Audio playback stuttering/skipping iOS11.4

I’m using the iPhone XS Max. I have this issue when I use the adapter and headphones. It does not happen when I use AirPods or the original wired lightning earbuds. It does it in all audio playback, in any app.

Easiest solution is is to always use AirPods but when I’m on a tractor or mower, I wear a headphones connected with the lightning adapter.

I had this issue with my last 6s phone. Recently purchased iPhone 7. Have had this issue as well with the new phone. The Apple podcast app - podcast started speaking really fast, then just starting from the beginning, then mid podcast episode skipping to another episode. I deleted the Apple podcast app and downloaded overcast app for podcasts. Was working fine and then EXACT same problem happened. I started listening to Spotify which has been working fine and then boom. Songs skipping and starting over and jumping all over the place. FIX THIS ASAP!! Apparently it’s been going on since 2014 from many of the threads I’ve been reading! Over 3000 said they are having the same issue as the original poster here on this thread. When is Apple going to acknowledge this? My phone literally DOESNT. WORK.

I tried this - I went to settings and turned off background app refresh. Both Spotify and podcast apps started working. But then after a few days it started happening again. I kept swiping up on all of the apps that were up to get rid of the “background apps”, even though my settings were having the apps turned off in the background. This seemed to help temporarily. But now we are back to square one with the problem and nothing works.

I have experienced the VERY annoying skipping of podcasts and music for the past 12 months. I have been with Apple since my first IIe... I even bought a Newton back in the day, but if this skipping crap on the iPhone isn't fixed, I am walking and never coming back!

I’ve had this issue for probably a year or more. It originally began happening on my 7 plus and the problem followed me through several new phones, an 8 plus, which I brought to the Apple store and they replaced. The issue started happening again with the new 8 plus and I switched to an IPhone X a few months ago and the issue has started happening again and it’s really really bad now. Oddly it doesn’t happen on my Bluetooth headphones or AirPods, but It skips and stutters like crazy when playing any audio over Bluetooth to my Anker Soundcore 2 speaker. I’ve tried wiping my phone and setting it up as a new phone but nothing works. By comparison by wife’s 7 plus and my iPad stream to my Bluetooth speaker flawlessly with no issues. I think the issue lies in the software somewhere and every time I back up my phone to the cloud the issue is being saved hence this happening to several phones. I thought the issue might be interference from some other device on my network running on the 2.4GHZ band but this doesn’t seem to be the case. I don’t know what else to do but I am at the point where I am on the verge of switching to a Samsung.

My iPhone 5s used to work perfectly with my 2012 Toyota Camry via. bluetooth. I upgraded to a XR and I wish I didn't. The stuttering and skipping is maddening and since this thread is almost a year old I guess there is no hope. :(

You’re definitely into something with the backup theory/the issue being ingrained in the software. Have you mentioned this to apple’s tech team? Might be worth a shot. Bc my phone prior to my 7plus had the same exact issue too.

I only have this issue with bluetooth. I only use Pandora and Spotify and they act about the same. The issue also seems to affect calls over bluetooth. If I reboot the phone it seems fine for a couple of days. I don't have this issue if I use the standard wired earbuds.

Posting this to keep the thread alive. I've been having the problem on all audio (my music files are burned from CD and reside on my phone), including phone calls. I used wired ear buds most of the time. I run my business on my phone and the issue on phone calls is especially frustrating.

I've just turned off "background app refresh" and will see if that makes a difference.

So I’ve found that turning off the background app refresh won’t do anything.

I actually called apple Apple and they told me to try cleaning the headphone jack.

So I got a toothpick and pulled a little cotton off of a qtip and wrapped it around the tip of the toothpick until it fit inside the jack. I rubbed around pretty well inside there (was a little worried I would do more damage but it was fine).

Honestly, this seems to work!! It’s been a few days of skipless music and podcasts! I highly recommend everyone try... and let us know if it works for you too? Will report back if the skipping returns but I’m shocked it’s been working very well.

After disabling screen time, the skipping has dropped down dramatically. Oddly enough the orientation of the phone seems to matter too. If the phone is upside down it seems to skip less. Thanks to the folks that posted those suggestions in this thread.

After some more testing, I only seem to have the skipping with bluetooth issue on my 2012 Camry and it doesn't skip at all with my 2017 Sienna. I guess the version of bluetooth on the Camry is older than what the Xr has. Unfortunately, there has never been a firmware update offered for my Camry's radio (it's the non Entune version) and I doubt there ever will be an update.

After disabling screen time and adjusting orientation, it may only skip a couple of times in a half an hour instead of nearly constantly.

This issue has nothing to do with a headphone jack or screen time. The issue has been consistent with my last 3 phones that don’t even have a headphone jack (7+, 8+, X) it has been around since 11.3 which was well before the introduction of screen time.

My wife’s iPhone 7 and my iPad Air 2 connect to my Bluetooth wireless speakers and my Lexus RX350 with no interference whatsoever but as soon as I connect my iPhone and play music it sounds like a skipping CD it’s infuriating. I have even tried restoring as a new phone and it still does the same thing. My last hope is that when iOS 12.3 comes out I will restore from iTunes and if that doesn’t work I’m taking it to the Apple store for a replacement as I am still under Apple Care.

very frustrating. My last phone 6s and my current phone 8s both had the exact same problem as well so i was very convinced it wasn’t my headphone jack as well. I’m still shocked cleaning out the headphone jack worked for, me but sounds like you have a totally different issue. Good luck. I would be furious.

I am experiencing a similar issue. Audio is dropping for about a second. For me it usually happens, when I put my iPhone 7 into the pocket of my trousers. Bluetooth headphones on head, phone overhead into left pocket.

I exchanged my iPhone on warranty as I thought it is a hardware thing. The second phone is doing exactly the same. Might this be related to some kind of pressure at the corners?

I have this issue too (though the music on the iPod is distorted as well). I took the iPod into the Apple store a couple of weeks ago and the guy basically looked at me like I had two heads when I told him about the issue and said it was the first time he'd ever heard of this being an issue. There is literally pages of similar complaints on Google and I don't understand why nothing has been done to resolve the issue. The guy said to phone Apple support but with the comments here and "support" through the homepage, doesn't look like they're doing anything to resolve the issue.