After Bose Music 3.1.6 update on iOS, the app doesn't reconnect NC 700 headphones

[Hansoll]

Today, I've visited the Seki HE, which is the local importer and distributor of Bose home products in S. Korea. I've discussed and experimented with this issue with customer service personnel. Although they haven't heard this issue before either, we found that this issue is not only affected on my phone or headphones in our impromptu experiment. the experiments we have done are : 

• Connect their headphones to my iPhone with a Bose Music app 3.1.6 version.  - Failed
• Connect my headphones to their iPhone with a 3.1.6 version. - Failed 
• Connect their headphones to their iPhone with a 3.1.6 version. - Failed 
• Connect both pairs of headphones to my other iPhone with a 3.0.0 version. - Passed  
• Connect both pairs of headphones to Android phones. - Passed 

Now I can confirm that all the headphones(at least, both units tested) cannot connect to all iPhones(again, at least two we've tested) with Bose Music 3.1.6 unless restarting the app. Which doesn't affect the iPhone with Bose Music 3.0.0 software and the app for Android phones.

Nonetheless, the staff said the issue not deemed as a hardware issue(because of all device has the same malfunction with the newest software), so they can't offer replacement of the headphones. The staff suggesting discuss further with you. 

[Keith_L]

Hi Hansoll,

Thank you for testing that for us and for the update! You have gathered a lot of really useful information on this.

From what you have found out, I would agree that it does seem unlikely to be a hardware issue, but it is great that we have that confirmed.

I'm going to get this raised up to our development team to investigate further. Given how often you have been able to replicate the issue it is definitely something that they will want to look at.

I do have one last thing for you to try as well though. The Bose Music app does use some of the features included in 'location services' on IOS as part of how it establishes a Bluetooth connection. I would be interested to know what this is set to on your IOS devices and whether the iPhone that is working is configured differently.

To check this, on your iPhone navigate to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. On this page, select the Bose Music app and set it to either Always or While Using App. Try using both of these settings for the Bose Music app and see if this changes the behavior you are seeing.

Let me know how this goes. Hopefully this will do the trick and if not, it's helpful extra information to pass along.

[Hansoll]

Well, I'm happy to the issue is being escalated and investigated by developers. I like Bose, Bose NC headphones (I have four Bose ANC headphones) for a decade and love new headphones. Since I use the headphones every day, so if the team fixes this issue, it would lessen my frustration.

For the location service inquiries, I installed the Bose Music app on all of my iOS/iPadOS devices, and none of these have such an option. I can guarantee that there was no message or prompt for asking location permission because I reinstalled the app countless times. I even installed it on a freshly reset system, so count me on that. Do I make any mistakes or missing steps? If so, please don't hesitate to tell me that. 

Nonetheless, the only working iPhone(which is 3.0.0 installed)'s location service was entirely off until I notice because you've mentioned it, but it worked anyway.  

To conclude, the location service itself wasn't affected in my configuration. It didn't exist at all in the first place. 

[Keith_L]

Hi Hansoll,

Thanks for the speedy response. I do have a few extra questions so I can provide as much information as possible to the development team.

It is strange that your iOS devices don't have an option for location services, it is something I would expect to be available on all iOS 13 devices. One thing that can cause this option to be hidden is if it is set by ' profile' on the phone. 

If you do have profiles enabled on your phone, you can check this from the General settings on your iOS device. If one is enabled there will be a Profile option in the menu, between Dictionary and VPN. If the option isn't there then no profiles are enabled. If you do have one enabled, and you are able to, it would be worth removing it and testing the app, as well as seeing if location services is now available.

Just so I know as well, are all of the devices of yours that you have tested personal devices? Are any of them company or business devices that were provided by your place of work? 

Thank you for your help with this!

[Hansoll]

Oh, I'm sorry, I'll correct that the location service option itself exists. However, the 'Bose Music' item is not listed. All devices are mine, and no profiles are installed. I don't know why the Bose Music app doesn't ask permission for location service(that's why it doesn't exist on the list at location services). Please refer to these screenshots below.

[Keith_L]

Thank you for clarifying that Hansoll! 

It definitely is strange that the Bose Music app is not showing on that list. It should ask for permissions when it is first installed to enable that.

Just to see if this forces the app to ask for the location permissions, can you please try turning the Bluetooth permission for the Bose Music app off from the menu you screenshotted. Once it is turned off, re-open the Bose Music app and you should see a pop-up asking for the Bluetooth permissions, at the very least, and hopefully the location services as well. 

If this doesn't work, not to worry, I'm just interested to see if we can force it to ask for permission. 

[Hansoll]

Well, I turned off the Bluetooth option as directed, and this is the result(see the screenshot). 

Tap 'Go to Settings' will brings me the same setting screen, which I visited to turn off the Bluetooth. 

By the way, there's no "Bluetooth Sharing" in the Settings.  

PS. You told me the location service prompt is displayed alongside asking Bluetooth permission, but when I launch the app for the first time after install, only a prompt for Bluetooth permission is shown. During the initial setup, you'll be asked for two permissions, Bluetooth and notification. No location.

[Keith_L]

Thank you for trying that for me Hansoll.

It should ask for location service permissions when first installed, so I am surprised it isn't appearing for you. This could be why the app isn't working correctly. If something is stopping the app from asking for/enabling location services then this could be the cause, but that would be something for the development team to consider.

Thank you for all your help in investigating this as well! All this information has been forwarded on for our team to look into further and will help them get to the root cause. I'm not sure how long it will take to get any new information, it will depend on how easy it is for them to replicate the issue and work out what the root cause is.

As soon as I do have an update from them, I will be sure to let you know.

If you can think of any extra information that might be helpful as well, please do let me know!

If anyone else has experienced this, please do let me know what devices, iOS version and app version you are using so this can be passed along as well.

[Hansoll]

As per other user's messages in the forum, I'm not the only one who suffer connection issue with 3.1.6 version of the software. Here are the links.

https://community.bose.com/t5/Around-On-Ear-Headphones/Bose-Music-App-Update/m-p/277692/highlight/tr...

https://community.bose.com/t5/Around-On-Ear-Headphones/Bose-Music-App-Update/m-p/276020/highlight/tr...

https://community.bose.com/t5/Around-On-Ear-Headphones/Bose-Music-App-Update/m-p/274965/highlight/tr...

I'm regretful that they don't share much more information, but I can't blame them. The troubleshooting process is very tedious(as you saw in the thread, I made a 30 miles trip to inspect the headphones and experimented for persuading you it's not due to faulty hardware).  I hope you've already raised this issue to the developers, as this is not a single incident. If you didn't, I urge you so now. I think this problem affects several users. You need to flag this issue as urgent(as you permit) to the developers.

I like these headphones, and I'm not regretting buying it a month ago. But I don't want to repeat closing and opening the app indefinitely. Please give me back the perfect Bose experience as when I bought it. I have to note that, from last weekend, I need to force-quit the app more than once to connect to the headphones, while the Android is working still so well.  

[Hansoll]

Hello. 

I have some updates. 

• The Bose Music app sometimes connects without a restart. I've seen this when I turn the headphone first time after overnight. 
• Using Google Assistant on the headphone makes it difficult to connect with the Bose Music app. 
  I needed to few force-restarts of the app to connect with the app while I am using Google Assistant on the headphone, I did successfully connect by the first try when It turned off(set to the Siri), while I still need to make a force-restart.  Unfortunately, I'm living in the country which doesn't support by Alexa; I can't confirm how the headphone and the app are behaving with Alexa.