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Level 1

15 points

Ping iPhone not working with WatchOS2

Hello. Since updating to WatchOS2, the "Ping iPhone" feature is not working from the watch's settings glance. When I hit the ping button, it says "Pinging iPhone" but no sound ever plays on the phone, regardless of how many times I hit it.

Every now and again, it will work as you would expect: Every time you hit the button, a sound plays on the phone, but for the most part the feature does not work.

If I reboot either the phone, or the watch, the feature will work for a while, then eventually stop again.

Is anyone else experiencing the same issue?

The Watch is paired with an iPhone 6+, with iOS 9 on it.

Apple Watch, watchOS 2, null

Posted on Sep 21, 2015 4:16 PM

66 replies

Hellbus2 Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 22, 2015 10:32 AM in response to Jonathan UK

Thank you. I maintain encrypted iTunes backups but thanks for the reminder!

abikeawy

Level 1

5 points

Sep 23, 2015 5:07 AM in response to Hellbus2

I think there is an IOS9 Problem on IPhone. Try this.

1) go to setting on Iphone

2) goto general

3) goto Siri

4) turn off Siri

5) Try pinging again. and try playing music again. This will work. So, there is a problem with IOS 9. I had spoken to Apple Tech and given them this info already.

Sep 22, 2015 4:58 PM in response to Hellbus2

Hi, I am experiencing the same issue, ever since I updated to ISO9 yesterday on my 6 plus. Have hard booted the watch and phone without success.

abikeawy

Level 1

5 points

Sep 22, 2015 5:02 PM in response to johnfrompakenham

Try what I have described above.

n808n808

Level 1

30 points

Sep 22, 2015 11:30 PM in response to Hellbus2

This problem also started for us after upgrading to WatchOS 2. Resetting network settings, and re-booting both devices did not help. Turning off Siri did not help either. Very annoying - one of my favorite watch features.

Sep 23, 2015 3:17 AM in response to n808n808

I was just turning bluetooth off and tested ping and I was suprised it didn't work.

So I turned bluetooth on and again ping didnt work

I held the on/off button and home together and waiting for reboot.

It now pings fine, thanks 'Sweet John'

2.0

9.0

DJCB1

Level 1

0 points

Sep 23, 2015 6:00 AM in response to shantishanti.shanti

You are definitely not alone. My apple watch stopped pinging my iPhone 6 Plus after I updated the phone to iOS 9 last week. I can reboot and fool with it and get it to start pinging for a short period of time, and then it stops pinging again. If I disable Siri in settings, that seems to have solved the issue so we are forced to choose between the ping apple watch feature, which is so convenient, and Siri.... I updated the watch to watch OS 2.0 yesterday and it didn't help. This problem is a iOS 9 bug and I hope Apple is made aware so they can squash it in iOS 9.1 when it rolls out. Until then its back to find my phone app ping which still works fine...

DJCB1

Level 1

0 points

Sep 23, 2015 6:03 AM in response to n808n808

One thing I noticed, if you "press and hold" the ping button in watch glances, it still makes the flash light blinkwith no issues as it always has but the ping noise does not sound with it as it should. Very strange it must be an audio bug.

Hellbus2 Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 23, 2015 6:46 AM in response to DJCB1

I didn't even know about the press and hold feature! Mine is exhibiting the same though though - Press and hold: the light flashes. press: nothing.

Sep 23, 2015 6:50 AM in response to Hellbus2

must be a bug that a future software update will sort out, shame though it wasn't sorted in beta.

Hellbus2 Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 23, 2015 6:50 AM in response to abikeawy

And abikeawy: Turning siri off DOES work for me, but it eventually goes back to not pinging once it is turned back on.

Sep 23, 2015 6:53 AM in response to Jonathan UK

What it would be cool is to be able to pings a other phones images with the watch, kinda like if you have familyss sharing the set up and you could scroll to be through all devices on the account and ping any of them from one 'master' watch.

Hellbus2 Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 23, 2015 10:59 AM in response to Hellbus2

iOS 9.0.1 was released today with a fix for "sometimes alarms and timers could fail to play". I wonder if this will help. I'll upgrade and report back.

Hellbus2 Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 23, 2015 11:31 AM in response to Hellbus2

The issue still exists in 9.0.1

abikeawy

Level 1

5 points

Sep 23, 2015 7:42 PM in response to abikeawy

Apple Tech had me do a video to document. They also taken note on this discussion we are having on here.

Can some of you verify this: If you have Watch os2 and IOS9.

1) turn your iPhone off. Then turn back on.

2).from your watch, ping the iPhone. - Your iphone should sound.

3) go to your music player and play a song. - (for couple of second) then hit stop

4) go to your watch and ping the iPhone. - You will no longer hear the ping.

5). goto your music player and try to press play. - you will not be able to play the music

6). Go to Setting > General > Siri and turn off Siri.

7) go to your watch and ping the iPhone. - you should hear the ping.

8). goto your music player and try to press play - you will here the music.

9). goto setting > General > Siri and turn it to on

10). goto your watch and ping iPhone. - you will not hear ping.

Today I found this out.

11). Plug in your headphone.

12). Go to your watch and ping iPhone - you will hear the ping. The music will work also.

Wanted to make sure its not only me having this problem.

Please answer if you have the same issue so that they know its not only for few people.

Ping iPhone not working with WatchOS2