Apple Watch won't give haptics IF AirPods are in ears AND cellular is on

So during a workout, I noticed this same issue from S7 back again but understood just today when it happens.

I wore an AirPod and sent myself messages while my Apple Watch ran on cellular data.

1. When the AirPod was in my ear - haptic feedback from the watch didn't happen, maybe 2 out of 20, but mostly not, and I heard the sound of the notification in the AirPod. So if I had a notification - the only ways to know is by hearing with the AirPod or looking at the watch unintentionally (NO HAPTIC).

2. When the AirPod was in case - haptic feedback worked, and the sound obviously came from the watch as well.

3. When the watch is in Bluetooth range of the iPhone - it works fine, no setting needs to be changed.


Why does the combination of cellular and AirPods messes the notifications from the watch? :\


I'm up to date with the software versions: iOS 16.5 and WatchOS 9.5.

Posted on May 29, 2023 9:35 AM

Reply

Similar questions

6 replies

May 30, 2023 1:32 PM in response to Delicate141

Hi Delicate141,


To make sure we're on the same page, you had one AirPod in paired to your Apple Watch or both? Also, while it mainly does not give haptic feedback with your AirPod in, it did once or twice?


These additional details will help us better assist you. As a start, if this is only happening in the exact circumstances you mentioned with the AirPods, it might be worth resetting them using these steps: How to reset your AirPods and AirPods Pro - Apple Support


Cheers!


Jun 3, 2023 3:26 AM in response to ryane77

Thanks for your reply, ryane77.


Today, I conducted an experiment with THREE watches: SE, S7, and Ultra, all of them are mine. This is pretty much consistent: across more than 50 messages in Messages and WhatsApp – as long as the Apple Watch is disconnected by Bluetooth from iPhone (connected only via Wi-Fi or Cellular), and AirPods (Pro 2) are plugged in the ears, you don't receive haptic feedback on your wrist. For the first 4 times with my Ultra, it worked fine, but haptics didn't occur after that in all three Apple Watches.


Many thanks again for the reply, I'll respond more frequently now.

Jun 3, 2023 9:28 AM in response to Nicholas_B2

Hi, Nicholas_B2.


I reset the AirPods again, and for a second I thought it's working as intended, but I came to the conclusion that there is a weird consistency. Now with my AirPods connected directly to my Apple Watch Ultra, connected to Cellular only, with more than 80 messages in Messages and WhatsApp, this happened: when wrist is down – AirPods will deliver the sound, the watch won't give haptics; When I'm looking at the watch – AirPods won't deliver a sound, the watch will give haptics.

So it depends on the angle of the watch, and by that, only one of them will let me know about an incoming notification.


It almost feels like this is an intended behavior, but this can't be – it's so stupid to be intended, right?

Jun 24, 2023 4:47 AM in response to Delicate141

UPDATE: The phone support manager returned to me one week after the call, with the answer that this is an intended behavior. This is really dumb, the fact that my AirPods are connected to the watch via AirPlay (it doesn't matter if you're connected through cellular, it's all about the AirPlay, the direct connection between those two devices), it should NOT change what we're used to - feel and hear a notification from the watch itself. It should NOT be divided just because of AirPlay.


Sent a feedback to Apple, as the manager in the phone center suggested.

Apple Watch won't give haptics IF AirPods are in ears AND cellular is on

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.