Is it possible to use a bluetooth headset AND the Apple Watch at the same time?

Hi Eric

Yes - you can use both a Bluetooth headset and an Apple Watch with your iPhone 6 at the same time.

Bluetooth allows multiple devices to be connected at once.

If you search on Apple Support Communities you may also find some useful pointers regarding various brands and models of Bluetooth headsets.

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To expand a bit on Jonathan's answer, you can connect your phone to multiple BT devices as long as they are different kinds of devices. For example, you can't pair to two sets of headsets at once but you can pair to an Apple Watch, headset and a BT heart rate strap (as I do) all at once.

Meg St._Clair wrote:

To expand a bit on Jonathan's answer, you can connect your phone to multiple BT devices as long as they are different kinds of devices. For example, you can't pair to two sets of headsets at once but you can pair to an Apple Watch, headset and a BT heart rate strap (as I do) all at once.

To further expand, you can PAIR two or more headsets to an iOS device (I have 4 headsets paired), but you can only CONNECT to one at a time to use it. The  Watch is not paired in the usual sense; it uses Bluetooth LE (aka Bluetooth 4) which does not require pairing the devices; likewise for heart rate straps, Fitbit pedometers, Tile location trackers,etc. The limit on Bluetooth LE devices is 8 per device type.

Good point. I have at least that many headsets paired to my phone and the same number of speakers.

I thought the HR strap (Wahoo TICKER X) I use pairs in the usual sense but I could be wrong.

I'm not familiar with that one. My Polar H7 uses Bluetooth LE.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

I'm not familiar with that one. My Polar H7 uses Bluetooth LE.

Battery died on my H7 and it never worked again.

The TICKR X says BT 4.0 but it does show in the regular list of paired items in Settings>BlueTooth.

Simplyeric91 wrote:

I'm looking into a particular model of headsets (the LG TONE - http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accessories/lg-HBS730). This will work seamlessly with the iPhone while no problems using the iPhone and Apple Watch, correct?

Correct - subject to the headset working as it should.

(See, for example: LG HBS-730 Bluetooth Issues )

Simplyeric91 wrote:

I'm currently using the Apple Watch, and from what you have said, it seems like it is using a hybrid of bluetooth technologies?

The Bluetooth 4.0 specification allows devices to implement either or both of the Bluetooth low energy and classic Bluetooth systems.

So - depending upon the implementation - Bluetooth low energy (also known as Bluetooth Smart / Bluetooth LE / BLE) is only a potential feature of Bluetooth 4.0; they do not necessarily mean the same thing.

Both Apple Watch and iPhone 6 are specified as featuring Bluetooth 4.0:

• Apple Watch: whilst not specified, it appears (from what I have read elsewhere) that Apple Watch uses only the Bluetooth LE system.
• iPhone 6: can connect with both traditional (classic) and low energy (Bluetooth Smart) products. It is therefore classified as a "Bluetooth Smart Ready" product (as are earlier models, from the 4S onwards). iPhone supports multiple Bluetooth profiles - more info here: iOS: Supported Bluetooth profiles - Apple Support.

Simplyeric91 wrote:

Wow. The responses are overwhelming. Thanks a lot!

But just to clarify it one more time! So I'm currently using the Apple Watch, and from what you have said, it seems like it is using a hybrid of bluetooth technologies? I'm looking into a particular model of headsets (the LG TONE - http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accessories/lg-HBS730). This will work seamlessly with the iPhone while no problems using the iPhone and Apple Watch, correct? I apologize 😟

Yes. I'm using currently using Beats but used an earlier version of LG Tones with my iPhone with no problem. Any headset that meets the BT standards should work with an iPhone. The Apple Watch will not interfere.