Has anyone tested SMS Forwarding/Continuity/Hand Off on older Macs?

[HXGuyAZ]

Has anyone been able to test out OSX Yosemite and iOS 8.1 using an older Mac computer? I have a Mid 2010 27-inch iMac and I have a feeling I won't be able to use these features but hopefully I'm wrong?

It sucks because the machine is still very capable (2.93 i7 and 16GB RAM), so not worth upgrading just for these but would be nice to have.

 

[ssls6]

Has anyone been able to test out OSX Yosemite and iOS 8.1 using an older Mac computer? I have a Mid 2010 27-inch iMac and I have a feeling I won't be able to use these features but hopefully I'm wrong?

It sucks because the machine is still very capable (2.93 i7 and 16GB RAM), so not worth upgrading just for these but would be nice to have.

Phone calls and SMS yes
Handoff, bluetooth airdrop no

 

[HXGuyAZ]

Phone calls and SMS yes
Handoff, bluetooth airdrop no

Oh good, the phone calls and SMS is really what I was looking for. Which Mac computer did you test it on? I also have an older Mac Pro that I'm wonder if it will work on.

 

[snarfquest]

All is working well for me.

-Yosemite GM1
-MacPro 5,1 (video card, SAS, and SSD are my mods. Bluetooth is factory).
-MacbookPro Late 2011 also works. I have not updated the bluetooth.
-iPhone 6 plus
-iPad 2

 

[iPersian]

so this means that an iMac from 2008 will do the calls and the ams right?

 

[MacVidCards]

If it is a LATE 2012 iMac it can be upgraded for full compatibility.

Sadly this requires yanking whole darn thing apart.

If it is an iMac that you BOUGHT in 2012 but is in fact an earlier model then it gets cloudier.

You can add BT 4.0 via a USB dongle but faking AC WiFi is a kext hack.

Any and all older Mac Pros can be updated easily for full compatibility.

 

[snarfquest]

If it is a LATE 2012 iMac it can be upgraded for full compatibility.

Sadly this requires yanking whole darn thing apart.

If it is an iMac that you BOUGHT in 2012 but is in fact an earlier model then it gets cloudier.

You can add BT 4.0 via a USB dongle but faking AC WiFi is a kext hack.

Any and all older Mac Pros can be updated easily for full compatibility.

@MacVidCards


as in my post above. Yos GM1 all is working for me on a MacPro 5,1 and MacBookPro 2011 with no bluetooth upgrades. Obviously things may change as this is all beta. Thus far I've been playing along with the Apple tune and things have gone in and out of support through the developer previews. I may or may not have everything working the same as everybody else. However, thus far I can make phone calls etc from my MacPro and MacbookPro and continue them on my phone/ipad. I've been eagerly watching if I need to update my BT cards but thus far things are working for me with the factory cards.

Truly I wish Apple was more transparent in these betas. What is the goal? I don't know....

 

[MacVidCards]

@MacVidCards


as in my post above. Yos GM1 all is working for me on a MacPro 5,1 and MacBookPro 2011 with no bluetooth upgrades. Obviously things may change as this is all beta. Thus far I've been playing along with the Apple tune and things have gone in and out of support through the developer previews. I may or may not have everything working the same as everybody else. However, thus far I can make phone calls etc from my MacPro and MacbookPro and continue them on my phone/ipad. I've been eagerly watching if I need to update my BT cards but thus far things are working for me with the factory cards.

Truly I wish Apple was more transparent in these betas. What is the goal? I don't know....

I think party of confusion is what is named what.

There is simply no way that you have all features working in terms of Handoff and Continuity. Quite possible that some other features are working, but no way they all are. To some people only the call bits are needed. Others want the continuity stuff.

 

[snarfquest]

I think party of confusion is what is named what.

There is simply no way that you have all features working in terms of Handoff and Continuity. Quite possible that some other features are working, but no way they all are. To some people only the call bits are needed. Others want the continuity stuff.

Yep I agree.

Either I've no need of the "other" features and therefore do no miss them or it hasn't occurred to try. Apple has been so very mum as to what I should try and test that as I beta tester I just try and plod on in my normal work and I simple stumble on new features. I would really like if Apple would say... hey test xy and z by doing these steps. But that never comes. So.... while I enjoy testing and trying out new things I'm left with wonder what it is exactly I should be testing.

There is obviously multiple inner circles of testing at Apple. And I am obviously not very "inner".

I just take it as it comes. I have a VMware test vm that I try many of the fringe stuff. Then I have my Macpro and MacbookPro that I actually need to be working. So basically I test on my VMware first and once I prove that it doesn't destroy my ability to do what I'm actually paid to do then i move forward on my others.....


Anyway... so far the handoff stuff has worked for me without hardward upgrades. But I will openly admit that I most assuredly have not tested every aspect of the Apple feature set as what is to come. Cause Apple has never release a feature set that I have seen as to what I should be testing! Therefore I can only report what works for me.

 

[ssls6]

Before everyone gets too excited by the "call bits" only macs with integrated speakers/mic seem to have echo cancellation working. If you have an iOS8 device you should be able to test this for yourself. Report bugs accordingly.

 

[HXGuyAZ]

All is working well for me.

-Yosemite GM1
-MacPro 5,1 (video card, SAS, and SSD are my mods. Bluetooth is factory).
-MacbookPro Late 2011 also works. I have not updated the bluetooth.
-iPhone 6 plus
-iPad 2

My Mac Pro is a 4,1 Late 2009 model, it does have Bluetooth and Wifi built in though...I wonder which features it will work with.

 

[mpfuchs]

My Mac Pro is a 4,1 Late 2009 model, it does have Bluetooth and Wifi built in though...I wonder which features it will work with.

Does it have Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE?
Handoff and AirDrop will only work with Bluetooth LE.

 

[HXGuyAZ]

How do I check?

 

[mpfuchs]

After a quick google search:
http://www.imore.com/how-tell-if-your-mac-has-bluetooth-40

 

[bbfc]

SMS and Calls work fine for me.

My MBP does not support the others.

Isn't Continuity the name for all of the above (SMS Relay and Handoff)?

 

[SP Jon M3]

Has anyone been able to test out OSX Yosemite and iOS 8.1 using an older Mac computer? I have a Mid 2010 27-inch iMac and I have a feeling I won't be able to use these features but hopefully I'm wrong?

It sucks because the machine is still very capable (2.93 i7 and 16GB RAM), so not worth upgrading just for these but would be nice to have.

I was able to get full continuity support on my Late 2009 iMac (11,1). Though I had to replace the airport card with a newer apple airport card with BT 4.0.

 

[saschke]

So I've had two problems with my devices (pretty much the newest versions available, check signature):

1. I had to change my iCloud password — apparently, a complete log off and sign in is needed to restore handoff capabilities, across all devices
2. In order to get SMS/Phone relay to work again, I had to open the Messages App on my iPhone 6 and click on "My Apple ID for iMessage" — then it magically restored my AppleID in that section and showed my phone number and the email addresses associated with the account

I hope this helps some people.

 

[shabadi]

All is working well for me.

-Yosemite GM1
-MacPro 5,1 (video card, SAS, and SSD are my mods. Bluetooth is factory).
-MacbookPro Late 2011 also works. I have not updated the bluetooth.
-iPhone 6 plus
-iPad 2

I have Macbook Pro Late 2011 too however I am using final release yosemite. But I am not able to see handoff option