WF-1000XM3 drop outs during playback with iPhone

[Stoobloo]

This 'may' be an Apple issue with their iOS 14, but I wondered if anyone else had noticed that during playback there's quite often a 'drop out' of audio for a second at the most, not a connection drop but whatever your listening to goes silent for a second, playback continues so you 'miss' what was playing at the moment of the drop out.

During half an hour it will usually do this 2-6 times.

I have tried prioritising stable connection, audio quality and enabling and disabling DSEE HX to no avail.

Any ideas?

[Win_88]

Hi

Make sure the headphones are up to date and test if this only happens with your iPhone. Also, test the connection in different places, just to eliminate the chances of interference being the culprit.

Win_88

[daleknowles]

I have the issue.  Only re-started using the headphones recently - used to use them on the commute but that stopped over a year ago.  Since then, I've had a new iPhone and I've also updated the firmware to the latest version released this morning.  Very disappointing this issue is still present - so frustrating as these are a great pair of earphones and had no issues when I first bought them.  I would also add that on connecting these earphones to my mac (using bluetooth obviously), they work fine.  It's clearly something between the iPhone and the earphones, or possibly the Sony Headphones app on the phone is causing it.

[Joe_Dohn]

Have you tried changing the sound mode when using your iPhone?

[daleknowles]

Yes - priority on stable connection (which I might add was set to quality when I used it over year ago without issue).  I've just done a factory reset and reconnect out of curiosity.  Will see how it goes.

[daleknowles]

So, a factory reset didn't improve things.  I've also tried removing the Sony Headphones app from my phone and just connecting without that.  Possibly a marginal improvement but there's still some stutter every now and then.  Really frustrating given this did not happen when I used them over a year ago.  I think I've now tried everything including sound modes, but more than happy to hear from others if they have a solution.  I can't help but think this is a Sony issue though, particularly the firmware on the earphones.  I have a pair of WH-1000XM3s too and they work perfectly on the same phone.

[Stoobloo]

I also believe it's a Sony issue, as my Bose QC 35II's don't show the same problem, nor do my now new Airpod Pro's.

I still prefer the Sony's noise cancelling for earbud style earphones but the drop outs are too annoying to continue using them, I now just use them (the Sony's as a headset for making calls for work).

Shame.

[Joe_Dohn]

A new software version was released yesterday with the notes literally saying "Improves Bluetooth connection stability". Maybe give it a shot (v3.1.2)?

[Alerick]

i have the same problem and i use a samsung s10+

so its not just an iphone problem.

sorry dont know how to fix it

[daleknowles]

Thanks, however, as i said in my earlier post, I downloaded that yesterday with high hopes but to no avail.