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Hi, does anybody know how to turn the headphone safety setting off on the new iso update???
cheers.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 11, iOS 14
Some of us have been handed a nasty surprise from Apple after recently updating to IOS 14.2. Prior to iOS 14.2 our phones had a feature called headphone safety which notified us that the volume of our headphones was too high and lowered it back down autonomously. This feature was mandated for EU states but it was optional for everywhere else, essentially if you lived outside of Europe, you were able to turn this feature off.
Once you update your phone to iOS 14.2 there is no longer an option to disable this headphone safety feature, whether you live in the EU or outside of Europe (I live in Canada). Okay, so what’s the big deal? Well, first thing, ethically speaking, medical concerns such as hearing loss, which this feature is trying to prevent, are essentially a personal choice, which should not have any interference with a Tech company.
More importantly, the feature has been designed terribly. It cannot differentiate between Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth speakers, and Bluetooth receivers for your car radio. We typically listen to music quite loud on Bluetooth speakers, since they are typically further away from us, however since the phone cannot differentiate between a Bluetooth speaker and Bluetooth headphones, it assumes your listening to headphones too loud and lowers the volume for you to 50%. If you higher the volume manually it will continue to lower it every 20-30 minutes. This experience becomes dangerous when driving as it forces you to either pull over or reach for your phone and fiddle with the buttons while driving, which can have dangerous consequences.
We have tried reaching out to apple, and we were met with disappointing results. The recommended help was to submit your feedback to apples feedback page: https://www.apple.com/feedback/ Upon accessing the feedback page, there isn’t even an option to report any feedback for iOS 14.2 bugs/ features.
Shockingly, posts submitted to the apple community boards/forums kept being deleted, and I was personally threatened to have my apple ID deleted and ISP blocked if I continued to raise awareness in regards to this issue. This is truly a first for Apple, in 13 years that I’ve been a customer, I never thought I would get threatened this way. So one must assume there is no help coming, no consideration, no willingness to engage in discourse by Apple in regards to this with the impacted users.
Apples mythological existence was largely propelled by the introduction of the iPod, a device that made it easy for us to enjoy music, how we wanted, where we wanted. Today, amongst so many limitations due to the global pandemic, all we really ask is to please, let us enjoy our music uninterrupted, un-convoluted, we need this right now, for some of us, music is the only thing we have left to keep us afloat.
Please allow those who are not within the EU the ability to turn this feature off; we are all conscientious adults able to manage our hearing.
This is not a smear campaign against Apple, we just want to be heard, much like we just want to hear our music.
[Edited by Moderator]
Dear lobsterghost: Please be honest. When is the last time you or anyone you know sent a feedback there and Apple took any sort of action? Let alone even acknowledge your feedback thru a human?
You throw a dime in a well and you don’t even hear it hit the bottom. So why bother?
Telling the truth. Apple doesn't participate on this forum. Cognizant Apple employees don't read this threads. The feedback link is the ONLY way to get Apple to read your thoughts. And NO, they won't respond to you as clearly noted in the feedback form.
So, you can complain here, which may make you feel better but accomplish nothing. Or you can provide feedback to Apple via the link I provided and at least know your message will be read.
Your choice.
Yea, just the fact that Apple hasn’t even bothered to update their feedback form with the latest release of iOS 14.2 speaks volumes in itself. That’s the last I will write here. (and FYI: I did write to Apple twice there already and not expecting anything) Only thing that gets Apple to do anything is possibility of a class action lawsuit, which won’t happen outside of US.
No EU law forces a supplier to turn down a users volume. This is disgusting from Apple. I have been loyal for over a decade but this is nothing short of Big Brother power, controlling and a clear example of a boardroom pulling puppet strings.
I use BT headphone on 10k runs and the annoyance and disturbance this causes mid run and effect on my tempo is enough to make me put my Apple Watch in the bin.
Apple have crossed one too many UX boundaries on this and hiding behind vague laws is pathetic.
Shame on them.
Sort this out Apple.
Does the same bloody thing if using Bluetooth speaker or devices like treadmills it’s needs sorting fast Apple
I don’t have health app installed and all that can toggled off are off this is not on Apple!!!
Well, I just ordered a new phone from a different brand, took less time than filling out their form and waiting who knows how long (possibly even forever) to get this removed.
The issue I, as well as most other users, have with this is that this isn't a bug. It's an intentional feature. As far as I'm concerned this is comparable to when they were forcing CPU throttling on users with old batteries and not giving them an option to turn it off. And since they're only doing this in certain regions, it's unlikely they'll get slapped by a class action lawsuit like they did back then, because many of these regions do not have an official way of actually doing a CA lawsuit. It was this lawsuit that got them to change the implementation, not user feedback.
yes my point to is iOS developer engineering have totally overlooked the differentiation of headphone to Bluetooth speaker and gym equipment even DJ’s and sound systems in entertainment, shops etc are now goosed to as goes on time use of higher volume....
I spent 2hrs in tech chat with 2 Apple support techs late last night Uk time so presumably they were in USA.
All they kept saying the 4 devices they had between them they could switch it off but were totally puzzled I couldn’t they went in my diagnostic inspection they link into your phone and couldn’t find a way to after me telling them it’s a geographic location thing as posted on my device in learn more....still not fixed
we ended the chat with a iOS engineer is gonna call right away.......still waiting 🤬🤬
ios14.2 is when this got implemented
iOS14.2.1 has a sort of fix but this update is only for iphone12 though... tut tut Apple!!
Why don’t you be helpful and actually post said link in your post then !!
It’s more the fact the developers of iOS 14.2 have tied Bluetooth speaker or device that use Bluetooth sounds like a treadmill, gym equipment etc in with the headphone settings, it should not be it should separate!
More concerns...,as a privacy matter!
The device shouldn’t be listening to use or throughput if it’s setting is turned off!
Hi guys,
To turn this off.
Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Reduce Volume Sounds > change it from allow to don’t allow.
It also depends on the region you live in, and the current restrictions in regards to Covid-19. Which is why Apple has hidden this feature.
Kind regards,
Jack
This has absolutely nothing to do with headphone safety notificafions. Screentime limits are made for parents to disable certain features for their kids, not to bypass them.
Headphone safety notifications has nothing to do with Covid either. That’s the most ridiculously funny argument I’ve heard in years. Makes for a great conspiracy novel for sure! :))
Please read comments here under this video. Particularly ones by Josh. This issue is now confirmed by Apple and is not region dependent as some like to think. This is quickly rolling out to US sold iPhones as well. If Apple decides to continue with this, this won’t end well.
Guys in uk here’s my fix and so far it’s sorted it
settings sounds & hepatics headphone safety Reduce loud sounds turn on ! Set to max turn off
the spy on your device can only then tell if u got over 100db
pics attached after wiping history
alanah178 wrote:
This feature has almost caused several car accidents because it’s randomly turned my music right down while I’m driving!? So dangerous!
No, the feature did not almost cause the accident. Your unwillingness to pay attention to your driving rather than the volume of your music did.
Seriously Apple must be paying some of you guys a good fortune to spend all your time here around the clock, responding to and discrediting any argument against Apple. They just need to duplicate more of you to resist against all these folks.
lobsterghost1 wrote:
I was going to respond to that one, but found it so preposterous it didn't merit a response. As if lower volume while driving a car could be dangerous.
As if music were required to drive the car.... ;-)
How to turn off Headphone Safety on iPhone
