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Watch, iPhone, bluetooth and handoff

Hi Guys!


Lets hope I am just an idiot and don't understand how to use this or how Apple wants us to use this, but I am for the first time ever lost with Apples way of thinking. I have never asked "how did Apple intended me to use this" but.. this Handoff/Watch/iPhone/Bluetooth thing is making me crazy and I need help!


I have:

- iPhone with locally stored music

- Watch without music

- Bluetooth receiver without autoconnect


So on the first day of me getting the Apple watch I connected it to the Bluetooth receiver.


I was able to:

- Walk up to my BT receiver,

- Tap the watch,

- Press play,

- select the Bluetooth receiver

- Play music from iPhone to the BT receiver


It's important to know that when this worked, my Watch was connected to the BT receiver. NOT the iPhone. There is no autoconnect on my BT receiver, so if I get in range I ALWAYS had to manually select the BT receiver on my Watch.


And somehow this has changed yesterday and things don't work anymore. If I now press play on my watch, it doesn't ask me where to play, it immediately starts playing on the iPhone speaker. I am not able anymore to handoff the music to the BT receiver.

Even if I ForcePress the volume icon on my Watch, it only gives me the option the use the iPhone speaker, and not the Bluetooth receiver.


And to make it even worse. This morning I got in range of the BT receiver, and I noticed it DID work again, but... only for 4 songs. All the other songs on my iPhone where not accessible. So ok... that's at least something. But sadly this afternoon I got in range of the BT receiver again, and now only 1 of those 4 songs where accessible.

In the meantime I didn't do anything. I did not use the phone, the watch and I did not connect it to a computer.. It simply changed from 4 to only 1 song...

So within the first week of Watch use I have been able to play a) everything... b) 4 songs.. c) 1 song.

I have to make super clear there is NO autoconnect in my situation. If you think my phone was autoconnected to the BT receiver, and my watch was a remote for the phone, I guarantee you this was not the case. When it worked only my watch was connected to the BT receiver and was handing the iPhone music Off to the BT receiver.


So music was hopping from phone to watch to BT receiver.


If anyone can shed some light on this ... please please make this clear User uploaded file I am totally lost and start to become annoyed. Just explain me if possible in a flowchart how Apple want us to use this.


Thanks People!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2), null

Posted on Nov 15, 2017 11:06 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Nov 17, 2017 6:54 AM

Hi


Under watchOS 4.x, for controlling playback of music from your iPhone rather than the synced playlists on Apple Watch (for which Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker are required), then - other than by using Siri - it is necessary to first start playback on your iPhone before being able to control playback on your Apple Watch.


When you are already playing supported audio on your iPhone (whether via the Music app or a third-party app), the Now Playing app is shown automatically in the Dock on your Apple Watch and can be used to control playback on your iPhone. However, unlike under prior versions of watchOS, those controls no longer include the ability to browse or select playlists via screen-based inputs.


Now Playing can be configured to be shown automatically on Apple Watch upon raising your wrist when playing supported media on your iPhone. This is the default setting. To turn this feature off or on:


On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > General > Wake Screen > turn off Auto-Launch Audio Apps.


If desired, Now Playing can be added to the Dock permanently and/or added to a watch face as a complication.


Follow the instructions here:


If the Music and/or Now Playing apps do not offer all of the features that you would prefer, then you can submit a feature request to Apple here:


Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

3 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Nov 17, 2017 6:54 AM in response to WCitizen

Hi


Under watchOS 4.x, for controlling playback of music from your iPhone rather than the synced playlists on Apple Watch (for which Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker are required), then - other than by using Siri - it is necessary to first start playback on your iPhone before being able to control playback on your Apple Watch.


When you are already playing supported audio on your iPhone (whether via the Music app or a third-party app), the Now Playing app is shown automatically in the Dock on your Apple Watch and can be used to control playback on your iPhone. However, unlike under prior versions of watchOS, those controls no longer include the ability to browse or select playlists via screen-based inputs.


Now Playing can be configured to be shown automatically on Apple Watch upon raising your wrist when playing supported media on your iPhone. This is the default setting. To turn this feature off or on:


On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > General > Wake Screen > turn off Auto-Launch Audio Apps.


If desired, Now Playing can be added to the Dock permanently and/or added to a watch face as a complication.


Follow the instructions here:


If the Music and/or Now Playing apps do not offer all of the features that you would prefer, then you can submit a feature request to Apple here:


Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

Nov 15, 2017 11:29 AM in response to WCitizen

Additional just discovered weirdness...


If I right now open the iTunes app on my watch and:

- Select "Playlists" - it says "No music, you can add songs... "

- Select "Artists" - it says "No music, you can add songs... "

- Select "Albums" - it says "No music, you can add songs... "

- Select "Songs" - it has the 1 song which I mentioned before


😕I don't understand this anymore

Nov 17, 2017 6:58 AM in response to Jonathan UK

Hey Jonathan!


Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply! I asked this in another forum, and it seems the question is either complex or unclear, so I got no answers.


I understand (after reading it 3 times) what you are saying. And I also understand how that part works. But I am afraid you are telling me I can't do what I wanted to do.


If I simplify my question:


"Can I connect my watch to a Bluetooth reciever, and use my watch as a connection hub for my Phone"

or

"Can I send music from my Phone true my watch, and towards my bluetooth speaker"


So the watch would:

- get music from phone

- relay the music via bluetooth to BT reciever.


Thanks again!

Watch, iPhone, bluetooth and handoff

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