Iphone plus watch plus airpods...answering calls

[eVolcre]

here's a specific use case scenario. Iphone in pocket. Watch on wrist. Airpods in case in pocket and the phone rings.

I know who's calling since my phone tells me. How do I answer calls on the airpods?

If they're in my ears I know it'll work. I thought I could simply open the case take one out and put it into my ear to accept a call automatically. Doeant seem to work. The apple watch picks it up on the watch speakers.

Should I enable microphone only on the left one?

 

[Brookzy]

Answer the call first, commence your conversation, and put the AirPods in your ears. The audio should automatically switch to the AirPods once they're connected to your phone.

 

[matrix07]

Answer the call first, commence your conversation, and put the AirPods in your ears. The audio should automatically switch to the AirPods once they're connected to your phone.

I guess what the OP meant is he accepted the call from the watch?

I would say taking out AirPods, put it in ear & accept call from iPhone, like you always did with wired headphone.

 

[Brookzy]

I guess what the OP meant is he accepted the call from the watch?

I would say taking out AirPods, put it in ear & accept call from iPhone, like you always did with wired headphone.

It doesn't matter if you accept the call from the Watch or the iPhone, the same behaviour should happen.

Personally I would always accept the call first to avoid missing it.

Indeed I do this quite often if I'm out and about and receive a call... I just ask the caller to wait five seconds and then pop my AirPods in, and the switch is automatic.

 

[eVolcre]

Answering the calls first defeats the purpose though. I want to leave the phone in my pocket (travel in sketchy areas and whipping out expensive gadgets is a great way to get jacked)

I guess I could answer the call on the watch tiny speakers but somehow I thought i could see who's calling while grabbing the airpods case and then popping one in would take the call automatically.

 

[matrix07]

It doesn't matter if you accept the call from the Watch or the iPhone, the same behaviour should happen.
.

Well, it matters though when his AirPods were "in case". If he accept from the watch, the call won't connect to AirPods even if he put it in later. He needs to change the source to AirPods.
If his AirPods already was in ear then it doesn't matter.

 

[Brookzy]

Well, it matters though when his AirPods were "in case". If he accept from the watch, the call won't connect to AirPods even if he put it in later. He needs to change the source to AirPods.
If his AirPods already was in ear then it doesn't matter.

I'm pretty sure mine switch automatically as soon as they connect!

 

[eVolcre]

Well, it matters though when his AirPods were "in case". If he accept from the watch, the call won't connect to AirPods even if he put it in later. He needs to change the source to AirPods.
If his AirPods already was in ear then it doesn't matter.

Exactly. I'd like to keep the phone in my pocket and airpods in case. Don't want to walk around with one in the ear all day. It's too mid nineties wanna be.

Answering calls on the watch. Then pulling out an airpod then switching source on the watch is a heck of a lot of steps. I mean my old jawbone era was quicker. Phone rings, slide switch on and place in ear. Boom. Call is on the headset.

What if I'm driving and want to answer with headset that's in the pocket? Too dangerous to fiddle with the phone on dashboard or worse, looking at a small watch to change the output.

There's got to be a way to do this.

 

[matrix07]

I'm pretty sure mine switch automatically as soon as they connect!

It can't. Trust me. You must thinking about when one already in your ear.

 

[eVolcre]

I'm pretty sure mine switch automatically as soon as they connect!

Do you first answer the call on the watch and then put the pods in? Or just putting the pods in takes the call?

Sorry for all the questions. I need to experiment with this but can't find someone to call me multiple times

 

[Brookzy]

It can't. Trust me. You must thinking about when one already in your ear.

Do you first answer the call on the watch and then put the pods in? Or just putting the pods in takes the call?

Sorry for all the questions. I need to experiment with this but can't find someone to call me multiple times

I literally just tried it. Got someone to call me with AirPods in the case, iPhone in my pocket, and Watch on my wrist.

iPhone and Watch ring.

I answer on the Watch. The call commences through the watch speaker.

I pull the AirPods out the case and pop them in. They connect to the iPhone. The audio switches to the AirPods automatically. The Watch screen displays "Handed Off" and returns to the watch face. Call continues through AirPods.

This is what I have done most days for months now. I just ask the caller to bear with me a second while I put the AirPods in.

Being able to simply put the AirPods in would be better in theory, however in practice I would be worried about missing the call and would want to answer the call as soon as possible anyway.

For clarity, I'm testing on a 7 Plus running the iOS 11 GM, and a Series 2 Watch running watchOS 3.

 

[username:]

Agree with Brookzy. just answer the call and put AirPods in. simples.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I don't know about if you don't have the AirPods in, but when I've got them in and connected phone and my iPhone is in my bag. I get a call, I'm notified on my watch and then I can answer the phone on the my watch and the call comes through on my AirPods.

 

[matrix07]

I literally just tried it. Got someone to call me with AirPods in the case, iPhone in my pocket, and Watch on my wrist.

iPhone and Watch ring.

I answer on the Watch. The call commences through the watch speaker.

I pull the AirPods out the case and pop them in. They connect to the iPhone. The audio switches to the AirPods automatically. The Watch screen displays "Handed Off" and returns to the watch face. Call continues through AirPods.

This is what I have done most days for months now. I just ask the caller to bear with me a second while I put the AirPods in.

Being able to simply put the AirPods in would be better in theory, however in practice I would be worried about missing the call and would want to answer the call as soon as possible anyway.

For clarity, I'm testing on a 7 Plus running the iOS 11 GM, and a Series 2 Watch running watchOS 3.

Wow. This is not my experience. I didn't do this often so maybe something change. Good to know though. And thanks for testing it and confirm.

 

[Jayne Doe]

Brookzy just saved me a lot of iPad typing. This is my exact procedure.

 

[eVolcre]

I literally just tried it. Got someone to call me with AirPods in the case, iPhone in my pocket, and Watch on my wrist.

iPhone and Watch ring.

I answer on the Watch. The call commences through the watch speaker.

I pull the AirPods out the case and pop them in. They connect to the iPhone. The audio switches to the AirPods automatically. The Watch screen displays "Handed Off" and returns to the watch face. Call continues through AirPods.

This is what I have done most days for months now. I just ask the caller to bear with me a second while I put the AirPods in.

Being able to simply put the AirPods in would be better in theory, however in practice I would be worried about missing the call and would want to answer the call as soon as possible anyway.

For clarity, I'm testing on a 7 Plus running the iOS 11 GM, and a Series 2 Watch running watchOS 3.

Thanks so much for doing this. Appreciate your research. Same setup as mine btw. 7+, series 2 Nike watch and airpods as of today.

Looks like first answer on watch, ask caller to hold and then grab the airpods is theonly solution.

Know what's strange? Withiut the watch if the phone rings you CAN just take a pod out of the case stick them in the ear and a call is routed there automatically. That one I did get to try it all broke down when I put the watch into the picture. Watch was ringing, I could hear my own voice in the headphones and then the sound went over to the watch speakers. Total mess.
[doublepost=1505661399][/doublepost]

I don't know about if you don't have the AirPods in, but when I've got them in and connected phone and my iPhone is in my bag. I get a call, I'm notified on my watch and then I can answer the phone on the my watch and the call comes through on my AirPods.

Yep that works. The Green accept button on the watch is changed to a different one. Think that's something pretty new.
[doublepost=1505661498][/doublepost]I wonder what happens if you try it my way. Basically your same test scenario but you put the airpod in WITH OUT first accepting the call. Anyone willing to try an experiment in the name of science and clearing this up?

 

[Jayne Doe]

I tried this. The first two calls I was not able to answer via AirPods. However the third and fourth calls I successfully answered with the watch reading "call answered on phone". I suspect this is because the calls were made in rapid succession and even though the AirPods were returned to case, they were still connected to the phone?

 

[Midway123]

Hi All,

Just bumping this topic since I have a similar issue as OP, and a follow-up question:

Phone is in bag, watch is on wrist and AirPods are in case in pocket. Business is of sensitive legal nature, answering call initially on watch may disclose party on other side of call, which in some cases is undesirable. As far as I understood there is no other solution then to keep AirPod in ear all the time if/when depending on watch. If a solution/ an alternative procedure has come to light since last post, please share, otherwise I will take it as a fact.

Follow up question: call is taken on watch with AirPods in (in adjoining room to where phone is), display indicates handing off call to phone. I walk out of room away from phone and loose connection between AirPods and phone, while watch (where I originally took call) is still on wrist and in wifi range. Apparently watch doesn't take call back after handoff to phone. Is there a way to force AirPod connection and call retention to watch?