Q: iPhone SE Bluetooth issues

Hi alexpetra

Of course everyone reports that switching to earspeakers or iPhone built in speakers works ok.

I am not blaming the carrier for bad quality.

My suggestion was that settings with VoLTE could make the software work badly, as iOS tries to use VoLTE instead of the normal carrier audio channel. And it could be a bug there, when iOS switches from normal audio to VoLTE or mixes both...

Have you checked if on your settings is there any reference to LTE? or 4G? I understand that you switch from 2G to 3G, but it may be that your carrier supports LTE and you simply are not in an area where it is existing.

My carrier settings do not show any switch for 4G either, but I've seen other Spanish iPhones with settings that allow you to switch on and off 4G.

The carrier generally supports LTE, but i have not ordered LTE. Additionally i have completely switched 4G OFF. My wife with same settings, same carrier has no problems talking in my car, so it is easy to compare.

Sometimes i think it ist nearly acceptable, but that is only, when the caller is very quiet. Until 50% level its understandable, until 80% it is scratchy, and over it is impossible to understand. Again, in comparison to the iphone 6 with clear voice at any level.

Happy to report that this worked for me on two SE's:

Soft reset — holding down the power and home buttons until you see the Apple logo appear, then let go.  I first unpaired the iPhones, deleted them from an '11 Prius and '14 CR-V, then did the soft reset, then paired them again.  Did it last night, so far today all seems good in both cars.

I found this on macrumours.com, it was suggested by an Apple tech.  Here's the original:

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/many-iphone-se-users-experiencing-bluetooth- phone-call-audio-issues.1967073/page-6#post-22798342

you may be on to something with your VoLTE LTE theory. Everything ( incl Bluetooth) worked well with my 4S which didn't support LTE but the SE did and 4g LTE is available in my area , tho not VOLTE from my carrier. I didn't get a chance to try it in another area before returning it for a refund. that still means the SE hhas a problem that needs to be fixed.

Sorry to follow up, soft reset didn't fix it.  I'll wait for Apple to announce a remedy—software or otherwise.

Did not work for me as well.

R

Same problem here!

I am using the bluetooth of the SE with a plantronics voyager edge but also in my car a Peugeot 508SW with Multi Media Center. 

Both devices have the exact same sound quality problem while on the iPhone SE. 

Both devices worked perfectly with the iPhone 6. 

Both devices are still working perfectly with that very iPhone 6.

Therefore it has to be something with the iPhone SE, either software or hardware ... so please do something Apple!

Wild guess:  It seems some phone numbers work better than others, but I can't document that.

Regards

Ernst Südmeyer

MMuch worse with mobile to mobile calls. Mobile to landline are understandable

Same issue here with my IPhone SE.  I have a 2013 Audi A5 and a 2014 Cadillac CTS and audio over BT phone calls are scratchy sounding, but music plays fine.  My old 4s works fine in both cars.  I did get a replacement, but the new SE has the same issue.  Apple Store told me to sit tight as Apple is aware of this issue.

I have similar Bluetooth issue with my iPhone SE that I purchased few days back. Bad incoming and outgoing voice quality both on BT headset and my car. No problems with music streaming though. Used the same BT headset until last week on iPhone 4s and my car with no issues so obviously this is a SE problem. I called Apple support and talked to the rep on Bluetooth and she right away said the voice quality is poor and after taking down some details referred me to a senior advisor.

TO my surprise the advisor feigned ignorance of this BT problem on SEs until I asked him to Google and then he acted surprised at all the complaints. He said he will escalate the issue  to engineering and get back to me in 3-4 days.

I don't want to go the 6S route because of the large size, I like SE's size. If Apple does not fix this problem in 3 months I will return my phone and go for an Android.

I've been watching this discussion with some interest since it was started but didn't added my comments namely because I thought I would be just another unlucky sod who's SE was unable to connect correctly via Bluetooth and all that I could say has already been said anyway! - image my surprise when today I tried my first hands free call and had no problem, in fact the audio was crystal clear and would say sounded even better than my previous 4S. Just to double check after finishing that call (to a mobile) I tried calling someone thats on a land line, again no issue.

For those interested (and hoping something may help) my SE is the 64Gb version running 9.3.1, was 9.3.0 out of the box but following connection to iTunes to setup from my 4S backup I allowed the phone to update itself over the air because it wasn't that large a download. The car it's paired to is an Audi TT Mk3 Coupe 2015 and I deleted the previous phones settings first (for the 4S) from the cars bluetooth system before letting the SE connect - I then made sure via the car system everything was ticked for the SE's profile and like wise via the phone made sure show notifications and sync contacts was enabled together with everything under Groups ticked. I have not paired the SE to any other device or headset so the Audi MMI is the only one showing. For those in the UK my network is 3 payg and it seems to change from 3g to 4g depending on location.

Not sure what more to add other than will continue to use phone next week while travelling around and if anything changes will report back.

Thanks for reporting your positive experience

Great news for you SiHancox but I wonder what sort of device you called via Bluetooth?  I can call a mobile (cell) phone and the sound quality, though not perfect, is certainly acceptable. But if I ring a cordless home phone the sound is terribly distorted. Until there is a fix for this I am making calls to family mobiles rather than home phones.

The first call was to someone using an HTC One m9 on O2 network and the second (the landline) was to a cordless handset (not sure of the make). With all the previous comments was not expecting my SE to be any different (was the main reason did not try it sooner in the car) but now it does work (so far) it raises a big question - what's different for me compared to all those that have posted previously. Is it due to the TT being a fairly new model and so has the latest Bluetooth chips, are there different Bluetooth chips (from alternative manufacturers) being used in the SE's and I happen to have the one not effected by this issue or have I "ducked" the issue in some way by how I've set things up.

Guess until Apple acknowledges the issue publicly and explains what's going on we will be non the wiser.

Guys,

I made an appointment and went yesterday to Apple store.  The "specialist, a girl" looked at my phone, told me that she never heard of this problem, tested my phone via some device and told me that all components are fine. I told her that there are many users that have problems with Bluetooth, but she replied saying not to believe what people post on internet.  I came to Apple in search of a solution/replacement which I was never offered!  On top of that was sent to T-Mobile, so I could call tech support and let them know. I will try again either today/tomorrow and see if I get to another Apple tech support person.