Bluetooth - Does it work for you?

Apple General
#1

Continuing the discussion from Airplay, you piece of f*$*(NG S&#&#! :poop::

I started to write all this in response then figured it was it’s own topic… so here goes:

How well (or not) Bluetooth works is a common complaint I hear. What particular car or Bluetooth system are you using?

Personally, I’ve had almost no issues at all. My first Bluetooth head unit was a JVC one in the late 2000’s so it’s only ever had iPhones to deal with. It was cheap, there was a lot of road noise and people had a hard time hearing me although that was probably down to how cheap the unit was and where the mic was placed (also the car wasn’t exactly quiet… :stuck_out_tongue: )

Since then I’ve had a Pioneer AVIC in my Wifes car. This one has worked perfectly for both our iPhones since day one. The only real complaint is that you have to manually switch which device is connected to it. ie If it’s set to my Wifes phone and I get in the car and drive away it will never connect to my phone unless I tell it to. Not a huge issue, but one worth mentioning. If it’s only me (or her) driving it, it always connects and never drops out. There are a few little things about the interface, but the Bluetooth itself works fine. Audio quality for the other caller is just fine. Streaming music has also worked flawlessly with minimal controls available from the head unit (only skip and pause).

My car has the VW standard Bluetooth (9w7) controlled by the RNS510. To be honest, no one but me drives this car so I’m not sure if you have to manually switch connected devices (but I assume you do). I’ve had this car since 2011 through all the iPhones and again it’s always just connected and worked, audio is fine for both telephone and streaming audio.

I’ve had a couple of difference Bluetooth headphones, these sometimes needed input (as in tap connect) from the iPhone side, but tended to connect automatically most of the time and always worked perfectly when connected. A similar story for the UE Boom speaker I have, the only complaint about this one is the range is pretty ordinary and it really doesn’t like brick walls.

On transition between devices, I don’t do this much at all. If anything it would be while getting into the car and my normal workflow is to turn the headphones while walking towards the car meaning there is no transition, just a new connection. Off the top of my head turning on the car caused the Bluetooth headphones to disconnect and the car to take over… but I could be wrong… it’s been a little while as I’m back to using my corded headphones at the moment.

So! How do other people find Bluetooth? Is it the minority that complain loudly or is it a real problem and I’m just lucky to have had such good success?

#2

I get so sick of Bluetooth I just plug things in. Constant drop outs and failures, Toyota head units in cars mainly but then a whole host of other bluetooth devices.

#3

No concerns here for Bluetooth or AirPlay for that matter. I must be blessed.

Inbuilt BT in our VW Scirocco works fine for audio and calls.

In our VW Golf I use a Belkin AirCast Auto which is great for music and works better for calls than it has any right to, given the placement in our car - near the shifter.

Regarding headphones, the Plantronics Backbeat headphones work perfectly well, as do my AcousticSheep SleepPhones.

Bose SoundDock Mini is a great little Bluetooth speaker, the range isn’t sensational but it’s otherwise been fine. We use it nearly every day when cooking.

#4

Constant drop outs in the Mazda 3. It also doesn’t show up the name of the track.

Same phones in the Santa Fe never a problem.

JBL charge 3 only has problems when you turn the microwave on.

#5

Nothing but trouble for me, falcon xr8.

I have to use phone in cradle with speaker on.

#6

Works perfectly in my work Camry.

Also works perfectly in Jodie’s Corolla.

It never worked properly in my 2013 Triton ute from the day I bought it (neither did the previous iPhone 6).

Then I spent $5000 on a new Alpine sound system ($2000 head unit) and the Bluetooth for the Triton and geuss what… a different set of issues. Now I get random drop outs instead of the system losing connection and having to be reconnected. It’s fine if I use cables though.

#7

Which Corolla? I’ve had issues in my 2010 Corolla and family member’s 2013 and 2015 corollas.

#8

Pre iOS 10 and iPhone 7, it worked flawlessly with my 2010 Holden SS Ute. Post iOS 10 and with an iPhone 7, forget it. It suffers from constant pairing problems, hanging when answering or ending calls, and just general instability.

I’m convinced that iOS10 doesn’t play well with Holden’s proprietary bluetooth systems, as my wife has had the same problems on here 2016 VF SV6.

It’s one of the factors that has me looking past the lion badge for my next car.

#9

The only bluetooth device I have issues with is the Aldi brand headset on my motorcycle helmet which seems to cut out audio from my phone at random times and beep at me. I do have another which cost 3x as much and is solid as a rock bluetooth wise but it’s designed for rider/passenger communications, not the longer range rider to rider (i.e. pure bluetooth vs radio).

Everything else seems to work as expected, even cross brand, cross generation.

#10

The only issue I have with bluetooth is the time it sometimes takes to pair.

My previous car, a Toyota only used bluetooth for phone calls and I never had any issues with with it.

New car has CarPlay which so far has had no issues.

#11

2015 Corolla ZR (they’ve got a different head unit to the accent and accent sport).

#12

No issues with AirPlay at all, and no issues with Bluetooth in my '15 Fiesta S!

#13

I love Bluetooth. I always have multiple devices connected to my iPhone with rarely ever issues. Headset, Tile, Fitbit, portable radio, in car radio, all often going at the same time. Bluetooth is brilliant, and more reliable than AirPlay - which often seems buggy.

#14

My 2015 Hyundai ix35 has a flaky media unit. It’s already been replaced once so I suspect either the software is buggy or there’s something environmental near the unit that interferes with it.

BT does work fine, but often won’t show anything on the display and the music needs to be controlled from the iPhone. Or there’ll be regular cutouts of about 2 seconds in audio playback.

Pairing isn’t an issue, it’s just the quality of playback and the bugginess of the software to control things. Oh and frustratingly while it can pair with multiple devices you have to manually switch between them to use them which can take up to a minute.

I had a 2014 Mazda 6 wagon for about a year before I got the Hyundai and it’s BT support was stellar. I just had to give that car back when I changed jobs and although I wanted to buy one instead of the Hyundai, the ix35 was such a great deal for what I got. the only frustration with it is the BT flakiness.

#15

Wow, Issues aplenty!

I will add to this that my Parents both have 2015/6 Subaru’s (Dad’s had a few models before that too) and they haven’t complained to tech support (me) about them so I have to infer they are working well (since I get random calls about the STB, the phones, the computers and anything else that runs on electricity). I will have to ask next time I talk to them to see what’s what.

I did help them connect a second phone to Mum’s car last time they were around and it seems you had to manually switch to an “active” phone… but that was from 5 minutes in the driveway.

Dad has an iPhone and Mum has some cheap Android something.

#16

Slightly off topic, but did you know that your car’s BT pairing to a phone is now widely used for travel time monitoring on our major roads ?
When you pass by a monitoring point the unique BT pairing code is noted (BT signals are just strong enough to reach the monitors on overhead gantries), and then again at the next monitor, to give live travel time data between these points. Vehicles that exit the route between monitors don’t count obviously. So, we are all contributing to the data displayed on the variable message signs on major urban roads and motorways.

#17

I did not know that!
Is there tracking potential, or would the signal be too generic?

#18

Depends on if the unique id is, or can be, matched to an individual. I think iOS and Android do similar things to give live traffic stats on maps to show congestion and estimate travel times but in this case while an id can be tracked from place to place to determine it’s speed/location it can’t be matched to a person and the data is fuzzed even further to prevent finding that device at a later date (i.e. the unique id only matches that device for a short period of time)

If you’re concerned, on iOS you can disable it under Settings → Privacy → Location Services → System Services → Traffic and Routing