios-91-with-motion-sensing-live-photos-plus-taco-middle-finger-hockey-emoji">iOS</a>, <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/10/21/apple-releases-os-x-10111-with-more-than-150-new-emoji-improved-office-2016-compatibility">OS X</a>, or <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/10/21/apple-releases-watchos-201-with-fixes-for-battery-life-app-installs-calendar-syncing">watchOS</a>. After that, each secondary device should have "Calls from iPhone" toggled on under FaceTime settings.

    While Continuity provides similar functions, it normally requires an iPhone to have both cellular and Wi-Fi connections active. With Wi-Fi Calling, the feature should work even when a cellular signal is weak or non-existent.

    Sprint rival AT&T recently announced <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/10/14/atts-announces-numbersync-a-phone-number-based-version-of-apples-continuity">NumberSync</a>, which likewise takes after Continuity. AT&T's technology casts a wider net though, linking devices via LTE, and without limiting users to the Apple platform. The catch, though, is that all devices will have to be on a Mobile Share plan.

    Sprint or T-Moble is gonna fool around and make me switch. NumberSync does nothing for me. I use my other devices on wifi. AT&T is trying everything to get us of our unlimited data. Lol. If I do it will be to another carrier.
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  • Reply 2 of 10
    Hope they have a fix for the constant popups stating "can not connect to Imap.gmail sever" Probably not, but they can give me 150 more useless emojis. More bugs than fixes.
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  • Reply 3 of 10
    guyrguyr Posts: 50member

    Lets hope it fixes the screen lighting up when the alarm goes off and the search returning apps installed on the phone... 

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  • Reply 4 of 10
    dualiedualie Posts: 334member
    Too little too late, Sprint.
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  • Reply 5 of 10
    dualie wrote: »
    Too little too late, Sprint.

    How is it too little to late?
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  • Reply 6 of 10
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Macdaddy78 View Post





    How is it too little to late?



    He probably switched from Sprint recently.

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  • Reply 7 of 10

    Um... I've been able to use all of this since April (iOS 8.3) on my Sprint iPhone 6. Sprint was second to have WiFi calling, behind T-Mobile. Same goes for Continuity. I've been able to text (SMS) and place/recieve phone calls via my MacBook Pro and iPad Air 2... again, since April.

     

    http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/8/8373525/iphone-wifi-calling-sprint-ee-ios-update

     

    How is this any different than what Sprint iPhone users have been able to do since April and iOS 8.3?

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  • Reply 8 of 10
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Appneck View Post



    Hope they have a fix for the constant popups stating "can not connect to Imap.gmail sever" Probably not, but they can give me 150 more useless emojis. More bugs than fixes.



    That's your personal network issue, not a bug in iOS.

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  • Reply 9 of 10
    No, it isn't. It happened under cellular and wifi in multiple locations. And cross my fingers, not in 9.1 to this point.
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  • Reply 10 of 10
    Well thank you for finally letting me know what was different about this vs. continuity...the cellular data thing. I was completely confused when I started seeing these articles pop up. I thought "we've been able to do this since last year when iOS 8 rolled out."
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