iPhone 11 on iOS 13 having Bluetooth connectivity issues

I've mentioned this before:

Backwards compatibility is a matter of everyone playing by a precise set of rules (the Bluetooth standard.)

Problems come when developers make bad assumptions or perhaps due to just plain software bugs.

In other software I've been involved with, this has most often taken the form of a bit or bits in a structure marked "unused" that later do become used by a future revision of the protocol. The older firmware assumes "these are unused, we can do what we want with them," but in the newer version of the protocol, they mean something.

Say you have a bit in a field that used to be unused but now means communications should take place at a rate the older hardware does not support; the device uses it to denote say, whether the remote device was an iOS device or an Android device for its own internal purposes but since it was simply unused rather than defined as being zero, it doesn't clear it before sending the structure back to the iPhone; in the newer version of the protocol that bit denotes "please use high speed communication" so the iPhone shifts to a speed the older device can't support.

Protocols are revised and updated for support of newer technologies over time, and when support is added for something like Bluetooth LE, issues like this may also arise.

The bottom line is it's hard to know where the issue lies; only extensive analysis with a Bluetooth protocol analyzer can begin to shed light on it, but in a case like I mentioned it would only show perfectly formed packets passing from the iPhone to the remote device.

So I just bought a new car. Same brand, albeit a newer model. It didn't used to work, and now it does.

I do wonder if you reset your "Network Settings", deleted the phone off the car, if it would resolve the issue? That would be like getting a new car. I won't try now - but someone should.

raygunclan wrote:

In the family we have 2 11 pro max's and 3 11's. We are struggling with all of them on all 5 of our Toyotas. None of us can connect via bluetooth for music, only phone and voice text and they all disconnect after a few minutes when we are playing music or podcasts while connected via USB. I contacted apple twice today and got the standard suggestions that didn't work on 3 of our 5 cars. VERY frustrated! I wish we had kept our 10s!

Sounds like the common factor is Toyota head ends.

Do note that you need to pair a Bluetooth device for music as a separate procedure than just pairing the phone.

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.

My very new iPhone 11 Pro has similar issues. After much research I've figured out that only Bluetooth devices functioning above Bluetooth 3 will work without "confusion" between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and just generally WORK well. I have had to put aside all of my Plantronics devices which use Bluetooth 3 and cannot be upgraded, where cheap earbuds running Bluetooth 5 work perfectly fine, and no surprise, so do my Apple AirPods! Apple needs full backward compatibility on their new phones!! Help! I've had to scrap $200 worth of ear pods!

So...Apple just called back and this advisor said that the process that I followed yesterday was wrong. I now have to do another backup, wipe the phone completely, set it up as a new device and see if the problem persists then.

All this because I decided to upgrade phones...completely unacceptable.

Went to the Apple Store yesterday afternoon. After I went through all my problems in the first month of ownership, they swapped the phone for a new one. I was in and out in about 20 minutes. I will keep posting here to let everyone know if the Bluetooth issues are resolved on the new phone.

I can't find a BT device my 11 Pro Max doesn't work perfectly with.

Make sure you disassociate any device from both the device and your phone and try re-pairing.

While there are obvious devices people are experiencing issues with, for the most part most devices do work properly.

I have been having this issue since the day I got my iPhone 11 Pro Max (when it came out last September). The phone usually connects fine initially, then starts cutting in and out before finally disconnecting completely. Happens on every Bluetooth device I try to use, and happens over and over again each time.

• Wireless CarPlay
• Bose Resolve+ speaker
• Bose QuietComfort 35
• AirPods Pro (on occasion)

I asked a friend who was an Apple technician and he recommended resetting all content and settings and setting up as new phone. Did that, didn't work. And I had to completely reconfigure every single setting I had on my phone. Took months to find them all. Updated the software on my BMW, didn't work. Updated the software on my Bose devices, didn't work. Talked with Apple Support over the phone. They did several remote diagnostic tests, couldn't find anything. Recommended I make an appointment with the local Apple Store. Made an appointment, spent hours in the Apple Store, "couldn't replicate the issue," agreed to swap out the iPhone itself. Came back a week later, set up new phone (couldn't restore from backup, had to reset all settings again), worked fine for a day, then right back to the same issues. Clearly it's not the hardware — I'm on #2. Clearly it's not the devices I'm connecting to — they're ALL up-to-date and ALL doing the same thing, and they ALL connect to other Apple products (my iPad, my MacBook, other iPhones) just fine.

How has this gone on for almost a year?? Clearly there are plenty of others having the same issue and Apple is aware. CarPlay is basically useless; I can't rely on taking a phone call on it because it will almost certainly disconnect in the middle of it. I can barely make it through a song without it sounding like a scratched CD. Since it's Wireless CarPlay, there isn't an option to just plug it in and go around Bluetooth. Not only is it inconvenient; I had to pay BMW $300 just to enable CarPlay when I bought it last year! P.S. it worked perfectly on my iPhone X.

With all of these issues it's awfully hard to want to keep spending $1,200 on new iPhones every time they come out.

This is actually my second 11 Pro Max; my first had a defective silent/ring switch but it also had no BT issues.

Do you use your device in an area with a lot of 2.4 GHz WiFi routers? Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz WiFI unfortunately collide on the same frequency band (as do all sorts of other 2.4 GHz devices like baby monitors.)

crik91 wrote:

I’m a car seller and I tried different infotainment and my issues are the same with every car.

Which cars? A lot of people are reporting Bluetooth issue with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones and the same car infotainment systems people have been having iPhone issues with.

The ultimate answer is if you have an issue, contact Apple directly:

Contact - Official Apple Support

That's the only way issues get investigated and fixed.

Hi Users,

Issue: iPhone disconnecting from car stereo Bluetooth constantly.

Elaboration: Any smartphone iphone/ android is paired in two steps with car’s Bluetooth. First one is for receiving calls or dialling numbers. Second is for playing music or other apps like maps.

Solution: The problem is not with pairing or the smartphone device. It is the stock navigation system of the car. The best possible solution for that case is turn off the stock navigation system of car while playing music from iPhone’s bluetooth.

This will definitely works for constantly dropping connections while playing music via Bluetooth in any car.

Do you by chance have an iWatch as well? I purchased the new iPhone 11 Max Pro and learned that when my iWatch is turned off, the bluetooth works perfectly. Problem only occurs when both are connected and I am driving. The watch and phone interfere with the bluetooth connection in my Mercede Benz. Disconnect the iWatch when driving and your problem should be resolved.

I believe what is happening is that the iphone11 pro BT continuously modulates different channels while its connected, following a newer BT protocol. (probably for security?)

unfortunately it looks like the phone doesn't check with the BT devices that use it on if they also support this or how quickly can these devices switch. the results are the phone bt signal modulates differently than the device causing the audio sound bad. Since the audio pre amp also would need to know to switch on and off or not to this will cause lots of audio related side effects.

The popping sounds are amp power cycling related the cutting out / stutter sounds are the BT modulations

I have no doubts at all that it’s a problem with iOS 13. I have tried all different fixes without any success. BT turns off at random times ultimately leading to phone disconnecting. At which point I have to pair up the phone again to start over. For those that do not see it as an issue considering current circumstances, I am a key worker on call and for the phone to disconnect in mid conversation can be a very big problem.