iPhone 11 on iOS 13 having Bluetooth connectivity issues

If you can't connect a Bluetooth accessory to your iPhone ...

iOS 13 has following improvements and nothing in specific to Bluetooth change has been highlighted by Apple in iPhone 11

Control Center

You can now select Wi‑Fi networks and Bluetooth accessories right from Control Center.

Game Controllers

PlayStation 4 controller support

Use your PlayStation 4 game controller with iPhone.

Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth

Connect your Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth to iPhone.

Find offline devices

Locate a missing device even if it’s not connected to Wi‑Fi or cellular using crowd‑sourced location. When you mark your device as missing and another Apple user’s device is nearby, it can detect your device’s Bluetooth signal and report its location to you. It’s completely anonymous and encrypted end‑to‑end, so everyone’s privacy is protected.

Bluetooth album art

iOS supports the AVRCP 1.6 standard, which includes album art when connected to a supported car kit or speaker.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth location privacy enhancements

API changes and new controls help prevent apps from accessing your location without your consent while you’re using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

I too have this problem with a new iPhone 11. This was to be a replacement for an iPhone X (on a trade in deal). My Bluetooth device is a Plantronics PLT E80 series. The iPhone X is rock solid with this Bluetooth for both iOS 13.2.3 and 13.3. The iPhone 11 disconnects after between 30 seconds and a few minutes. Makes it pretty much worthless. It did this for both 13.2.3 and 13.3, which seems to show its not really iOS related but tied to the actual 11 hardware somehow.

I called Apple and after a series of tests, they determined it was a phone problem. They are sending a new 11 in a few days. We will see how that one does. If it faults as well, its going back, and I will just keep the iPhone X for now and punt on the 11 plan.

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference

Wireless interference can cause Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices to disconnect or perform poorly, but you can take steps to reduce or overcome it.

Symptoms of wireless interference

Any of these symptoms could be caused by interference affecting the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signal:

• Device doesn't connect or stay connected
• Connection is slow and signal strength  is low
• Bluetooth audio skips, stutters, cuts off, or has static or buzzing
• Pointer movement is erratic or jumpy

How to reduce wireless interference

These general steps can help achieve a cleaner, stronger wireless signal:

• Bring your Wi-Fi device closer to your Wi-Fi router. Bring the Bluetooth devices that are connecting to each other closer together. 
• Avoid using your wireless devices near common sources of interference, such as power cables, microwave ovens, fluorescent lights, wireless video cameras, and cordless phones.
• Reduce the number of active devices that use the same wireless frequency band. Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices use the 2.4 GHz band, but many Wi-Fi devices can use the 5 GHz band instead. If your Wi-Fi router supports both bands, it might help to connect more of your Wi-Fi devices to the 5GHz band. Some dual-band routers manage this for you automatically.
• Configure your Wi-Fi router to use a different Wi-Fi channel, or have it scan for the channel with the least interference. Most routers perform this scan automatically on startup or when reset.

If you're using USB 3 or Thunderbolt 3 devices with your computer, you can limit their potential to interfere with nearby wireless devices:

• Use a high-quality, shielded USB or Thunderbolt 3 cable with each device.
• Move your USB 3 or Thunderbolt 3 devices—including any USB hubs—farther away from your wireless devices.
• Avoid placing USB 3 or Thunderbolt 3 devices on top of your Mac Pro, Mac notebook, or Mac mini. 
• Turn off any USB 3 devices that aren't in use.

Avoid physical obstructions in the path of your wireless signal. For example, a metal surface between your Bluetooth mouse and computer could cause the mouse to perform poorly, and a metal-reinforced concrete floor between your Wi-Fi router and Wi-Fi device could cause poor Wi-Fi performance.

• Low interference potential: wood, glass, and many synthetic materials
• Medium interference potential: water, bricks, marble
• High interference potential: plaster, concrete, bulletproof glass
• Very high interference potential: metal

You're right, Apple should buy one of every Bluetooth device and not ship their product until it works with possibly broken software from other vendors. That literally wouldn't even be possible.

Apple's products work with existing products that implement the Bluetooth protocol correctly. I've described over and over again how backwards compatibility can fail in a way Apple has zero control over.

When Apple is at fault they release fixes as they can find and solve the issues. Certainly each new release of iOS 13 has fixed various issues with various devices.

Apple is not going to stop forward progress because they need to break current specifications because other vendors implemented them wrong. It's just not going to happen.

Please, I understand that it's frustrating, but it's a little like saying in every divorce, the husband is always the one at fault; it takes two.

If it were Apple's code being completely broken, I wouldn't be able to pair my 11 Pro Max with every device I own with absolutely no issues whatsoever, including a 2011 Toyota, a Denon home stereo and a free BT speaker I got in a giveaway.

I've said it before, and I will again:

If you have a device that cannot pair following Apple's troubleshooting techniques, be sure to let Apple know directly as that's the only way they will ever know to test against that specific device, if at all possible. I personally know Apple has done things like query employees at their main Cupertino campus looking for those with vehicles matching trouble reports that can be loaned to the various BT engineering groups. They've also gone out and purchased a wide variety of BT headsets, home stereos and other devices they keep in their labs for just such testing purposes.

Either:

• Contact - Official Apple Support

or:

• Feedback - iPhone - Apple

will work, with the former being preferred but the latter working as well.

I am having this same issue I have bose wireless headphones and they are connecting and disconnecting by themselves, in my car too. I am driving and out of the blue its disconnected and connects again.

I’m also having connectivity issues in my car. It will connect for 5 mins or more then automatically disconnect and reconnect. It’s really annoying. I didn’t have problems before with my iPhone 6 Plus.

same thing with my 11 pro max. Happening wtih 2 bluetooth speakers, 1 sound bar, and uconnect in my car... all devices were flawless with my iPhone X and my 8 before that, all are disconnecting/reconnecting with the new phone. Hoping this isn't a widespread problem, or if it is, can be fixed in software...

I have new iPhone 11 Pro. I will not maintain connection with my Kirkland KS9 hearing aids nor with my Eufy bathroom scale (bluetooth). However, it does work with my bluetooth earbuds and Apple Watch 4. iOS 13.1 did not fix either problem. I have talked to Costco and Eufy. Both companies say they are aware of the problem, that it appears to be iPhone 11 only (not ios13). Eufy said they hoped to release an updated app soon. Costco/Phonak does not have an ETA for a fix.

I contacted support and they said I need to have the hardware looked at. I pointed them to this thread as well. I have an appointment Friday to go to Apple Store. Will report back if no one else has resolved by then.

Update: Apple called me tonight to troubleshoot; ran a Bluetooth activity logging script and captured 3 instances of it happening. Hopefully this leads to something! Their proactive approach tells me they know this is a problem and are trying to do something, it’s not a “you’re holding it wrong” scenario.

The Apple CS i chatted with online says i need to try renaming the device after BT pairing.

I haven't tried it yet won't be able to till later today. Anyone try this already?

I found some info online

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205348

I have the same car and it only connects 1 out of 20 times. I think we should all file bugs against this behavior. Hopefully a mass influx of tickets of some sort could get their attention. The question is what method would be the best to report it? https://www.apple.com/feedback/ or some other means (ie AppleCare case)??

I have apple care was given new phone as I got it a week ago. The new one does the same thing. Friend of mine has a older apple phone, updated to 13.1.2 and has no problems on my car. I believe it is the actual iphone 11's.

My 11 Pro Max has no issues pairing with any BT device I've tried so far, so remember to contact Apple directly if you are having this issue.

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple