Impossible to use a Bluetooth Headset in Android applications

[rsoto]

REPRODUCIBILITY: 100%
OS VERSION: 4.4.0.68
HARDWARE: Xperia 10 Plus
UI LANGUAGE: German
REGRESSION: Maybe

DESCRIPTION:

I came across an interesting bug similar to what has been described before pertaining voice calls , only that this is with the latest Signal app. In short terms, even though a Bluetooth headset is connected to the device, Signal doesn’t route the call through it so you’re forced to use the built-in microphone and speakers.

PRECONDITIONS:

Android runtime installed; Signal app installed, working Bluetooth headset paired and connected with the device.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:

1. Connect phone to the Bluetooth headset, maybe do a normal call to make sure it works;
2. Open Signal
3. Make a video call using Signal.

EXPECTED RESULT:

You hear the person through your Bluetooth headphones.

ACTUAL RESULT:

No sound coming out of headphones - only through the built-in speaker.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

No idea how should I log this…

[pherjung]

The bug is also present with What’s App.

[jollajo]

unfortunately I don’t have a solution nor a workaround, just a wild guess of reason for this behaviour:

In native calls Bluetooth uses the isochronous profile, i.e. bidirectional audio is transferred with lower bandwidth but less latency to meet real time requirements of a phone call.
I would assume that within AlienDalvik Bluetooth operates in buffered mode to provide ‘normal’ playback mode, which is not real time critical, such as a2dp.
To fix this issue Jolla would probably have to implement switching of Bluetooth profiles from AlienDalvik. I’ve no clue if this is already available, if not how much effort this would be.

[thigg]

And the jitsi app as well

[rsoto]

After what I’ve read so far - would it be best to just change the title to ‘Impossible to use a Bluetooth headset for voice/video calls in Android applications’?

[jolla4ever]

Maybe: “Settings / Bluetooth / Paired Devices”, click device you want to connect to. There is no automatically reconnect.

[sashikknox]

yep, annoying bug…
have workaround: in Audio Output application to choose right output when use signal, but it not choose right input, and still need speak to phones builtin microphone

[rsoto]

I know, but this thread is not about Bluetooth devices disconnecting from the device, it is about Bluetooth headsets not emitting any audio despite being correctly paired and connected to your Sailfish device.

[rsoto]

Thanks, though that’s not good enough - the idea of using a headset is profiting from the improved microphone quality so you don’t have to scream so that the other can hear you.

[flypig]

Thanks for reporting this issue @rsoto. I’ve created an internal bug report about it and tagged it here as “tracked”. If there are any updates to share on it, we’ll do our best to post them here.

[rsoto]

Working in SFOS 4.5! Marking as ‘solved’

[rozgwi]

I am still (or again) observing this on an Xperia 10 II with SFOS 4.5.0.24
Signal App version is 6.43.2 but this defenitely happened some time before with a previos version of Signal.

@flypig, @jovirkku is this still being tracked or should I open a new report?

[flypig]

Hi @rozgwi. Thanks for flagging this up. As this is marked as solved it’s unlikely it’s tracked internally any more, but I’m afraid I no longer have access to the internal tracker to check.

You’ve also flagged up this other similar bug. Does that override your comment here? Are they the same or different issues for you?

[jovirkku]

This works on Xperia 10 III with the upcoming 4.6.0 release.
I tried phone calls, Spotify, Signal and WhatsApp.
JBL TUNE 750B TNC Bluetooth headset was connected to the phone.

I’ll remove ‘tracked’ now.

[rozgwi]

Thank you guys! @flypig The other bug I saw later, so this here can be discarded

@jovirkku That is great to hear. Thanks for the ‘sneak preview’, lets wait for 4.6. then