Unable to pair new Mac mini with new iPhone via bluetooth

CC6502 wrote:

...If the iMac can use the iPhone camera and mic for FaceTime and Zoom why can it not use the iPhone mic for regular phone calls? There does not seem to be any reason why it cannot do that or am I missing something? If it's not a settings issue then maybe it should be built into the software.

CC6502 wrote:

"Why?" is not a question one can answer on Apple's behalf. I think it's very technically possible, but apparently the implementation is not in the software, yet, for some reason.

I would invite you to submit feedback directly to Apple regarding this.

To do so, you can follow this link – Product Feedback - Apple.

As for the issue of your callers not being able to hear you when a call is routed through your mini, please see this: Make and receive phone calls on Mac or iPad - Apple Support.

Linked with that is this: System requirements for Continuity on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch - Apple Support

And, per that document...

"iPhone Cellular Calls

iPhone Cellular Calls requires any iPhone using iOS 8.1 or later and an activated carrier plan. You can then relay calls to and from that iPhone from these devices:

• Any Mac using OS X Yosemite or later. Mac mini and Mac Pro require an external microphone or headset.

As Bruce Hornsby might say, "That's just the way it is."

But I believe this thing will change, eventually.

Syncing in what way?

As has been mentioned, there is no way to pair them directly over bluetooth. Most features that use bluetooth do not require direct pairing. Direct Bluetooth connections are not required for pretty much anything.

Actual syncing of music, photos and other content does not use Bluetooth, it uses Wi-Fi, but must first be set up while the device is plugged in with a cable.

I have never had the port on an iPhone "go defective" as if by magic.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Just saying you want to "sync", is very vague and can mean a ton of things.

Start here ➜ Sync content between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch over Wi-Fi - Apple Support

Yes. This is expected behavior. Macs and iPhones cannot pair over bluetooth except for personal hotspot. It's never been a supported feature.

Most things that require bluetooth between a Mac and an iPhone do not require they be paired, only that bluetooth be turned on.

What are you trying to accomplish by pairing them over bluetooth?

I can't even sync my phone. It just says 'loading' forever. Then I tried Bluetooth. This is 'device unsupported'. Now after years in the Apple Eco system, I've been given to expect everything will family nicely together. However I can't sync the phone using bluetooth or the wifi and the charger plug in ports on iPhones go defective quite quickly. Using 13.5 and trying to sync an iPhone 8 on 16.16.1. I'll keep checking back here to see if there are any ways of syncing the device to the Mac mini.

The Mac mini has no microphone built in, thus your caller cannot hear you if you route the call through the computer. You'll need to buy a USB mic of some sort if you must have that functionality.