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AirPods disconnects on calls

AirPods pair correctly with iPhone 6s Plus (iOS 10.2) and randomly during the call they get disconnected. The BT connection gets lost and I have to connect them again manually.

Happens several times during long calls with no apparent pattern. The AirPods are fully charged.


The strange thing is that while listening to music, this problem doesn't show up, only on phone calls.

AIRPODS, iOS 10.2, null

Posted on Dec 20, 2016 8:31 PM

Reply
546 replies

Dec 28, 2016 5:34 PM in response to Someara23

OK... something I've noticed in my situation... once my Apple Watch gets control of the AirPods, it won't let go until an actual audio stream is started from the phone. (Not just an aleft tone... or keyboard clicks... an actual audio stream) Also, while the watch has it, double tap for Siri won't work.


If I disengage the airplay to the AirPods from the watch, everything goes back to the phone... until I turn off the screen, them it goes back to the watch.


I'm now trying to figure out if, every time it disconnects from a call... my Apple Watch wants to play an alert?


I have a sinking feeling (Or syncing) that it actually has something to do with the Watch.

Dec 28, 2016 7:17 PM in response to SebasKretz

I have had my airpods for a week now. Love them except for phone calls. I have iphone 6s, ios 10.2. I have apple watch series 2 with latest firmware. I will experiment on the way home today with one in my ear and see if the call drops. Yesterday on my iphone the little headphone icon completely disappeared and the sound cut out. I question whether I should take them back and try and exchange them at best buy but I figure I will be waiting months for another set. I have reset the airpods, cleared network settings on iphone 6s etc, I get the same disconnect with both of them in on a phone call. Thing is everyone can hear me so well even when I am outside and no other bluetooth headset I have had has ever worked that well. Does everyone think this has to do only with iphone 6s/+ phones?


update. Tonight I was on a phone call for over 30 minutes and not one dropped connection. I was using only the right airpod though. I made a few other calls max 10-15 minutes and no issues. Still I will be ok using them this way but I feel apple needs to fix it when you use both of the at the sare time on calls.

Dec 29, 2016 7:31 AM in response to sldous

Yes I did.

I had one week ago my iPhone 6 S + running on 10.2 with my series 2 apple watch and airpods and it was the most frustrating thing in the world. Did not work at all with call they would disconnect or not be able to answer. However with music it worked perfectly.

I got an iphone 7 for christmas and all my problems went away.


Hope that helps answer your question.

Best regards

Dec 29, 2016 2:29 PM in response to BrandonKL

I should add a bit more detail for anyone interested:


- iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 10.2

- I've only been making phone calls with both AirPods in my ears.

- AirPods disconnect on longer calls; happened 3 times in total during 2 one hour calls. 2 were short drops (less than 5 seconds) and automatic reconnects. One was a full drop that required me to fumble around the bluetooth menu in settings to manually reconnect.

- I may be imagining things, but I sometimes hear some crackle before bluetooth disconnects.

- AirPods sometimes take a second or two to "settle" -- sometimes the AirPods can't decide if they want to output stereo or mono audio even when I have both in my ear.

- AirPods have never disconnected in Music or Podcasts app


All in all, it is disappointing that Apple still hasn't worked out all of the kinks with the AirPods even after the long delay. I'm on the fence as to whether I should keep using my AirPods for calls, or if I should just go back to my reliable Plantronics bluetooth headset while the issues are being ironed out.

Dec 29, 2016 3:19 PM in response to BrandonKL

Thanks for your input. You actually are the first case I've heard of issues with the iPhone7/7+. Disappointing. Make sure you contact AppleCare via phone. I've been sending my personal logs every time I get a disconnect. They want me to test on my wife's iPhone 7+ tonight and get back to them. I'll post here with results as well.

Dec 30, 2016 12:37 AM in response to SebasKretz

I have a similar challenge. After reading this discussion it seems related. Basically whenever my iPhone 7 acquires two BT devices for phone calls (i.e. AirPods and my car) the AirPods stop working for phone calls. Music always ok. Only work around at the moment is to reboot phone in order to get phone audio back on AirPods, otherwise they never work again with a phone call. Even after the second BT device is gone. I have two sets of AirPods and both fail the same way. I can repeat the failure every time. Don't think it's the AirPods but rather the BT hardware/software in the iPhone. Just a guess though. iOS 10.2 has acted odd with other BT audio devices I use.


I have an Apple Watch series 2 but haven't used it yet with the AirPods. Must admit, not really looking forward to more headaches with that after reading this discussion.


I posted my findings here: Airpods fail with phone calls after second BT connection, like a car


Other notes. Several times, just after connecting and then making a call, the other persons voice on the call becomes very deep (like a disguised voice) and my voice, to them becomes very high pitched. Only fix is to jump to speaker in audio sources and then back to AirPods. Very odd and a little creepy. Has happened 3 times so far with both sets.


Also horrible performance trying to pop in an AirPod with the phone ringing. Mostly I miss the call. If I am fast enough, the call is there for the a second and the goes silent while the second airpod is trying to sync. Haven't found a solid way to remove AirPods from the case, get into my ear and take a call as it comes in (rings)

Dec 31, 2016 7:36 AM in response to Someara23

OK... so here we are today.


Yesterday I received replacement AirPods from the Apple Store and instantly had the same exact issues with the new AirPods. The biggest issue that could be replicated was once the Apple Watch took control of the AirPods, the iPhone couldn't get it back. So. Siri wouldn't work and any tones from the iPhone wouldn't play unless you started playing music or audio book.


First off, while I was working with the Apple folks on this... I learned that many of them are having issues too.


Anyway, after not being able to get the new AirPods to work the way they were supposed to... they recommended I back up my phone and watch, reset both, restore and then re-pair the AirPods. So, not wanting to leave the store, I grabbed my laptop... did everything they said and started putting everrything back together.


Much to my amazement, when I was done... everything worked as described. I would hear all audio out of the phone when the screen was on. When it would lock, I would hear the audio from my Watch come in the AirPod. I called myself from a soft phone on another computer and everything seemed great.


Thinking everything was good... I went out to my car with a huge smile on my face. While still in the parking lot, I added my credit cards back to the wallet and left. 10 minutes later, I received a phone call and answered It with a double tap. 10 minutes into the call... the AirPods failed and the call defaulted back to the iPhone's audio.


Continuing to troubleshoot, I've learned that... in it's current state, audio won't transfer to the Watch unless we are on WiFi. Still, once it does, it won't go back to the iPhone.


Calling Apple again this morning to give them the update. The really strange thing is... it worked for a while, then something happened to break it.


I LOVE these things and really wish they would just work right.


Again, for the record... 6S+, 10.2, 128GB... Watch, series 1, 3.1.1

Dec 31, 2016 8:56 AM in response to Someara23

Thanks for your post. A lot of good detail - I just don't understand one part of it:


"in its current state, the audio won't transfer to the watch unless we are on wifi. Still, once it does, it won't go back to the iPhone."

Can you clarify that part?


Also - just to log the current state of my situation - I reset all network settings last night and no issues thus far, but I have been mainly using one AirPod.

AirPods disconnects on calls

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