iPhone XS Max iCloud issues?

[MEJHarrison]

Every since the last update, I've been seeing strange things. Any texts I get through iMessage are just fine. But now when I read an SMS text on my phone, is still shows as unread on my other devices (iPad, MacBook & iMac). If I read on one of those devices, my phone shows it as not read, while the other devices sync just fine.

Also, just last week I received my first pair of AirPods. It's my understanding that they should automatically connect to all my devices signed into the same iCloud account. But when I switch between my phone and iPad, I have to open the case to pair them and usually need to go to the Bluetooth settings as well to manually pair them. They're fine as long as I stay on that device, but if I switch, it won't connect to the other device automatically. My old headphones will switch automatically, so I know how it should work and my AirPods are not behaving the same way.

I suspect the problem is with iCloud, but I'm not positive. Furthermore, I suspect I could log out of iCloud and back in to see if that helps. The problem is I've just moved and don't have internet yet. Seems like when I logged out before, I had to re-download all my photos from the cloud (~34,000). I'm not positive my pictures will go away again, but I'd rather wait till I have internet to find out.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Is it possible to log out of iCloud and back in without needing to re-download everything? I don't remember how I lost my photos before, but it was annoying to have to re-download all of them from the cloud. If I have to go through that again, I'd prefer to wait until I have a good connection.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I would try to update all of the devices to the latest software and launch them all.

 

[cynics]

I would start with just reset of all your devices not just your iPhone (lock + home until you see the apple logo or volume up/down + lock for newer phones). This usually fixes the text message problem. For some reason if I don't reboot my iMac or MBP for a month or so I get this issue.

Test other iCloud functionality, for example make a note, a reminder, calendar event, update a contact. Then verify the other devices sync'd.

Reserve signing out of iCloud as a last resort. It can be a tedious and unnecessary step.

You'll need to manually switch the output source to the AirPod when you want to use them with a different device. Once you do it will disconnect from the previous device and connect to the new device. You might be making it a little harder on yourself then you need to though.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207010

If the app supports AirPlay and puts the AirPlay logo front and center its even easier, just click it and select AirPods.

So what you are describing might be normal. What is different about the AirPods then other devices is once you set it up with one device its setup with other devices so you can just select it from AirPlay icons or volume menu.

Maybe this helped some?

 

[MEJHarrison]

You'll need to manually switch the output source to the AirPod when you want to use them with a different device. Once you do it will disconnect from the previous device and connect to the new device. You might be making it a little harder on yourself then you need to though.

I admit I'm not 100% sure how the AirPods ought to behave. But I have a different pair of noise-canceling headphones. They're connected to my phone and my table. I can be listening to music on my phone, pick up my tablet, start a movie and the headphones will automatically start playing from the tablet instead. No need to mess with settings or pairing or anything else. They just automatically switch. When I'm done with my movie, I can hit play on my phone and it just automatically switches the input device back to my phone.

That's not how the AirPods are behaving. I open the case next to my phone. From that point on, they work just fine with my phone. They stay paired. If I decide to use my tablet however, I MUST open the case next to the tablet to pair them, even if they were previously paired. If I decide to switch back to the phone, I need to open the case next to my phone and pair them again. There is no seamless switching between devices like I was expecting.

From what I understand, they ought to be working more like my other set of headphones, not how they're currently behaving. But since my syncing issues began before received my AirPods, I've never actually used them on properly behaving devices. Also, having moved recently, I'm still without wifi at home. So while I can reboot everything, I'm going to need a home network before I can get all this figured out. At this point, I'm just collecting information.

 

[cynics]

I admit I'm not 100% sure how the AirPods ought to behave. But I have a different pair of noise-canceling headphones. They're connected to my phone and my table. I can be listening to music on my phone, pick up my tablet, start a movie and the headphones will automatically start playing from the tablet instead. No need to mess with settings or pairing or anything else. They just automatically switch. When I'm done with my movie, I can hit play on my phone and it just automatically switches the input device back to my phone.

That's not how the AirPods are behaving. I open the case next to my phone. From that point on, they work just fine with my phone. They stay paired. If I decide to use my tablet however, I MUST open the case next to the tablet to pair them, even if they were previously paired. If I decide to switch back to the phone, I need to open the case next to my phone and pair them again. There is no seamless switching between devices like I was expecting.

From what I understand, they ought to be working more like my other set of headphones, not how they're currently behaving. But since my syncing issues began before received my AirPods, I've never actually used them on properly behaving devices. Also, having moved recently, I'm still without wifi at home. So while I can reboot everything, I'm going to need a home network before I can get all this figured out. At this point, I'm just collecting information.

True wireless headphones (BT 5.0 devices might be different) have limitations with multiple source connections. The BT 4.x / BLE are limited to two connections, one being active the other being sniff mode (lower power state that checks for a specific keys to switch to become the source with time). True wireless earbuds such as the AirPods are connected to a source device AND they are connected from one EarPods to the other.

If there is any room in the BT standard for more functionality its likely there isn't any room left to waste battery life.

As much as I love for a BT device to randomly connect to a device of mine because I used it once and there is nothing else in range for it to connect to I don't mind the way Apple is doing it.

Switch to the AirPods is subjectively seamless I guess. Since I'm usually going for a different device like the HomePods or AppleTV its second nature for me but....

In control panel pressing that....



or in a song pressing this....



Gets you...



So you can choose your audio output.

MacOS is bit easier to setup to be more accessible from the menu...



Or like iOS from iTunes....



Opening the case is a quick way to connect too, thats not pairing though the device is already paired and bonded your iCloud. The pairing window when coming the case requires more interaction.

If that is a deal breaker for you (and I wouldn't blame you, different strokes for different folks) I would consider returning them if you are still within a return window or selling them while they are new. They aren't for everyone thats for sure. I use my AirPods for music when I goto the gym and for headset phone calls at work. I have Bose QC 35II and Beats Studio 3's for just listening too and enjoying music and they are infinitely better at that task. I'd recommend either of those for anyone (although for you I would avoid the Studio 3's since they have similar behavior to the AirPods and get the QC35II which are brilliant).

 

[MEJHarrison]

True wireless headphones (BT 5.0 devices might be different) have limitations with multiple source connections. The BT 4.x / BLE are limited to two connections, one being active the other being sniff mode (lower power state that checks for a specific keys to switch to become the source with time). True wireless earbuds such as the AirPods are connected to a source device AND they are connected from one EarPods to the other.

Thanks for the detailed answer. Before going any further, I fixed my iMessage issues by doing a hard reboot of my phone. So if anyone else is looking for that answer, try that.

Now, back to the headphones... So you're saying the behavior I'm seeing with my AirPods are exactly how they're supposed to work? If I switch from my phone to my tablet, I DO need to manually switch to the new device? And that's because while they're connected to my phone, the other device they're connected to is each other, so the whole sniff mode thing doesn't apply?

If I have that correct, it's certainly a disappointment as my other headphones are able to switch seamlessly. But it's nothing I can't work with. They're still awesome in other ways. And to be fair, if I'm going to switch to my iPad and am wanting to use headphones, 99% of the time it's because I'm wanting to watch a movie/TV show. In those cases, I'd be using my big, over-the-ears headphones anyway, not a pair if AirPods. So I'm not sure this will be a giant problem.