Bluetooth in the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max would have caused audio connectivity problems

A small number of owners of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are facing Bluetooth connectivity issues where their iPhones fail to communicate properly with their car's entertainment system, a problem for which no Solution has not yet been provided by Apple.

The publications on the Apple Support Forums reveal problems associating Bluetooth devices with the latest generation of iPhones. According to the publications, the problems relate largely to the connection of their iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max to the multimedia unit of their vehicle, but this apparently relates to other devices equipped with Bluetooth.

The majority of cases also seem to indicate that only new models are affected by the problem. The iPhone X, the iPhone 8 and older devices apparently work normally in situations. Neither is it a specific car manufacturer, as the Kia, Audi, Subaru and Mercedes vehicles all appear in the references to connectivity failures of the main unit.

The actions taken by users to fix the problem include removing the link from the car stereo and the iPhone before the new link, but it is apparently only one solution. in the short term before the failure of the connection. One user indicated that he contacted Apple Support, who had suggested that he check if the car had the latest device firmware update, but no update was available.

Some users think that it is a problem that could be solved via an update to iOS 12, referring to similar earlier compatibility issues between iPhones and entertainment systems. after the new iOS versions.

In 2016, some iPhone 7 owners using iOS 10 found that they could not use their devices with BMW's embedded system via Bluetooth, while an update in iOS 9.2 posed problems with various audio solutions and car support technologies that were not present in iOS 9.1. . Connectivity issues with car stereo systems have also been discovered in the update for iOS 8, in October 2014.

But why?

Bluetooth is a catch-all term for a variety of secure, short-range wireless protocols, all under one banner. It operates in a frequency band without a license restricted to "industrial, scientific and medical" equipment.

The standard protocol is governed by the special interest group Bluetooth (SIG). The vast majority of its members are companies that adopt the technology, without any influence on the operation of the specification. A much smaller contingent of associate members, made up of a large number of users and people who apply the standards of the audio, personal devices and automotive sectors, is actively involved in the specification development process.

Another group, the Promoters, brings together some of the largest companies in the business, including IBM, Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia and Toshiba. Apple was added to the list in 2015. Promoters have the most to say in the future of a protocol and, historically, has implemented advances before the rest of the members.

This advanced implementation can cause compatibility issues between devices, including those between the developers and the rest of the members of the Bluetooth SIG group, because changes to the protocols are not implemented simultaneously by all members.

According to the list of Bluetooth SIG errata service updates, there has been a total of three exits between the release of the iPhone X and the iPhone XS, including changes related to secure single pairing EDR and secure connections LE. Although the iPhone X and the iPhone XS are both reported to support Bluetooth 5.0 according to Apple's own product pages, it is possible that the Bluetooth system of the iPhone XS was designed with these three errata modifications in place.

Compatibility is guaranteed that between a device and a host device, errata errata. So, if an iPhone is running with basic Bluetooth 5.0 and a car stereo is working according to the same specifications, it should work normally. If the stereo is on an old errata while the iPhone has accounted for published errata later, there may be problems until the iPhone is updated to work properly with hardware. which does not take into account the new versions of errata, or the car radio. receives an update improving its own implementation.

In this case, the use of a different level of errata could explain the iPhone XS not working with a specific device, while the iPhone X that does not work with a specific device, while the iPhone X that does not work with a specific device, while the iPhone X that does not includes no specific errata updates working properly.

Pointing fingers

Although most users blame Apple for Bluetooth compatibility issues, as was the case with previous Bluetooth issues, this is not necessarily the case in all cases. Part of the fault could easily be shared with other device makers.

Bluetooth SIG members are required to stay up-to-date with the protocol by posting firmware and software changes that regularly reflect changes to the standard. For Apple, as a developer with vast resources, it is relatively simple to change the way Bluetooth works on its devices and include it in a fix or in a future version of the product.

In the case of the latest widespread issues with iOS 9.2, including changes to Bluetooth that disrupted connectivity with the vehicle's systems, some users found that everything worked properly after unlinking and repairing connected devices. In other cases, users had to wait for a patch provided by the provider for their infotainment unit, while, more simply, they had to wait for Apple to release its own patch.

Regardless of the cause of the problem, affected users may wish to check with their vehicle supplier or after-sales service provider for updates to their hardware, pending a response from the problem to Apple.