iPhone A2DP Headphone set-up is bit

different in OS3 than before.

I was sure it was missing.

I found with today’s launch of the iPhone OS 3 the bluetooth stereo headphone set-up a bit hidden and a bit tricky (as usual easy once you know).

For those that had used a A2DP dongle for their iPhone (like I did) prior to the OS update the hunt was a bit harder as I thought I knew what I was looking for.

For those that do not know, like many phones the iPhone (now) uses 2 types of Bluetooth, one for the phone and one for stereo headphones for music. The music standard is called A2DP and stands  for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, and is part of the Bluetooth 2.0 classification. That gets me off the hook for the WTF questions.

It is worth noting that some bluetooth headsets work for phones, some only work for music, and some do both. The headphones that do both until now would not work with the iPhone for anything except the phone unless a special dongle was used, that offers a bluetooth A2DP signal from your phone so it will work for music and phone calls.

Typically a bluetooth ear piece (for 1 ear only) usually only works for phone calls, and have been around longer than the A2DP standard (or the Bluetooth 2.0 class it is part of). Equally those bluetooth headphones that are stereo (2 earpieces), are newer and often work with both phone calls and music (if available). Got that.. phew, a bit confusing I know.

Oh this is not the same as R2D2, which a different standard mainly for small electronic devices in popular Sci-FI movies.

Anyhow phones have one,  the other,  both or none.
The iphone had both but A2DP was not activated until now.

What to do?

1) The first thing is to press the buttons on your headset so it is in hunt/discovery mode , read the manual if you do not know how (RTFM).

2) Then go to the iphone and press settings/general/bluetooth and a secret I learned is to turn bluetooth off and back on (this helps with the headphone discovery).

This should brng up your 1st screen below, and likely show you the stereo headphones ( I am using Motorola S9). This is where it is a bit different.

Previously the headphones would have sinked ontheir own, now you simply touch the not connected words when they show up this then triggered the pairing of the headphones to the iPhone. Subtle but different

You may have to repeat the process a couple of times to get the sync to work but should not have to afterwards. When working you should see the connected indication per the 2nd photo.

Hope that helps someone (let me know)

 

Once this is working the job is not done, you need to go play your music, and touch on the headphone source in the bottom right hand corner to start using your headphones

Job done <phew>