Bluetooth LE Adapters Don't Enable OS X Yosemite's 'Handoff' on Older Macs

[usarioclave]

For someone running Yosemite with built-in bluetooth, what transport is listed? The one pictured shows the transport as USB.

EDIT: NM, on the main page transport is also USB for continuity support.

 

[runebinder]

I've got a question regarding this. I have a retina macbook pro (10.9.3) and an iPhone 5s (7.1.1) so both devices support Bluetooth LTE. However if I try and pair the 2 I get a message on my iPhone saying the Mac is not supported. Is this changed in Yosemite and iOS 8? If not then how is continuity over Bluetooth supposed to work if you can't pair them?

 

[6836838]

won't work, it uses bluetooth to kick off the process even then

And why do you think it should? Sounds like a bad implementation to me. The development team should be sacked. </sarcasm>

 

[Shuri]

won't work, it uses bluetooth to kick off the process even then

"Beyond Handoff, Apple is also adding a number of other features under the Continuity umbrella, not all of which require Bluetooth LE support. For example, the new phone relay feature that will allow users to make and receive iPhone calls right from their Macs relies on Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth, meaning that more devices should be compatible with this feature and it is likely to work over longer distances."

From the article.. So this sounds to me at least this works.

I stay optimistic someone finds a way to enable it

PS: Crying right now? (Football related..)

 

[Maltz]

Like Power Nap with 3rd party SSDs

Or even basic TRIM support. I can't say that this news surprises me much. Disappointing, yes, but not surprising.

 

[Dwalls90]

Sorry that's part of the Handoff feature.

won't work, it uses bluetooth to kick off the process even then

I don't have Bluetooth LE and can SMS from my Mac. Haven't tried phone calls yet, though.

Or even basic TRIM support. I can't say that this news surprises me much. Disappointing, yes, but not surprising.

Look up Chameleon SSD, it's enabled TRIM (Even on Yosemite) for my OCZ SSD so it behaves as if it was an Apple SSD.

 

[KaPOWitsCHRIS]

won't work, it uses bluetooth to kick off the process even then

Sorry that's part of the Handoff feature.

Then this part of the article is wrong?

Beyond Handoff, Apple is also adding a number of other features under the Continuity umbrella, not all of which require Bluetooth LE support. For example, the new phone relay feature that will allow users to make and receive iPhone calls right from their Macs relies on Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth, meaning that more devices should be compatible with this feature and it is likely to work over longer distances.

 

[Hurda]

No surprise after their reluctance to enable TRIM for aftermarket SSDs.

 

[nws0291]

It's possible the support for third party vendors is disabled in early beta builds to allow devs/testers to focus on the core feature instead of increasing another variable of a 3rd party dongle.

 

[saxon48]

Then this part of the article is wrong?

Article is right. That user couldn't be more wrong. I've been using the SMS feature just fine on my mid-2009 MBP.

 

[flaw600]

Interesting...

It's a bit ridiculous that if you spent thousands on a new Mac Pro in early 2013 that you can't use this feature even if you get an adapter. I understand why it only works on Bluetooth LE, and it should remain that way because of the low energy usage, but it definitely should work with an adapter. The adapter is completely pointless on a laptop, but for iMac and Mac Pro it should be an option.

Except, what I don't understand, is why you would buy an early 2013 Mac Pro in the first place when there was already enough info out there that Apple was planning on releasing an updated Mac Pro? That and the default specs hadn't been updated on what, at least 3 years? Any new features that used Bluetooth, would've used 4.0/LE which almost every device prior to 1.5-2 years ago didn't have.

That being said, there'll probably be someone within weeks that enables this for dongles, and plus, this is a beta. Betas by definition are not meant to test third-party devices, so it is very possible that Apple will allow for third-party adapters. After all, they expressed support all the way back to Snow Leopard, and seeing how pretty much every new/cool feature about Yosemite (Continuity/Handoff) requires Bluetooth 4.0/LE, it would be pretty stupid (although business-sense, pretty wise) to let that happen

 

[Intell]

For someone running Yosemite with built-in bluetooth, what transport is listed? The one pictured shows the transport as USB.

EDIT: NM, on the main page transport is also USB for continuity support.

Internally Macs use the USB bus for Bluetooth as well as the iSight camera and the IR sensor, if equipped.

 

[macpro2000]

Seriously, while a cool concept in theory, how often would anyone actually use this? Virtually never.

At least that's my thoughts, and all my machines are capable.

 

[smartalic34]

I understand the limitations with Bluetooth 4.0 being low energy, etc. but what I don't understand is the AirDrop limitation as well. My 2011 MBP can currently AirDrop to another Mac, and my iPhone 5 can AirDrop to another iPhone, so why does Bluetooth LE have to be in place to AirDrop between my Mac and iPhone?

 

[hglk]

Does anyone know if Handoff will work between iDevices. For example, Handoff from an iPhone to an iPad.

 

[GeneralChang]

Oh rats. Guess that rules out my old iMac. Hopefully they’ll support it before it’s released.

 

[Carlosgomes]

Handoff/Continuity is supposed to work between an iPad 3 and a 2013 MBA, isn't it?
I couldn't make it work with the first or second betas.

Should I be doing something apart from enabling bluetooth and WI-FI and using the same Apple ID on both?

 

[Serban]

Time to upgrade people!

i don't think for someone who bought a macbook pro 2011 is time to upgrade just for this feature. This is ugly marketing for Apple to sell more macs

 

[profets]

As long as the SMS & Calls work over Wifi I'll be happy.

Sorry that's part of the Handoff feature.

won't work, it uses bluetooth to kick off the process even then

"Beyond Handoff, Apple is also adding a number of other features under the Continuity umbrella, not all of which require Bluetooth LE support. For example, the new phone relay feature that will allow users to make and receive iPhone calls right from their Macs relies on Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth, meaning that more devices should be compatible with this feature and it is likely to work over longer distances."

From the article.. So this sounds to me at least this works.

I stay optimistic someone finds a way to enable it

PS: Crying right now? (Football related..)

I don't have Bluetooth LE and can SMS from my Mac. Haven't tried phone calls yet, though.

Article is right. That user couldn't be more wrong. I've been using the SMS feature just fine on my mid-2009 MBP.

Exactly. SMS, and probably voice calls, are not dependent on bluetooth. I've had my Mac powered off, and hours after an SMS conversion on my phone I can turn on the Mac, and all the conversations are loaded (iMessage and SMS). I'd almost bet SMS is going through iCloud to stay synced everywhere.

Bluetooth LE seems like more of a requirement for proximity based activities, like handoff of currently opened apps and AirDrop.

I understand the limitations with Bluetooth 4.0 being low energy, etc. but what I don't understand is the AirDrop limitation as well. My 2011 MBP can currently AirDrop to another Mac, and my iPhone 5 can AirDrop to another iPhone, so why does Bluetooth LE have to be in place to AirDrop between my Mac and iPhone?

The original AirDrop on Mac was wifi/network based. AirDrop that was introduced on the iPhone/iOS was Bluetooth LE based for proximity and connection. For Macs to do the newer AirDrop with iOS devices it'll require BT LE just like the iOS devices they'll communicate with.

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Handoff/Continuity is supposed to work between an iPad 3 and a 2013 MBA, isn't it?
I couldn't make it work with the first or second betas.

Should I be doing something apart from enabling bluetooth and WI-FI and using the same Apple ID on both?

Correct. Just make sure Handoff is checked under General in System Preferences on the Mac. Also its beta, hasn't been 100% working for everyone.

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i don't think for someone who bought a macbook pro 2011 is time to upgrade just for this feature. This is ugly marketing for Apple to sell more macs

Yeah, that's exactly what it is

 

[flaw600]

It's the iPhone, not the Mac

I understand the limitations with Bluetooth 4.0 being low energy, etc. but what I don't understand is the AirDrop limitation as well. My 2011 MBP can currently AirDrop to another Mac, and my iPhone 5 can AirDrop to another iPhone, so why does Bluetooth LE have to be in place to AirDrop between my Mac and iPhone?

It's not because of the Mac - it's because of the iPhone. The reason Airdrop didn't work between the 2 devices initially is because of how the iPhone handles Airdrop. The iPhone handles AirDrop via Bluetooth 4/LE b/c of battery life issues. The iPhone uses Bluetooth LE in order to contact the other iPhone/iPad and setup the transfer in info, but the actual transfer is done via Wifi. Bluetooth 3.0 was a severe battery drain - it didn't allow the device to allow the Bluetooth chip to enter a low-energy state. Think of it like wading vs. swimming. BT 3.0 made the device swim to connect to other devices with purpose. BT 4.0 allows the device to 'wade' and detect other devices but not necessarily connect to them.

The Mac limitation really isn't a 'Mac' limitation, but an iPhone one b/c while the Mac's battery may not drain fast enough with BT 3.0 enabled enough to concern Apple, the iPhone's battery - which isn't that big anyway - would drain quickly.

 

[FaustsHausUK]

In my work - web development - I strongly advise colleagues to check for feature support, not a specific browser. Maybe I should send the same message to Cupertino, unless there's a very good reason for this.

I'm not upgrading my iMac for a while, I'll be very bummed out if I miss out on this functionality.

 

[iPhone7s]

i don't think for someone who bought a macbook pro 2011 is time to upgrade just for this feature. This is ugly marketing for Apple to sell more macs

I own the 2011 and know I could get to at least October 2015 without needing to upgrade but with the retina display and not having this feature (which doesn't appeal to me too much actually) it might be time to consider upgrading when the next rMBP's come out.

 

[Azzin]

Sorry that's part of the Handoff feature.

Isn't SMS & calls via Yosemite part of Continuity, rather than Handoff?

 

[blackcrayon]

i don't think for someone who bought a macbook pro 2011 is time to upgrade just for this feature. This is ugly marketing for Apple to sell more macs

Right. Leave off a small feature as "ugly marketing" to sell more macs when they could just make the whole mac unsupported by 10.10. I guess the Department Of Evil Forced Upgrades didn't think of that

 

[randomtask]

Seriously, while a cool concept in theory, how often would anyone actually use this? Virtually never.

At least that's my thoughts, and all my machines are capable.

Just gotta point out that I will use this ALL THE TIME. I signed up for the Yosemite beta purely for this (and icloud to replace dropbox).

It's a killer feature for me. I absolutely love imessage laptop/phone interchangability, adding phone and sms and e-mail (i guess?) into that will be the first time i've been genuinely 'wowed' by a new feature in a long time.