the_case

Q: Watch overrides audible notification alerts on iPhone

I find no way to get notifications on the watch while also preserving the audio/screen alert on the iPhone.

 

The watch seems to override.  The screen on my phone doesn't even wake when getting a notification.

 

Hopefully I'm just missing a configuration option somewhere. 

 

I like notifications on the watch, but I still want my phone act exactly as it would if the watch were not getting notifications.  This is the way my Pebble works.  I should be able to have the same functionality with the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch, iOS 8.3

Posted on Apr 25, 2015 12:33 PM

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Q: Watch overrides audible notification alerts on iPhone

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  • by Martin S Taylor,

    Martin S Taylor Martin S Taylor Aug 31, 2015 12:16 PM in response to the_case
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Aug 31, 2015 12:16 PM in response to the_case

    So can someone clarify – are there any alerts which are supposed to sound on both the phone and the watch? If I get an incoming phone call, that rings both my iPhone and Apple Watch. I get it that texts will now only ping the Watch.

     

    But what about other apps? Which way is Mail supposed to work? What about Reminders? What about third party apps? How are they supposed to work?

     

    Martin

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Aug 31, 2015 12:37 PM in response to Martin S Taylor
    Level 8 (35,434 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 31, 2015 12:37 PM in response to Martin S Taylor

    When you have Wrist Detection enabled (on your iPhone in the Apple Watch app: My Watch > General > Wrist Detection):

     

    If your iPhone is unlocked, you'll receive notifications on your iPhone instead of on your Apple Watch.

     

    If your iPhone is locked or asleep and your Apple Watch is unlocked and on your wrist, you'll receive notifications on your Apple Watch.

     

    You can also customise notification settings per app: Apple Watch App > My Watch > Notifications

     

    About notifications on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

     

    By the way, when you have not been able to find an answer by searching the Communities, it is generally best (and considered good forum etiquette) to ask your own, new question in a separate thread. This will also help others (who have the same question in the future) to more easily find an answer that solves that specific question.

  • by Martin S Taylor,

    Martin S Taylor Martin S Taylor Sep 1, 2015 2:13 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Sep 1, 2015 2:13 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Thanks, but I think you've slightly misunderstood, and I believe my question was germane to the original post.

     

    The discussion is by people are puzzled and annoyed that alerts only come through on one device. A text will either sound on the iPhone or ping on the Watch, depending on various criteria.

     

    But phone calls don't work like this – they always make a noise on both the iPhone and the Watch. So it appears to me that some apps only alert on one device, some alert on both. Are there any others which alert both devices? If so, which? Mail? Reminders? Third-party apps? Is there any way to tell?

     

    MST

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2015 3:47 AM in response to Martin S Taylor
    Level 8 (35,434 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2015 3:47 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

    I am unaware of any other apps (besides Phone) that, by default, alert audibly on both devices regardless of Wrist Detection settings.


    How Notifications behave can vary, depending upon your settings. Without Wrist Detection enabled, all notifications will go to both devices. With it enabled (and with the watch unlocked and on your wrist), they will behave as outlined in my previous reply.

     

    Incoming phone calls will always ring on both devices by default. However, these can also behave differently depending on your settings or connected devices. For example:


    - You can set the Ringer to silent on your iPhone (by using the switch on the side).

    - You can set one, the other or both devices to Do Not Disturb.

    - You may have a Bluetooth headset connected to one device or the other.

    - You can customise settings for your watch: Apple Watch app > My Watch > Notifications > Phone > Choose Custom > under Ringtone, disable Sound and/or Haptic.


    I appreciate why you consider your question to be germane to this thread. Whilst it does also concern alerts and notifications (as many questions do), it is nevertheless different and so merits a separate thread. Replies here should be answers to the OP's question (which is already marked as solved).

     

    • OP's question: "I want to receive notification alerts from all apps on both my watch and iPhone all of the time. Is there a configuration option for this?"
    • Yours: "besides the Phone app, are there any other Apple or third party apps that always alert both devices by default?"
  • by Martin S Taylor,

    Martin S Taylor Martin S Taylor Sep 1, 2015 3:55 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Sep 1, 2015 3:55 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Thanks – both for answering my question and for putting me straight on etiquette. MST

  • by Scottyboy99,

    Scottyboy99 Scottyboy99 Sep 1, 2015 4:10 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (84 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2015 4:10 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Hi, I am one of those who want audible notifications to go to both the watch and the iPhone. So disabling wrist detection will allow this to happen but are there are any side effects to doing this? I don't want to lose features due to wrist detection being disabled. I just wish Apple had thought to give us the choice here. I can understand watch only alerting being good because they are more discrete but I am rarely in an environment which calls for this. On rare occasion I don't feel the haptic feedback or hear the watch's feint ping so would prefer the iPhone alerted too. Increase my chance of being aware of something coming through.

  • by Martin S Taylor,

    Martin S Taylor Martin S Taylor Sep 1, 2015 4:13 AM in response to Scottyboy99
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Sep 1, 2015 4:13 AM in response to Scottyboy99

    As has been pointed out earlier in this thread, the best thing to do is to log it with Apple at http://www.apple.com/feedback/ so that they know to change it in a future version of the Watch OS. The more people who do this, the stronger the message we're sending to them. MST

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2015 4:30 AM in response to Scottyboy99
    Level 8 (35,434 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2015 4:30 AM in response to Scottyboy99

    Scottyboy99 wrote:

     

    Hi, I am one of those who want audible notifications to go to both the watch and the iPhone. So disabling wrist detection will allow this to happen but are there are any side effects to doing this? I don't want to lose features due to wrist detection being disabled.

     

    Hi

     

    With Wrist Detection disabled, you will not be able to use either Activate on Wrist Raise or Apple Pay. You will also not be able to unlock the watch just once (ie when you place it on your wrist) or have it automatically lock upon removal.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2015 4:44 AM in response to Martin S Taylor
    Level 8 (35,434 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2015 4:44 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

    You're welcome!

  • by leejustone,

    leejustone leejustone Oct 29, 2015 7:47 PM in response to the_case
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Oct 29, 2015 7:47 PM in response to the_case

    Sadly, watchOS 2 is here and this is still a major problem . I just submitted more feedback to beg for these options, and I hope more of you do the same. It's time to rile up the angry mob!

  • by bad brad76,

    bad brad76 bad brad76 Nov 3, 2015 9:48 AM in response to Hellbus2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 3, 2015 9:48 AM in response to Hellbus2

    You can turn off wrist detection and it will go to your watch and phone.  The downside is when you take the watch off, it is not pass lock protected, plus it will not count you as standing up on activity.  So if that does not bother you, it will go to your watch and phone at the same time. 

  • by Nickbowers01,

    Nickbowers01 Nickbowers01 Dec 6, 2015 4:02 PM in response to Martin S Taylor
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 6, 2015 4:02 PM in response to Martin S Taylor

    this is a terrible idea, why does apple never give us choices and always trys to make the decisions for us

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Dec 6, 2015 7:40 PM in response to Nickbowers01
    Level 9 (59,077 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 6, 2015 7:40 PM in response to Nickbowers01

    Nickbowers01 wrote:

     

    this is a terrible idea, why does apple never give us choices and always trys to make the decisions for us

    Because that's they way they do things and, to date, it's been remarkably successful for them.

  • by Randall Richter,

    Randall Richter Randall Richter Dec 13, 2015 10:13 AM in response to the_case
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 13, 2015 10:13 AM in response to the_case

    Add me to the list of people providing feedback on this matter. There was just a small update to WatchOS a few days ago and it's still an issue. Kind of ridiculous this is even an issue if you ask me. But what do I know?

  • by BillyNelson,

    BillyNelson BillyNelson Jun 1, 2016 2:31 AM in response to the_case
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 1, 2016 2:31 AM in response to the_case

    I hope that, if they change it, they leave an option to maintain the current behaviour. Why would I need the phone to buzz when I have notifications on my wrist that no-one else is aware of, baffles me. Most people would be annoyed to get 2 things buzzing. The completely secret, un-audible and invisible notifications is the best single feature on the Apple Watch. In fact, the whole notification implementation is mostly impeccable. And about being able to identify specific tones, have you noticed that the vibration on the watch is a tactical rendition of the tone?

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