Poor bluetooth connection to iPhone

[abeasom]

I have a XS Max and two Apple Watches, a series 3 and series 4, both GPS only. Over the past couple weeks I have noticed that my watches are losing Bluetooth phone connection after about 10 feet. If I'm at home, it switches to my Wifi but at work or anywhere else I get the red disconnected icon. Additionally, neither of my AirPods or Beats 3 show the battery screen on the bottom of the phone anymore when the case is opened and when I repair them I have to do it through Settings, again as the pairing screen doesn't appear on the iPhone anymore.
I have unpaired and re-paired both watches, I have erased all content and settings from iPhone and restored and still have the same issue. I have run the Apple Service Diagnostics, a full scan (which I cancelled when it got to the screen touch tests) and the MRI test and both said the Bluetooth is fine. I believe those tests don't measure signal strength, which is a shame.
Does it sound like the Bluetooth is failing in my iPhone XS Max? Is there anything else I should try? All of my devices are updated to the latest software. I have an appointment on Tuesday at the Apple Store and plan to show them how both watches disconnect around 10 feet and how the AirPods no longer connect the way in which they are supposed to. Hoping for a new phone if the Bluetooth is failing....

 

[Julien]

The best way to test the BT signal is with a pair of BT headphones and another iPhone or iPad. Pair the headphones to both devices (or 1 at a time) and test distance to signal loss with the iPhones (or iPad) in the same spot.

 

[abeasom]

The best way to test the BT signal is with a pair of BT headphones and another iPhone or iPad. Pair the headphones to both devices (or 1 at a time) and test distance to signal loss with the iPhones (or iPad) in the same spot.

I just tested on my iPad Pro 2018 and iPhone XS Max with the same pair of AirPods. Both of them cut out around the same spot, about 45 feet I'd say. Seems like the Bluetooth signal is about the same, but doesn't explain still why my Apple Watch signal disconnects around 10 feet.

 

[maxchile]

I just tested on my iPad Pro 2018 and iPhone XS Max with the same pair of AirPods. Both of them cut out around the same spot, about 45 feet I'd say. Seems like the Bluetooth signal is about the same, but doesn't explain still why my Apple Watch signal disconnects around 10 feet.

please let me know what apple service say about the AW issue. if is a hardware issue or software issue. thanks !

 

[abeasom]

please let me know what apple service say about the AW issue. if is a hardware issue or software issue. thanks !

Hardware. They replaced my phone yesterday.

 

[maxchile]

Hardware. They replaced my phone yesterday.

Working perfect i assume, correct?

 

[abeasom]

Working perfect i assume, correct?

Yeah. Airpods connection screen actually shows up and I can walk further than 10 feet away from my phone and watch still stays connected.

 

[maxchile]

Yeah. Airpods connection screen actually shows up and I can walk further than 10 feet away from my phone and watch still stays connected.

where you from?

 

[abeasom]

where you from?

Pittsburgh

 

[maxchile]

Pittsburgh

and you just went to the apple store and they changed the unit in the moment? why i asking, because i will travel to US, ( don’t know when yet) and i’m thinking to go to the apple store in order to realize the change. but i don’t want to wait to long .

 

[abeasom]

and you just went to the apple store and they changed the unit in the moment? why i asking, because i will travel to US, ( don’t know when yet) and i’m thinking to go to the apple store in order to realize the change. but i don’t want to wait to long .

I made an appointment and when I talked to a "genius" I told him my bluetooth wasn't working as it should for a $1300 phone. I showed him how when I walked away after 10 feet or so my watch disconnected and I opened both of my Airpods cases and showed him I never got the connected/battery screen on the bottom of my iPhone. They ran Apple diagnostics, which I had already done, and after that they gave me a white box iPhone.

 

[maxchile]

I made an appointment and when I talked to a "genius" I told him my bluetooth wasn't working as it should for a $1300 phone. I showed him how when I walked away after 10 feet or so my watch disconnected and I opened both of my Airpods cases and showed him I never got the connected/battery screen on the bottom of my iPhone. They ran Apple diagnostics, which I had already done, and after that they gave me a white box iPhone.

thank you very much