Sounds when Connected to Bluetooth Headset

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Level 1

7 points

Sounds when Connected to Bluetooth Headset

Hello

On the iPhone 4 I just noticed that my text message, calendar reminder, and email "sounds" do not play through the external speaker when I have a bluetooth headset connected. Instead, these sounds play through the bluetooth headset.

This is a problem and not something I recall from other iPhones.

Is anybody else having this issue? FYI, the bluetooth headset is a Jawbone Icon.

Thanks!
chicago29

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Jul 15, 2010 5:48 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

DrJonesUSA

Level 1

8 points

Jul 15, 2010 5:59 PM in response to chicago29

The same thing happens to me on my iPhone 4, just as it did with my 3G. Though Im thrilled that the volume of the alerts is far, far lower than it was on my 3G - incoming emails, texts, calendar reminders would just about made me deaf when i was on the phone. It was excruciating.

However, people are reporting that the new 4.0.1 update has increased the volume of many iphone functions, so unfortunately this may become a big issue again.

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Answer 2

chicago29 Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 15, 2010 6:34 PM in response to chicago29

Hmmm...maybe it has always been like this and I just never noticed it as I didn't often use a headset. I don't like it though and it really makes no sense whatsoever. So, if I keep my headset connected all day, which is what most everybody does, I cannot hear text/email/calendar sounds unless I just so happen to have my headset in my ear. However, my phone ring is able to be heard through the phone.

The other sounds should come through the phone, whether or not you're connected to a headset.

This is asinine...

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Answer 3

Jul 17, 2010 6:49 AM in response to chicago29

Yes I have this issue also. I found that by hanging up with the phone rather than the headset the phone will eventually ring. Sadly most people have hung up out of boredom.

I still haven't had the time to figure out the rings to answer for Voicemail. It is clearly way to many from the texts I get.

There are also a few other bluetooth "features" that could be improved.

1. Tethering to Windows machines? Cable only?
2. Sync with Windows Machines? Cable only?
3. Bluetooth outbound audio.
I have several plantronics headsets. I lose them and find them frequently. No one could hear me on the Plantronics Pro yet I could hear them and all sounds just fine as long as the headset is glued into my ear.

The phone did vibrate twice before ringing the headset so I knew to put the headset on.

The iPhone 3GS that upgraded to iOS 4 is working fine.
The iPhone 4 with 4.0.1 isn't.

Oddly the only headset anyone can hear me on is an old ATT 521 by plantronics. Trouble is that head set has the two tone earpiece and the clear part has fallen off (like all three of these models I have) making it hard to use.

To make it more fun, the headset picks up everything, including the neighbors dog so the people on the other end still complain.

I have a case and I still lose calls on a regular basis. What I found is to leave the phone on a counter and use the speaker phone. If I don't touch the phone (Sorry Apple it is already in a case) it works fine. The phone acts like an old Jaguar. It looks great but not really useful yet.

Tasks from Outlook? My number one tool, it can't be that hard, the crackberry did it just fine.

Yes we are the beta testers folks. Now if ATT would just let me have two sim cards so I could use my RAZR when I need to make a call life would be great.

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Answer 4

Jul 17, 2010 1:39 PM in response to chicago29

Sorry chicago, I realize I mis-read your post. Do you mean that ALL sounds play through your headset regardless of whether or not you are on the phone? Mine does it only when I am on the phone - otherwise, sounds play through the speakers.

That could be an issue with your Jawbone headset - I would check the instructions with that.

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Answer 5

chicago29 Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 18, 2010 1:25 PM in response to chicago29

This is not an issue with the phone ring. The phone ring is done through the phone's speaker as normal. My issue is only "alerts" such as Text Messaging, New Email, Calendar Reminder, etc. These play through the headset when I have a bluetooth headset connected.

The Jawbone is connected to the phone but it isn't "engaged"...it is simply in standby mode or whatever.

This is really bizarre as I can't possibly think of why it SHOULD be like this. I'm hoping it is a bug that gets fixed by somebody.

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Answer 6

kcanread

Level 1

0 points

Jul 21, 2010 1:14 AM in response to chicago29

I have the same issue and I hope someone from Apple will chime in, on my iPhone 2G txt sounds came from the phones speaker when the bluetooth headset was connected, on my iPhone 4, the txt sounds come through the speaker when the headset isn't connected, and through the headset only when the headset is connected. Like many, I prefer to leave my headset connected at all times, but all I get is a vibration and not a txt ring tone, so I miss txts when the headset is connected.

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Answer 7

kcanread

Level 1

0 points

Jul 21, 2010 2:10 PM in response to kcanread

To followup, I called Apple about this issue and while speaking to them, received a txt and noted that the iPhone 4 vibrated once but the txt chime was only heard through the bluetooth headset. I opined to Apple that this issue had been overlooked in iOS, to which the rep agreed and escalated the matter.

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Answer 8

Jul 25, 2010 11:39 AM in response to chicago29

I have moved my post to Re: Bluetooth - Other end doesn't hear me clearly

Message was edited by: BobN2Tech

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Answer 9

Feb 28, 2011 6:00 PM in response to kcanread

I have a 3GS and just got a Voyager Pro+ which has the feature that allows you to listen to music etc through the headset. Problem is, when the headset is paired (like to keep it that way while driving) I don't hear text or email alerts..this is a BIG problem as I am missing texts. I have called Plantronics and they report this is an Iphone issue, not the headset. Has something to do with the A2DP technology, but blackberry users are saying they do not have any problems...it is an apple software issue. Please help.

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Answer 10

Oct 21, 2011 2:37 PM in response to Ani Sonam

Submitt feedback here www.apple.com/feedback. I have the same headset and the same issue.

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Answer 11

Nov 12, 2011 7:25 AM in response to chicago29

I concur. I need the phone to make all the normal sounds when my headset is connected but all it does is vibrate I miss allot of notifications unless the headset is in me ear. I have sent suggestion to Apple to put a simple switch in setting/general/bluetooth to leave sounds on the phone or make souds go thru headset. I leave my phone and headset on dash when driving and miss everything incoming... http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.htmllink to Suggestions...

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Answer 12

Nov 14, 2011 8:57 PM in response to chicago29

I have learned that this behavior is definitely caused by having A2DP enabled. I learned this when I got the Jawbone Era headset earlier this year.

Honestly, I don't really mind it too much, I guess....I still hear/feel my phone vibrate, so that's enough notification for me.

I still wish it were possible to DISABLE sounds playing through the bluetooth when I'm on the phone, though....

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Answer 13

Nov 23, 2011 1:15 PM in response to DrJonesUSA

I have the new 4S on 5.0.1 and a 2011 toyota tundra with the factory bluetooth hands free kit and have the same issue - no notification sounds with bluetooth connected. I do have an option to setup the bluetooth connection as "phone only" or with "internal audio" from the pairing menu. When I pair using the "phone only" setting, the notification sounds still come through the phone speaker. It's only when I pair with the "internal audio" setting (that uses A2DP) when I lose the notificaiton sounds from the phone. If I am on the BT input (streaming audio or paused) then I can hear the sounds - similar to the bluetooth headset issues with the sounds coming from the headset and not the phone.

I don't see how this can be anything other than caused by Apple's software.

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Answer 14

Dec 15, 2011 1:37 PM in response to Rick Pruden

I have the 4S running 5.0.1, a 2011 Toyota Tundra with factory bluetooth hand free and a Jawbone ICON and I have the same results on both - when connected to BT, no text, email tones through the iPhone speaker.

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Answer 15

DAfromNY

Level 1

0 points

Jun 5, 2012 10:04 AM in response to chicago29

I have a 2010 Acura and I have the same problem. Once my phone is connected to my car via Bluetooth, I can only hear alerts if I’m listening to something over Bluetooth. So If I want to listen to the radio, I will not hear any alerts when I receive new mail or text messages. You will only get an audio alert if you get a phone call. This is extremely annoying and would have changed my mind about buying an iphone. The blackberry and droid phone do not have this problem. You can argue that you shouldn’t be looking at text messages when you are driving, but if Siri can read them to you, then why not alert me on my handset too. This issue cannot be resolved until Apple updates their OS. Does anyone know if they are working on it?

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