I love Android, but very often I also hate it. Recently I was interested in getting this Bluetooth receiver for my car. The ideal scenario would be to be able to make calls, play songs, and navigate to an address by only pressing the button on this device on my dash and speaking, not touching the phone at all. Sounds great, right? And isn't this what Google Now and its voice actions are all about?
Well, seeing what a sorry state Bluetooth is in on my GNex, I think a device like this would be just about worthless. I have experienced no less than FIVE separate issues in attempting to get this scenario to work with the regular Bluetooth headset I currently own.
1) Bluetooth device disconnects every time I turn screen off. So when I turn screen back on, I have to re-pair the device.
2) The basic functionality of using Google voice actions over Bluetooth at all only works once. After that, it beeps, and then reverts to the handset mic and speaker. If you force stop Google Search, it will work again, but only once.
3) Pressing the button on the Bluetooth device activates old-school voice dialing instead of Google Now voice search. What's the point of this now that Google Now exists? I believe I have fixed this with the Bluetooth Launch app, but we'll have to see if it keeps working.
4) Music quality sucks, as we all know.
5) Google Now voice actions themselves are spotty. Sometimes advertised voice actions just result in regular searches instead. Sometimes it keeps listening for more input even though I've stopped talking, a force stop is required to fix this.
About the only thing that does work over Bluetooth is just regular calls that you initiate via the phone.
Which of the above issues do you experience, and can you share any workarounds? At this point, I honestly don't know what justification Google could give me to use this junk over an iPhone. I seriously believe they do not test anything, and do not care at all about their customers' experiences.
I have my Gnexus running 4.1.2 connected directly to my car's Bluetooth. I use it mostly for music and GPS, then calls sometimes, but rarely Google Now.
1) Doesn't happen to me ever. My phone stays connected until I turn the engine off and pull the key out of the ignition. I heard Bluetooth connection issues started with 4.2, hence why I haven't updated.
2) Not sure about this one. Google Now has always been spotty in my car (takes over 30 seconds to start up) and I'm not sure if it's because of Bluetooth or T-Mobile.
3) I think that's normal. Pushing the call button on my car's steering wheel activates my car's voice recognition system, not the phone's.
4) I use BT most often for music via Pandora and it sounds sounds fine to me. Occasionally there is a subtle skip, which I attribute to the wireless nature of Bluetooth. I would say the quality is 90% compared to wired.
5) Agreed. That seems unrelated to Bluetooth though.
I don't think there is a Bluetooth command for starting Google Now. Don't forget Bluetooth is a generic technology that is supposed to work with all phones, not just Android ones. I used to connect a Sony Ericsson phone for calls.
Except for accepting incoming calls and changing tracks/volume, I still have to initiate most actions by touching my phone. It sucks. Let me know if you find a good solution.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
Yeah, it seems at least some of these issues (the disconnecting, music quality) started in 4.2. #3 might be "normal", but is definitely not how it should be. You mention Bluetooth is a generic technology - this is true, but there doesn't need to be a special command for Google Now, the phone can just choose to respond however it wants to the standard "call" button/command. For example, with an iPhone, pressing the button on the Bluetooth device will activate Siri. Then you can speak any command or query you wish. There's no reason Android couldn't activate Google Now voice search in the same way, instead of the voice dialer.
I've been doing things same as you, doing everything via the phone except for answering calls or redialing the last number. I finally realized how useful voice commands could be when able to be summoned via Bluetooth. A couple simple updates to the Google Search app, and an improved Bluetooth situation in 4.3 could easily clear all this up. But after the many mistakes they've made, I'm not exactly holding out hope.
The newest Google search has an option to listen over Bluetooth in settings not sure what it does.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
tshelby73 said:
The newest Google search has an option to listen over Bluetooth in settings not sure what it does.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah....all the issues I stated above are with that option checked.
xdp said:
Yeah, it seems at least some of these issues (the disconnecting, music quality) started in 4.2. #3 might be "normal", but is definitely not how it should be. You mention Bluetooth is a generic technology - this is true, but there doesn't need to be a special command for Google Now, the phone can just choose to respond however it wants to the standard "call" button/command. For example, with an iPhone, pressing the button on the Bluetooth device will activate Siri. Then you can speak any command or query you wish. There's no reason Android couldn't activate Google Now voice search in the same way, instead of the voice dialer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yeah, that's different then. None of the buttons on my car will activate any sort of voice recognition on my phone, because of the voice system in the car itself. Which sucks, because although it may have been advanced in 2009, smartphone voice tech has surpassed it by leaps and bounds, whereas my car software will never get updated.
So I think there's a better chance for an update to make this work for your setup than mine.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
tshelby73 said:
The newest Google search has an option to listen over Bluetooth in settings not sure what it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip!
I also added a Google now voice command short cut to my lock screen and launcher, so when I'm in the car I can quickly (hopefully) say a command.
Kind of sucks still that the call button doesn't do this, even my old school slider Nokia launched voice commands over Bluetooth.
LOL
I use mine and will do voice commands by pressing button. It will not search though just make calls. On CM based ROM'si have to freeze the voice dialer the ROM comes with or the cm dialer is default. I don't have the listen over Bluetooth checked. Maybe that checked would give me search feature using button.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
I see a few really old threads on this topic, but I thought it'd be worth asking now.
I use a dock in the vehicle. My NFC tag opens up Google Now and keeps the screen on, but it isn't helpful with a minvan populated with noisy kiddos. (And one who loves to randomly shout, "Google.")
I connect my Bluetooth headset when I'm in the van. I used to be able to get my phone to open up to the Google voice dialer by touching the button on my headset and dial successfully. I used Bluetooth Launch from the Play Store. However, I can't get it to work anymore. It pulls up a Google Voice Dialer window that never recognizes my voice and cuts off any commands with an "didn't catch that" and shuts off.
Any ideas?
Hi.
I can't get OK Google to work via my bluetooth microphone.
I have the Google app open and it says "say OK Google".
It works 10/10 when I say it directly into my phone.
When I press the microphone button manually, it picks up 10/10 commands via my bluetooth headset.
Ok Google detection is ON for the Google App. (and it works via phone)
Hands-free -> For bluetooth devices = allowed
"Record audio through bluetooth headset if available" = ON
When I do the "OK google voice model" guide, where it asks you to say OK Google 3x, it doesn't listen to my headset at all. It picks up nothing.
As I said when I press the mic button manually it works 10/10, there's nothing wrong with the bluetooth set or connection.
Any ideas?
DoubleYouPee said:
Hi.
I can't get OK Google to work via my bluetooth microphone.
I have the Google app open and it says "say OK Google".
It works 10/10 when I say it directly into my phone.
When I press the microphone button manually, it picks up 10/10 commands via my bluetooth headset.
Ok Google detection is ON for the Google App. (and it works via phone)
Hands-free -> For bluetooth devices = allowed
"Record audio through bluetooth headset if available" = ON
When I do the "OK google voice model" guide, where it asks you to say OK Google 3x, it doesn't listen to my headset at all. It picks up nothing.
As I said when I press the mic button manually it works 10/10, there's nothing wrong with the bluetooth set or connection.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think "OK Google" is intended to work from the microphone itself. A long press of my headset button brings up Google Now without saying "OK Google". I trained it for my voice on the phone, just in case I ever want to use it without the headset.
JimSmith94 said:
I don't think "OK Google" is intended to work from the microphone itself. A long press of my headset button brings up Google Now without saying "OK Google". I trained it for my voice on the phone, just in case I ever want to use it without the headset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the "OK google" is intended for the microphone... how else are you going to say it? The only thing is that android chooses to listen to the internal microphone, and then when you say OK google into your phone it starts checking for bluetooth devices and it switches listening to that for the actual command. At least, that's what's happening on my device.
Why wouldn't they make it so it listens to your bluetooth device in the first place? It's connected so you can assume you are using it (they apply the same principle for audio output).
I use a bluetooth headset on my helmet, and the buttons are already used for play/stop, and forward/back.
But that's not the problem, I can easily launch Google app with a tasker whenever I connect my bluetooth device.
I found a workaround though after trying about 10 apps, most don't work.
Smart Bluetooth Headset allows me to remap functions (not buttons, which never works for me) of my bluetooth device.
I've now set it to replace "redial function" with "Voice assistant" which basically opens Google app and starts listening. Great because I didn't like the redial function anyway.
DoubleYouPee said:
Yes the "OK google" is intended for the microphone... how else are you going to say it? The only thing is that android chooses to listen to the internal microphone, and then when you say OK google into your phone it starts checking for bluetooth devices and it switches listening to that for the actual command. At least, that's what's happening on my device.
Why wouldn't they make it so it listens to your bluetooth device in the first place? It's connected so you can assume you are using it (they apply the same principle for audio output).
I use a bluetooth headset on my helmet, and the buttons are already used for play/stop, and forward/back.
But that's not the problem, I can easily launch Google app with a tasker whenever I connect my bluetooth device.
I found a workaround though after trying about 10 apps, most don't work.
Smart Bluetooth Headset allows me to remap functions (not buttons, which never works for me) of my bluetooth device.
I've now set it to replace "redial function" with "Voice assistant" which basically opens Google app and starts listening. Great because I didn't like the redial function anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess we have very different headsets. My Plantronics Voyager Legend uses one tap to answer or end a call, double tap to redial the last number, and long press to activate Google Now or whatever else you choose to program it to. It sounds like you have programmed a button to open Voice Assistant, which accomplishes the same thing as my long press.
JimSmith94 said:
I guess we have very different headsets. My Plantronics Voyager Legend uses one tap to answer or end a call, double tap to redial the last number, and long press to activate Google Now or whatever else you choose to program it to. It sounds like you have programmed a button to open Voice Assistant, which accomplishes the same thing as my long press.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's because it's not a bluetooth headset used primarily for talking, but more for playing music.
Still I don't see why android is using ONLY the internal mic even when you have a bluetooth A2DP device connected.
DoubleYouPee said:
Yeah, that's because it's not a bluetooth headset used primarily for talking, but more for playing music.
Still I don't see why android is using ONLY the internal mic even when you have a bluetooth A2DP device connected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm guessing that having the microphone on all of the time would kill the headset battery pretty quick. When Chrome enabled Google Now on the desktop, I could never get my headset to trigger it either. The only way I could get it to work was to click on the microphone icon on the screen.
JimSmith94 said:
I'm guessing that having the microphone on all of the time would kill the headset battery pretty quick. When Chrome enabled Google Now on the desktop, I could never get my headset to trigger it either. The only way I could get it to work was to click on the microphone icon on the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I guess it's a valid point, but in my case (I use it on my helmet) it's always playing music anyway, so it already has a constant connection to my phone.
For other people, it wouldn't be a problem either because it would only have the microphone on when the Google App is in the foreground. So if you don't need it it's not used at all.
JimSmith94 said:
I guess we have very different headsets. My Plantronics Voyager Legend uses one tap to answer or end a call, double tap to redial the last number, and long press to activate Google Now or whatever else you choose to program it to. It sounds like you have programmed a button to open Voice Assistant, which accomplishes the same thing as my long press.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the same headset and I experience issues with the long press-action. When I do so, the phone replies "wait", the screen says "Initialising", there's a slight static in my headset and then - nothing...
Latest firmware is installed and I have ticked the bluetooth recording-box in GoogleNow.
Any ideas?
Hi, for this bug you can use thé application BT gnow.
My problem is an other, Google now audio is routed through the a2dp channel and not the hsp headset channel
my OK GOOGLE stop working from time to time. I rarely use it now.
I have the same issue, i cant get the activation of the "ok google" hotword via a wired headset nor a bluetooth headset on a Pixel... any advice?
DoubleYouPee said:
Hi.
I can't get OK Google to work via my bluetooth microphone.
I have the Google app open and it says "say OK Google".
It works 10/10 when I say it directly into my phone.
When I press the microphone button manually, it picks up 10/10 commands via my bluetooth headset.
Ok Google detection is ON for the Google App. (and it works via phone)
Hands-free -> For bluetooth devices = allowed
"Record audio through bluetooth headset if available" = ON
When I do the "OK google voice model" guide, where it asks you to say OK Google 3x, it doesn't listen to my headset at all. It picks up nothing.
As I said when I press the mic button manually it works 10/10, there's nothing wrong with the bluetooth set or connection.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm clueless :silly: but I have a Moto G5 Plus that had this issue I fixed today and another android phone a few years back that had the same issue.
I'm posting this around in a few forums since there doesn't seem to be much info on this anywhere. Maybe it will help.
To fix the broken setting that causes Google search / voice to text apps to not work with Bluetooth Microphones in my phones, I did the following:
Note: This will erase your google data on the phone maybe including your linked credit card authorization from your bank in android pay (tap payment only, not Wallet.) which I seem to recall having to re-set it up with my bank since they are very secure with that, so make sure you are prepared for that possiblity. It won't delete your linked accounts or authenticator two factor auth. Just the core googly stuff and settings related to the local settings on the phone.
Go into settings > apps > "Google". Disable it to reset it back to the original version, then enable it again, it should auto update back to current version later. Still in the Google app, click on storage, then manage space > clear all data.
Go back to settings > apps > show system apps. Find Google Services Framework. Click storage, click clear data.
Your Bluetooth microphone should now start working again. You may just get away with deleting the data on the framework app, I usually do both since I don't want to mess around any longer than I have to.
That didn't worked for me, although in my headphones manual says to press bluetooth sync button once for Google Now/Siri. I have PHILIPS SHB3060BK/00 headset.
DoubleYouPee said:
Hi.
I can't get OK Google to work via my bluetooth microphone.
I have the Google app open and it says "say OK Google".
It works 10/10 when I say it directly into my phone.
When I press the microphone button manually, it picks up 10/10 commands via my bluetooth headset.
Ok Google detection is ON for the Google App. (and it works via phone)
Hands-free -> For bluetooth devices = allowed
"Record audio through bluetooth headset if available" = ON
When I do the "OK google voice model" guide, where it asks you to say OK Google 3x, it doesn't listen to my headset at all. It picks up nothing.
As I said when I press the mic button manually it works 10/10, there's nothing wrong with the bluetooth set or connection.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just turn off the "Record audio through Bluetooth headset if available". It will just work fine.
Hi All
Had android phones for decades, and used in combination with Alexa for several years. All of a sudden though on my S20 plus I am unable to get alexa activation via bluetooth to work consistently.
Previously long pressing the voice assist button in my BMW would call up the voice assistant on my phone via bluetooth. I'd here a beep, and be able to utilise Alexa to ask for music on spotify or whatever. Obviously the S20 came set with Bixby, and this same functionality worked with Bixby - but I prefer Alexa so changed away to that. What I am finding now though is that it will only activate alexa if the screen is on. If not I press and nothing happens. The next time I switch the screen on Alexa pops up. Also I dont seem to get the beep if I activate with the screen on. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
Dave
Apologies in advance - I could not find my specific issue in the forums using any related keywords. Sorry if it exists somewhere.
Phone is a Samsung S21 Ultra running Android 11. Pretty sure it's not a phone issue as I've had this issue wth other phones but can't remember how I fixed it. I am not running Google Android Auto app. My phone connects to my car through bluetooth and phone functions work perfectly - I can make and receive calls through voice command and my contact list is available. Two issues I'm having concern sound from the phone speakers. Sometimes I have to use Google maps through my phone because the navigation system in my car isn't updated. Google maps works except there is no voice guidance from the phone speaker as normal (voice guidance works when not connected to the car). There is also no voice guidance from the app through my car speakers. UPDATE: I just discovered a setting in Google maps to "Play voice over Bluetooth" so maybe I'll try turning that on and see if that works. My second issue is a sound issue as well, but through YouTube. Sometimes I'm a passenger in the car with my phone connected through BlueTooth to make and receive calls, but if i try to play a YouTube video there is no sound through my phone (or my car) speakers. If I could get it to play through my car that would be optimal, however I'd be fine with just having YouTube through my phone like it used to. I'm pretty sure last time this happened it was an app, like Android Auto, or Google Auto and when disabled things went back to normal (sound playing through the phone) and that's why I haven't connected Google Auto so far. It could be a BlueTooth setting but I just don't know. Any ideas or suggestions appreciated!!