I have an iPhone 12 Pro and a number of different bluetooth headsets / earbuds. I have noticed that as I go past some very specific locations, bluetooth simply doesn't get between the phone and the headsets. The outage lasts two to three seconds if I'm running (7mph), longer than that walking (3.5mph), and happens rarely and briefly if I'm cycling (generally 16mph+). I don't remember it happening while driving. In other words, it's location dependent AND its duration is dependent on speed. There are six of these spots on my regular 5K run. It certainly happens if I'm listening to something. On a few occasions when I've been on the phone, the other end has said "hey are you there... oh OK..."
This has been happening for at least as long as I've had the iPhone 12 Pro, and I think that it happened back when I was on an iPhone 7 (I went directly from a 7 to a 12 Pro). I'm not certain of the iPhone 7 because while I am certain that I had some dropouts then, it wasn't until later that I realized that it was so location-specific. The behavior has not changed across iOS releases from at least iOS 13 to current iOS16. It happens with at least four different brands of headsets (Anker, JLAB, Bang & Olufson H9i, Beats/Apple, including old Powerbeats Pros and both brand new Beats Fit Pro and AirPod Pro2). Although I usually have the phone in a pocket behind my back, the relationship between the phone and the headset doesn't seem to have any bearing on the problem. I've experienced it regularly whilst walking with the phone in a shirt pocket and even while holding it in my hand.
To summarize:
My questions:
This has been happening for at least as long as I've had the iPhone 12 Pro, and I think that it happened back when I was on an iPhone 7 (I went directly from a 7 to a 12 Pro). I'm not certain of the iPhone 7 because while I am certain that I had some dropouts then, it wasn't until later that I realized that it was so location-specific. The behavior has not changed across iOS releases from at least iOS 13 to current iOS16. It happens with at least four different brands of headsets (Anker, JLAB, Bang & Olufson H9i, Beats/Apple, including old Powerbeats Pros and both brand new Beats Fit Pro and AirPod Pro2). Although I usually have the phone in a pocket behind my back, the relationship between the phone and the headset doesn't seem to have any bearing on the problem. I've experienced it regularly whilst walking with the phone in a shirt pocket and even while holding it in my hand.
To summarize:
- it's strongly dependent on location and is extremely repeatable over many months
- the length of the dropout is dependent on speed passing the location
- physical positioning between phone and headset doesn't matter
- it happens on at least two phones
- it happens on at least six different headsets of four brands
- iOS doesn't matter
- headset firmware (Beats or Apple) doesn't matter
My questions:
- Anyone else have this kind of trouble?
- I presume this must be some kind of interference. What kind?
- Is there a way to prevent this from happening? In at least one case, two of the houses are more or less across the street from each other, so even crossing the street to get away from the interference wouldn't work.