iPhone 7 Bluetooth Skipping in Car

[jclardy]

I have a 2015 Mazda 3 and I am having issues with bluetooth skipping. Basically I keep my phone in my front right pocket (so literally a inches from the console) but if anything comes in between the center console and my phone I get audio skipping (That sounds exactly like a cd skipping from going over a bump.)

I considered that it could be my car's bluetooth, but the fact that my work phone (nexus 5x) plays back flawlessly from inside the trunk I don't think that is the issue.

So then I figured it might just be my iPhone 7 Plus. But this week I swapped to T-Mobile and swapped to an iPhone 7, and it exhibits the same behavior.

I can reproduce it 100% of the time by touching the top of the phone while it is playing in my pocket (near the camera, so the top antenna area.) To me it seems like it is an issue with swapping antennas when it thinks it is being blocked, and in those few milliseconds it drops a few packets. Has anyone else seen this? Or anyone with a recent Mazda without bluetooth issues with the iPhone 7?

 

[yadmonkey]

I actually came on the forums today to look into a similar issue. My 2014 Subaru Crosstrek was good friends with my 6+ and my 6s+, but my 7 plus skips occasionally. If I put it in the center console just inches away from the stereo (where I always put the other phones), it skips the most. On the passenger seat it skips occasionally and strangely it skips the least in my left pocket.

I'm starting to theorize that either the bluetooth antenna in this model isn't as good (I'm having occasional issues with Airpods as well) or that some of us have defective antennas. A look at some similar threads would back this up. Some people point to iOS 10, but my wife's 5s runs iOS 10 and doesn't skip at all.

 

[rachelsgoldens]

I have this problem randomly with my iPhone 7 plus in my 2010 Ford Expedition. It hooks up and auto plays from the house but when I open the door the truck shuts off so I have to restart it and sometimes the Bluetooth skips. Usually my phone is in my purse or my coat pocket. Only does it for less than a minute.