Develop Bugs

[Q] Bluetooth earpiece looses audio (cuts in and out) since Froyo

I tried making a Froyo 2.2 bug list, but it didn't catch on.
Anyway, I'm still fighting with this problem. It pisses me off because b4 2.2 my BT audio was fine. Now I have to use a wired headset and it sucks!
I have two seperate Jawbone earpieces. Both worked fine until the Froyo upgrade.
I'm running the official 2.2 from Sprint.
During a call, audio cuts out on my end, that is, I can't hear the other person, but they can hear me.
Then, just as mysteriously, it comes back!
No one else is complaining so either nobody else uses BT, or something is wrong with my update!

Have you tried a different Bluetooth headset other than a jawbone?

No. I have not. It doesn't make sense to, as far as I'm concerned.
Two headsets, both worked fine with Android 2.1. The difference is the phone's OS, not the head sets.

Feel Your Pain
Hi,
My Verizon Droid 2 w/ Froyo originally worked fine w/ all my (5+) bluetooth headsets.
Sometime recently, I noticed that my Sennheiser VMX 100 icon is missing and I can no longer pair with it.
Droid2 continues to pair with all my stereo headsets but not the non-A2DP
(non-stereo,non-music) Senn VMX.
The VMX does pair just fine with my desktop.
==============================================
(MotoRokr S9-HD, Plantronics BackBeat 906, Jabra BT8030,
Nokia BH-505, Cellular Innovations)
BTW, I think the Plantronics Backbeat 906 the best sounding 'sports' stereo.
But, all 'sports' models need memory-foam replacement buds to stay in my ear.
The Nokia BH-505 was settling in as the best 'all-around' sports model,
mainly for having the least worst fit with the least amount of tampering,
before it would no longer take a charge after ~ 1-2 weeks use.
The Jabra BT8030 the best 'all-around' stereo
(comfort, battery life, fit, ease, distance, etc.)
Jabra was the only non-'sports' stereo I have familiarity with.
This headset gives me the (preferrable) egg-shaped alien-head rather than the Princess Leia effect.
I've had it over a year, definitely get what you pay for with this one.
(Sennheiser VMX 100, Jabra's, Moto's, Nokia's, et al., but no Plantronics)
Sennheiser VMX 100 (suprised me) best 'all-around' non-stereo
(fit,noise pentration,ease)
My experience over time has been, Moto excels @ ease of use,
Jabra @ comfort, and everyone else wins the fidelity/noise contest,
Nokia's most stylish but least dependable service life (along w/ 'off' brands).
=================================
Regards,

Feel Your Pain
Hi,
Just remembered I have A GE Cell Fusion setup
(wireless home phone that makes/receives calls on your cell line via bluetooth) that continues to work fine with the Droid2.
So, guess mine's not so much an A2DP vs. non-A2DP problem.
Regards,

I have since tried FOUR different earpieces from THREE different manufacturers, all with the same results.
I have wiped the phone twice, still the problem remains.
I have called HTC twice. The first time they told me to purchase a different earpiece. The second time they said to wipe the phone and report back.
I reported back, and will post the result of that memorable conversation below.

This is wonderful.
Called HTC for the third time. They put me on hold, then came back and told me that, because the Bluetooth connects, and I am able to hear part of the conversation, there is nothing they can do!!! They said they cannot guarantee Bluetooth will work!!!
Can you believe that???
"Hey, buy our products. We just can't guarantee they will work!"
Great business philosophy.
So I proved to them it is their product at fault and not the different ear pieces I've tried. And it only started AFTER Froyo. Before that it worked great.
And they basically told me to go frack myself.

Well, seeing as so many people are on pins and needles waiting for the next installment of my continuing saga...
I went to Sprint and they re-installed Froyo themselves. They tried the BT for a few minutes and since it worked fine, declared nothing wrong with the phone. The problem however, often doesn't appear for 30 to 45 minutes. Or it can happen only a couple of mins into a call.
They ordered a new phone for me and two days later I picked it up. It took a few hours, but this device has the same BT issue as the original.
I am dumbfounded that this issue isn't being reported by more than one other person!!!
My only recorse now (and remember, I have tried THREE different BT devices from THREE different manufacturers) is to purchase yet another BT earpiece. That will have to wait though, until I get the $

i am having this problem too
my bluetooth stereo worked flawlessly until the 2.2, then the phone bt won't pick up the mic at all, i can hear the other person fine but they hear nothing. it's now totally useless. And the media bt is choppy for the first 3 minutes or so of connection where before it would auto connect solid immediately. Oh, and the auto-connect no longer works, i have to manually connect whenever I start the car. It has me really upset.
I don't use an earpiece because i still haven't found a low-profile one that can play music (media bt) -- any suggestions? I have a plantronics 975 i got just for this phone, and much to my dismay, it doesn't seem to be able to connect to anything besides phone. worthless!
any causes or fixes yet??

Well, seeing as how HTC and Sprint don't believe there is a problem, I assume we'll have to live with it.
And the lack of xda members complaining about it, I suspect the "fix" will be changing to a different phone.
I guess there aren't a lot of members using BT earpieces. I'll again mention this happened even with the latest Jabra STEREO headphone, so not sure there is any difference between the two.

I'm having the same problem on a dell BT Stereo headset with an HTC Incredible from Verizon. Had no problems on 2.1
There is a Bug reported in the Android Buglist:
http code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=2807 (can't post an outside link as a new user here.)
Try turning off wifi when listening to audio.
obviously not the best solution in some situations, but it solved my problem for now.

OMG! Thanks!!!
I thought I was going crazy. So this is listed on the Android Buglist? And HTC claims no one else has complained.
I'm going to go check it out. If turning off WiFi helps, I'd be very gratefull. A workaround is better than what I've been going through. I love this phone.
Edit: Well, you got me excited, but that issue doesn't appear to be the same. First off, it started a year b4 2.2 came out.
Second, they seem to be talking mostly about stereo music listening problems. Also, they're talking about BT actually disconnecting - mine never disconnects. Even when I can't hear the other person, they continue to hear me. This suggests BT is still connected.
However, I will take notice as to whether my issue is affected by WiFi. It would be nice if that worked for me as well.

leebo said:
OMG! Thanks!!!
I thought I was going crazy. So this is listed on the Android Buglist? And HTC claims no one else has complained.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC's buglist and Google's buglist for android OS aren't the same.
And not that it helps your situation any, but I use my BT headset for over an hour EVERY DAY, some days many more than that and haven't experienced what you're describing.

Thanks. I realize they are two different companies, but it seems that customers would have complained to them by now.

There's an update supposedly coming tomorrow. Maybe it'll be a good day for you to wipe and start over from scratch and see if the problem goes away???
HTC's forums are here: http://community.htc.com/na/htc-forums/android/f/94.aspx
You can browse around and see if others have reported your issue there.

Coming from where? HTC? Google? Sprint?

What update? huh? tmrw = 9/23/10?
Where did you hear about an update? what's being updated, software? sense? htc? Android 2.3 for Evo exclusive?
This is not the same issue as some have with wi-fi on, as i understand it from the original poster, and def not my issue.
Why, evo, why? i want so bad to love you so much

Well, two days after the update, the problem remains. However, I have been testing with the WiFi off, and as long as I keep Wifi off, no problem... so far.
I turned WiFi on and made a call, and within a minute or two it happened again. As soon as I turned the WiFi off (during the call), I was able to hear the other party.
So it's looking more and more like an issue with the WiFi radio and the BT radio. Of course, one incident does not confirm this. I will have to give it more time to be sure.
Then the question is: who is to blame, Google or HTC???

Both my Jabra Prime and my Sony car stereo will not connect without extra help since at least the Froyo update. I have found a workaround that seems to work just fine for me, I have to put my Prime in pairing mode, than I can tell the phone to connect in the bluetooth settings w/o any issues. I can manually connect the car stereo w/o putting it in pairing mode and it works fine.

So just over two weeks and the "work around" seem's to work. I now only turn on my WiFi if I actually need it. It's still a pain though. It worked b4 in 2.1, I wonder what they broke?
Also, something new: Since that last "update", my phone sporadically re-boots for no apparent reason I can see.

Bluetooth audio skip

Using a pair of Motorola S9-HD for the time being until I get my Klipsch S4As in due to the Samsung ones dying on me. Whenever i put my phone in my pocket the audio skips. Has anyone had this issues and been able to remedy this?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

times_infinity said:
Using a pair of Motorola S9-HD for the time being until I get my Klipsch S4As in due to the Samsung ones dying on me. Whenever i put my phone in my pocket the audio skips. Has anyone had this issues and been able to remedy this?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which ROM / OS are you using? earlier OS like 4.0.1 were known to have audio issues

Hey, i experience the same issue. I'm on 4.0.2 I'm using Jaybird freedom bluetooth headset and when i put my phone in a waist pouch while i run it skips alot. But when i hold it in my hand it rarely skips. it's sad because i thought bluetooth had a range of like 30 feet or so. Hopefully it's just a bug and will get fixed with an update.

You're not the only one, there was a thread about this before - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1460579&highlight=bluetooth+skip

bguzmanz2 said:
Hey, i experience the same issue. I'm on 4.0.2 I'm using Jaybird freedom bluetooth headset and when i put my phone in a waist pouch while i run it skips alot. But when i hold it in my hand it rarely skips. it's sad because i thought bluetooth had a range of like 30 feet or so. Hopefully it's just a bug and will get fixed with an update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. Same thing. If I put it in my pants pocket or side pocket of my bag it skips. If I hold it no skip. :/
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

I bought a Moto S10-HD headset last week. It's been perfect. Over the past few days, I've used it about 5 hours a day, mainly traveling since my car isn't set up for plugging a phone into the stereo. I haven't had any skips. I use it at the gym when I do cardio, and it's fine in my pocket, in the cupholder of the Arc, where ever I stick it.
VZW Version, Android 4.0.4
Now, If I go walking off into another room, like 30+ feet away, it will skip in and out due to distance/signal strength. I know it's the newer model, maybe the bluetooth connection is stronger than the S9-HD? On the phone side of things, I'm not sure what the differences in bluetooth strength is between different modem packages, but maybe a radio update will help. My BT strength is REALLY off the chart, better than any Android device I've ever used. I haven't had BT this good since an old Sony Ericson and an unknown BT headset that probably scrambled my brains. I still have that phone and I SWEAR that it's BT has a much further range than the 30 foot rule. Likewise, on my SGS it's like 5 feet was the max...and I couldn't dream of it going in my pocket. Even my cheap little Plantronics headset seems to have a little more range.

I was able to resolve my BT skipping issues by following this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=16864454&postcount=58

[Q] To anyone with Bluetooth headphones

I bought the One X because the bluetooth performance of the Sensation was pathetic, and worryingly it seems the X has the same problem somehow.
I find that when wearing my Plantronics Backbeat 902 headphones that the connection is broken by something so simple as turning my head away from the pocket (front top jacket). I can hold the phone in my hand and simply pinch the top corner next to the camera and SIM slot to totally kill the connection.
At first it seemed that it must be the headphones getting old because how could the One X have a problem so widely known from the previous flagship? Well my Galaxy Tab 8.9 has no such problem. I can hug the tab as much as I want and just TRY to kill the signal, it will not happen. I can walk two rooms away and keep listening to music but the One X fails even a half meter from me if I turn the wrong way.
Can anyone else verify this behaviour? It is not that I want it to be the case, perhaps mine is just broken (odd because the screen/battery seem fine!) but if HTC have failed on another antenna then I will very much want a refund because two flagships in a row off contract is just too much to forgive!

Hi,
One X and Samsung HS3000 - I have found that connection stays mostly good, with maybe one or two tiny glitches per song - perfectly listen-able, and not as bad as what you describe, but not as good as I would have hoped - I am going to see if it is due to using extreme quality spotify downloaded tracks I'm playing (since the HS3000 is aptX it should stream at that kind of bitrate). I'll try lower bitrate and see if that makes a difference.

seems to work fine with Nokia BH-505 but i got cut off around 10m away.
Tried with an iPod Touch and it's about the same distance.

With Sennheiser MM400, I get perfect reception, in a leather case, in my pocket however I turn my head. In open air I get around 10 metre range. Maybe your bluetooth antenna is defective. If it's in your pocket make sure the screen faces inwards to your body. Also the receiver in your headphones could be on either side, so switching pockets may help.
Don't forget, other devices may appear to have greater range if they are transmitting at a lower quality than the One X. Also, I guess it could be that some headphones struggle to cope with higher bit rates if they don't have much buffer memory.
I'm blown away by bluetooth stereo quality compared to my sensation. My headphones had been sitting gathering dust until now.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

Thanks very much for the replies, that helps a lot. I cannot believe this but it is the phone.
I remembered I have a PS3 headset by Sony, never failed me. I just called my girlfriend and from the distance of my hand to my ear while sitting down - not even holding at arms length - I can KILL the signal by pinching the corner where the front camera is.
I love this device, it is truly exceptional. But two HTC flagships in a row that I paid for outright have failed in the thing I use daily. I do not think I can face trying repair this time. Never helped my Sensation Bluetooth.
So that's two headsets by two brands, both work perfectly with any other device (and a Nexus S) but the two HTC phones just die when I use them.
Coincidence probably but after this much money, I am going to try to get my money back. Even paid for two years accidental damage warranty this time. Really quite unhappy about this now..
Again, thanks for the feedback.

nailerr said:
Thanks very much for the replies, that helps a lot. I cannot believe this but it is the phone.
I remembered I have a PS3 headset by Sony, never failed me. I just called my girlfriend and from the distance of my hand to my ear while sitting down - not even holding at arms length - I can KILL the signal by pinching the corner where the front camera is.
I love this device, it is truly exceptional. But two HTC flagships in a row that I paid for outright have failed in the thing I use daily. I do not think I can face trying repair this time. Never helped my Sensation Bluetooth.
So that's two headsets by two brands, both work perfectly with any other device (and a Nexus S) but the two HTC phones just die when I use them.
Coincidence probably but after this much money, I am going to try to get my money back. Even paid for two years accidental damage warranty this time. Really quite unhappy about this now..
Again, thanks for the feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stating the obvious here but have you tried in multiple locations to rule out interference?
I'm about to test my headphones again and try pinching the corner as you described.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

familyhousing said:
Stating the obvious here but have you tried in multiple locations to rule out interference?
I'm about to test my headphones again and try pinching the corner as you described.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, can't replicate it. In fact the only way I can get any loss if quality at all is to walk 10m away. Looks like you got a duff phone.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

familyhousing said:
Nope, can't replicate it. In fact the only way I can get any loss if quality at all is to walk 10m away. Looks like you got a duff phone.
Stating the obvious here but have you tried in multiple locations to rule out interference?
I'm about to test my headphones again and try pinching the corner as you described.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overly. Though more specifically right now, no. Which is why I can say a Samsung telephone or tablet work with the Plantronics or Sony headsets where the Sensation and One X do not. Same location, would have to be super specific interference.
I ride to and from work 6 days a week, and often between. This is why I use A2DP headphones for music or podcasts, sometimes calls. The amount of ground I cover should rule out any localised problems.
The most bizarre thing I can say is that out the box it seemed to be perfect, I was relieved. Since 2 weeks or so it has just dropped into a near non functional state. I would willingly say the power in my house was at fault but that has left so many other devices alone, including my girlfriends iPhone 4 and Nexus S.
I also tinker with tech a lot, just not down at the electronics level, so right now I feel I have tried everything (again) and been as good to the device as I could be, and just really, really unlucky.
Evidentially not all units are at fault so I will not play that stupid card of "HTC Can't make phones!" that some do when they have an issue, but you must understand I feel pretty ripped off nonetheless by now!

pleased I found this thread as I also seem to have the exact same problem. I have a fairly old Sony Bluetooth stereo headset that I used with my desire without any issues, with my one x if I move more than a metre away or place my hand between the devices they stutter and stop. I hate to think my phone is faulty as it seems fine in all other respects and reading the other stories that is fairly rare at the moment. I am happy to try other headsets as this one is quite old but if it is definetly a phone issue the sooner I sort things the better. does anyone have suggestions on things to try

scointer said:
pleased I found this thread as I also seem to have the exact same problem. I have a fairly old Sony Bluetooth stereo headset that I used with my desire without any issues, with my one x if I move more than a metre away or place my hand between the devices they stutter and stop. I hate to think my phone is faulty as it seems fine in all other respects and reading the other stories that is fairly rare at the moment. I am happy to try other headsets as this one is quite old but if it is definetly a phone issue the sooner I sort things the better. does anyone have suggestions on things to try
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not specifically, but if you do try something new (mine are also old - but work perfectly with other devices) please do report back. I'd love to keep this phone but a repair will invalidate my option for refund.

HOX on 1.2.9 and no issues at all, I'm using it alongside the HS3000 and connection is rock solid. Phone in pocket, and HS3000 clipped to my shirt. Even maintains a solid connection whilst using the London Underground.
However was in PC World and had major interruptions due to the various invisible signals in that store.
Generally it's fine, streaming via Spotify using Extreme Quality and via Poweramp.

nikzDHD said:
HOX on 1.2.9 and no issues at all, I'm using it alongside the HS3000 and connection is rock solid. Phone in pocket, and HS3000 clipped to my shirt. Even maintains a solid connection whilst using the London Underground.
However was in PC World and had major interruptions due to the various invisible signals in that store.
Generally it's fine, streaming via Spotify using Extreme Quality and via Poweramp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am slightly curious to see if the different BT revisions are at play - but that is super hard to work out.
Both my headsets are 2.1 devices, Sensation was 3.0 and One x is 4.0. The phones that worked properly are 2.1+EDR. But the Galaxy tab is 3.0 and works perfectly. So...
I am still thinking internal antenna of phone.

nailerr said:
I am slightly curious to see if the different BT revisions are at play - but that is super hard to work out.
Both my headsets are 2.1 devices, Sensation was 3.0 and One x is 4.0. The phones that worked properly are 2.1+EDR. But the Galaxy tab is 3.0 and works perfectly. So...
I am still thinking internal antenna of phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should be backwards compatible. But you got 2 headsets and tested on various devices so the BT in the phone might not be all that.
Have you tried updating your firmware? Do you have the latest 1.2.9?

nikzDHD said:
It should be backwards compatible. But you got 2 headsets and tested on various devices so the BT in the phone might not be all that.
Have you tried updating your firmware? Do you have the latest 1.2.9?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 1.29.x.x but yeah. I did wonder if that was at play, forgot to ask what other people were running earlier since when mine was working properly it was 1.26 but I cannot place where the problem began as I was busy/sick/away.

UPDATE : ok tried in the same place with my old sony HBH DS970 headset and major cut out if i cover headset or top of phone or walk more than a metre away.
Tried exactly the same with my turtle beach px5 headset (which has blutooth obviously) and everything is much better walked 5 metres no problems, covered phone with no real problem (did glitch just once).
I am running 1.28 T-mobile branded so now need to narrow down if certain types of profile or headset brands are the problem.
Pity I really like my sony headset

scointer said:
UPDATE : ok tried in the same place with my old sony HBH DS970 headset and major cut out if i cover headset or top of phone or walk more than a metre away.
Tried exactly the same with my turtle beach px5 headset (which has blutooth obviously) and everything is much better walked 5 metres no problems, covered phone with no real problem (did glitch just once).
I am running 1.28 T-mobile branded so now need to narrow down if certain types of profile or headset brands are the problem.
Pity I really like my sony headset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, adding some interesting details there.

so next question....can anyone recommend some cheap (£50ish) portable headset that works well with HTC one x and sound reasonable.

Would love to help you out there but clearly not in the situation. I was also looking into a new set with Apt-X (as the X supports it) but settled on none before realising the phone was a bust unit.

No problems with my HOX as well and i use 2 headsets (depends which one is charged) : Plantronics and Nokia.I don't have any problems with them so far and i keep my phone preety far from the headset.

I find that with my Creative WP-350 headset and my phone in my jean pocket, if I put my hand in my pocket over my phone I get the occasional break in the connection but that's the only situation is happens and is fairly avoidable.

Headphones and in-call audio issues

Not sure if it had anything to do with the update, but I have been power cycling my phone a lot lately...
Headphones: My headphones don't seem to be registering that they're in, so the sound comes through the speakers--but the headphones work when plugged into other devices. (I have picked up a pair of bluetooth headphones until I figure it out, which work fine.) After power cycling the headphones work again for a while somehow, but will randomly stop again, so it must be a software issue. It could have to do with being unplugged while audio is going?? Not sure
In-call: I can't hear the other person, but they can hear me. If I switch to speaker phone, I can hear them (not sure if they can hear me while on speakers, they usually hang up by the time I realize they are really there but I can't hear them...) It's so weird. I have to say, "I can't hear you, I'll reset my phone and call you back in a minute".
Anybody else with this problem???

I've been struggling with the same problem on 3 different Fire Phones. All phones are running Fire OS 4.6.3. I discovered this problem after plugging into my car stereo via the 1/8" audio jack. If not immediately, shortly after disconnecting the cable I would be unable to hear the party on the other end during a phone calls, though they could hear me. I also found that the jack would no longer switch from Speaker to Wired audio and vice versa when I plugged a cable into and out of the 1/8" audio jack.
It looks to be an OS issue as the problem is remedied by a restart. I am really curious if I happened to get 3 lemons or if anyone else experiences this. If this is an issue with Fire OS, have so few people used the audio jack? I am tempted to install Cyanogenmod to see if this remedies the problem, though I would expect this sort of issue to occur with Cyanogenmod as opposed to the stock FireOS install.

Thanks for letting me know there is someone else out there with the same issue. I hate thinking I'm the only one!
BTW alexandergrig did you get a warranty replacement for them or you just bought 3 when they were on sale or something?? I am thinking of trying to replace it on warranty, since the issue is new-- it just started a couple of weeks ago, and I didn't experience the headphone/call "mute" issue throughout most of the life of the phone. The other thing that I don't get is why it won't let me take a video--it stops after 1 second (also a recent issue).

The phones were not on warranty replacement but rather purchased new. How long had you been using your phone without issue? What version of FireOS are you currently on? Have you side loaded Google Play?
Today, for example, I had no issue with plugging headphones in and removing them. I later plugged the phone to my car stereo via mini-jack and had no issues playing music or placing and receiving calls (using the speakerphone) while it was plugged in. When I unplugged it, I was able to make calls. Later when I plugged the phone into my car stereo again, I had the same problem. Basically all the audio was being routed to the speaker and not the audio jack. No matter how many times I plugged and unplugged the cable, no audio was being sent through the audio jack.
I also happened to try the Soundabout app on the Google Play store, thinking that perhaps the audio was not being routed properly. Unfortunately, when I forced the output to the "wired" audio jack, at best I would hear some popping noises. All this gets resolved with a restart, however inconvenient that may be.
I find it hard to believe that the 3 phones I have worked on all happen to be lemons, though I guess it's possible. I wish I could get some feedback from others to determine if they are having any such issues. Like I said before, this is something that you might expect from a custom ROM not a stock OS install. I'm not sure how much of a pain making an Amazon warranty claim would be. If you opt for this, I would appreciate it if you could let me know how this goes and if the replacement unit works properly. Part of me wonders if a Cyanogenmod install would remedy this issue. If not, then it's got to be something more complicated beyond my ability to troubleshoot. I am very tempted to try.

I got the phone in February, and it has worked fine until about two weeks ago. My headphones (the ones that come with the phone) started malfunctioning, and there was an OTA update around that time, so I am suspecting it could have been either thing. I side loaded Google's apps during my first week with the phone, and my current OS is 4.6.3 (463001620) [but I don't know why is says "Installed Tuesday, February 18, 2014" since it has definitely been updated since then...]
I'lll let you know how the warranty stuff goes. Maybe they'll give me a replacement that works...

All 3 phones were on 4.6.3 while having this problem. They had immediately been updated to 4.6.3 after purchase. I did test this prior to installing all the Google Play services, but there was no difference. I have not tested this on any other version of FireOS.
Today I made a point to test this more thoroughly. Phone works properly while connected to car stereo via audio jack. I can call out via Speakerphone without issue. However 5 times today when I disconnected the mini jack from the phone, I could no longer router audio through the jack when plugged in again and I experienced the issue where I could not hear the person on the other end of the call but they could hear me.
Plugging in headphones also would not work. This evening, I tested it with a pair of stock apple iPhone earbuds and it has not been behaving in the manner described above. I listened to music for 15-20 minutes, unplugged it and then I'm able to hear the music through the phone's speaker. After plugging it in again, the audio is properly routed to the headphones again. I was able to do this about 10 times without issue. Then at some point the same issue occurred.
I'd like to say that it's an issue with 4.6.3 or perhaps some sort of service that is not handling the audio routing properly and needs to be restarted via a reboot. I kind of wish that I would have tested this issue on another version of FireOS. Despite everyone's disdain with FireOS and my own past inclination to play around with stuff, I really wanted to stick with the stock FireOS, but this lack of proper functionality is bothering me so much I might be inclined to try CM11.

I don't know if this will help you but there's an app called SoundAbout that will force audio through the headphone interface whether the phone thinks a headphone is plugged in or not. You'd have to get a copy of the apk and sideload it on fireOS though. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.woodslink.android.wiredheadphoneroutingfix

I had SoundAbout installed a few days ago but that didn't seem to solve the problem. When I force switched it to the audio jack, I got nothing or some pops. It just seems something gets corrupted or quirky until one restarts the device.
danielnealclark, today I was trying to shoot some video with the Fire phone and ran into the same problem that you had by the way. I'll start another thread on this issue to see if anyone else has experienced this.
I only add this because it's getting to the point where I am very tempted to install CM11. If the sound issue persists (though I'm sure other issues might crop up then, lack of mute during a call being one as I understand it...) then I'll have to give up and come to the conclusion that it is some intermittent hardware issue on some of these units.

Let me know how CyanogenMod works if you try it. It prob has it's own issues too. I am going to try to get a new phone through the limited 1 year warranty. I'll keep you posted about the process

Got a replacement phone, and it worked fine until today...
I thought that a certain pair of headphones were the culprit, and I never should have plugged them in to my replacement phone (they are official amazon fire phone headphones BTW). This pair of headphones went bad and were only working in one ear when in the fire phone (but they work fine in both ears on my computer, which I don't understand) and it was around the same time my last phone had the headphone issue described at the beginning of the thread, so I thought the issues may be related. I tried them today, and oops, they messed up another phone!
From the other posts on this thread, there is an issue with certain headphone jacks--not sure why. But if a certain headphone jack gets plugged in, the phone will forever think (until power cycling) that there are headphones in during a call, and never think headphones are if you try to plug in headphones for music/games.
I guess I still have it under warranty since it is a replacement through Amazon. I'm gonna try to do some resets, troubleshooting, etc...
So pissed right now

I've been having this issue as well. It is very annoying!

I have the same problem, as I previously posted. Unfortunately nothing I did remedied the problem nor was I able to find out any more information.
Daniel, did you end up getting Amazon to replace your phone previously, as you had mentioned?
I honestly think that this is not a problem particular to only a few models. I don't feel that a replacement would help because sooner or later it arises again it seems. It could very well be a jack problem, but I really feel this is some low level quirky OS issue. Originally I had mentioned that I might switch to CM. I've decided that this would lead to additional quirks going this route, so I will continue to keep my phone stock. The true test is if someone with CM experiences this issue or if switching to CM remedied the problem. Unfortunately, I've had so many frustrations with technology as of late and so little time, I don't have it in me to fiddle around anymore. I'm not sure if we can expect Amazon updates to remedy this, and all we can do is hope some day we get an update.
My main problem was that I use my Fire phone to connect to my stereo via Aux input. So I was constantly having issues. I ended up simply purchasing a USB bluetooth adapter for my car stereo and going wireless with the Fire phone and it's worked well. I must admit my Fire phone is not my go to phone for listening to music with headphones because of this, but I always found that the Amazon earbuds were less likely to cause this problem than other ear buds in my case.
After a long listening session, the only thing that helped me was simply rebooting the phone. A really crappy solution, but definitely more productive for me than continuing to tinker with this issue for me. Or going bluetooth. For those experiencing this issue, please keep us updated if you find a long lasting solution or if you have experienced any remedy with CM. Or, if our farfetched dream of an Amazon update were to become a reality...
All the best in the New Year folks!
danielnealclark said:
I thought that a certain pair of headphones were the culprit, and I never should have plugged them in to my replacement phone (they are official amazon fire phone headphones BTW). This pair of headphones went bad and were only working in one ear when in the fire phone (but they work fine in both ears on my computer, which I don't understand) and it was around the same time my last phone had the headphone issue described at the beginning of the thread, so I thought the issues may be related. I tried them today, and oops, they messed up another phone!
From the other posts on this thread, there is an issue with certain headphone jacks--not sure why. But if a certain headphone jack gets plugged in, the phone will forever think (until power cycling) that there are headphones in during a call, and never think headphones are if you try to plug in headphones for music/games.
I guess I still have it under warranty since it is a replacement through Amazon. I'm gonna try to do some resets, troubleshooting, etc...
So pissed right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

alexandergrig said:
For those experiencing this issue, please keep us updated if you find a long lasting solution or if you have experienced any remedy with CM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that post! If anyone solves this one, let us know.
alexandergrig: I did get them to send me a new phone, since it was under the 1 year warranty. The phone call took about 45 minutes, with me trying to convince them by plugging in headphones/unplugging headphones to show that it was really broken. Before that call, though, they told me the first thing I had to do was perform a factory reset before they would even consider progressing to a replacement. [BTW the Fire phone has a great native backup tool if you are just migrating from one fire phone to another, it's all cloud based]. The new phone was a refurb.
I think I'll try the bluetooth thing for my car, that's a great idea. I really like my bluetooth headphones for work (as a bonus I found out they connect to my computer super easy too--at the same time as my phone even--so I can run desktop-only music sites)

Curious if anyone was able to fix this. I had this occur on my original Fire Phone. Amazon replaced it in Nov 2015 and my new one just started doing this....

jagernbeer said:
Curious if anyone was able to fix this. I had this occur on my original Fire Phone. Amazon replaced it in Nov 2015 and my new one just started doing this....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. I also am on my 2nd Fire, and like you have the same problem back again. The funny thing is, it was caused by the stock headphones, other headphones gave me no problems. So what did I do? I gave up! And now I LOVE LOVE LOVE my bluetooth headphones. They are so easy to use and no more cords. Try it out, you'll never go back (until the batteries die... but they charge pretty quick)
Good luck to you.

I experienced this problem on 3 separate Fire Phones. So either I am very unlucky or this problem is more widespread than we know. Because of this, I doubted that a replacement would help me. I will say that I have used my one 64gig Fire Phone without this problem being an issue for months and so I came to my own conclusion which might not end up being very helpful but...
I was able to experience this constantly when I made it a point to plug and unplug the headphones for testing purposes (both stock Amazon as well as the older Apple earbuds). Ultimately, the way I ended up using my phone's audio output was by streaming audio via bluetooth to a USB bluetooth adapter connected to my car stereo almost daily. Also most every day I would usually go from the Bluetooth audio in the car, to plugging in my headphones for my 3 mile walks, and then unplugging the headphones and reconnecting via Bluetooth in the car to drive home. Doing this for the past many months, I did not encounter one issue with placing calls via the phone itself, speakerphone or even via the mic on the earbuds.
Because of this I am concluding (as I initially believed) that it might not be hardware but rather the Fire phone's low level OS/system software that governs the audio jack that happens to be buggy. It's like there is an issue with the jack status detection routine and it gets "stuck" in one mode. I may be wrong, but there is a good possibility that Fire phone users that do not experience this problem, very well might start if they constantly plugged and unplugged their headphones from the jack, attempting to place and/or receive calls in between. At some point this issue might arise. But in my experience it goes away and corrects itself until the next time, unless anyone else has experienced otherwise.
Due to the lack of significant continued development of the Fire Phone, Amazon will likely not address this problem via an update. My sense is that if not everyone is experiencing it because it is a software issue, then it's prevalence is due to usage patterns. I, like others, in the beginning found this to be a constant problem the more I tested it, especially with plugging and unplugging the headphones and making calls. With my 3 phones, I have a hard time believing it's actual hardware only because it eventually seems to resolve if I change my usage patterns.
Might be totally different for you guys, but I guess this is my final conclusion. I sold one of my 32gig Fire Phones and still plan on using the 64gig, despite picking up a couple of other phones.
A.G.

A3 (2017) - Bluetooth Issues

Hello there,
just got me a new A3 (2017) and I'm having issues with the bluetooth connection in my car and I'm hoping someone may be able to help.
With my previous mobile and also with my company phone, the car audio and the phone always connected automatically as soon as I switched on the iginition (and as long as bluetooth was enabled of course). The A3, however, does not auto connect. They're paired all right, but I always have to prompt the A3 to connect to the car audio, even when the company phone is not present.
In addition the bluetooth media player function is really annoying me, because the music (or audible) speeds up and slows down all the time as if someone is turning a speed dial. If I connect via audio cable (or if I listen on the headphones) it doesn't do that, but nevertheless it's bloody inconvenient.
Anyone got the same problem, or an idea how to solve that, please? Much appreciated!
Thanks
Archer

I have my A3 in production for less than a week, but it feels like it autoconnects 3 out of 4 times. My previous phones autoconnected like 99 out of 100 times.
I've no idea (yet).

I got the same problem I have a2dp enabled in my car, so it should start playing after it is connected. In fact it does but the audio is kinda stuttering. If I then turn the Bluetooth off and back on again it works like expected.
I think it might be fault of some internal ram or battery management.
I hope Samsung is going to fix that.

sciurius said:
I have my A3 in production for less than a week, but it feels like it autoconnects 3 out of 4 times. My previous phones autoconnected like 99 out of 100 times.
I've no idea (yet).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After 3 weeks it's gone up to (at least) 9 out of 10. Again, not hard measurements but 'feel' numbers. So it might not be as bad as I initially thought. And therefore unrelated to the OP problem.

hey man! what is your car? I'm going to buy a new A3 2017 my and don't wanna have this kind of issues (I just sold my s4 mini two days ago, no issues with the BT of my car)

FWIW, It's a Prius II.