Bluetooth audio stuttering issues on my iPhone 16e

Is anyone having issues with Bluetooth audio stuttering? I just upgraded to the 16e from the 13 mini and any Bluetooth device keeps hitching. The sound pauses for a second then picks back up. I’ve tried factory resetting without using an iCloud backup to see if that solved the issue but it still happening. I’m wondering if this is just early adopter troubles or an iOS 18 bug. It’s been driving me nuts!



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 16e, iOS 18

Posted on Mar 5, 2025 8:00 AM

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Posted on Mar 8, 2025 7:55 AM

I am having the same issue when iPhone 16e is connected to any bluetooth device (tried three different ones including Beats headphones). This does not happen with any other iPhone I have and had.


With Apple support tried:

- playback of music & podcasts via Apple's app, as well as music from youtube via Safari

- using it in different locations

- forced reset

- factory reset

- flight mode (mobile connect & WiFi off, Bluethooth on)

- replacing the phone with another iPhone 16e


None of that fixed it.


Support was escalated from Germany to the US. The Engineers came back with "delay is expected behavior". I was never talking about delay, but the sound cutting out, stuttering if you will.


They told me they will NOT attempt to address this issue because there are not enough complaints about this (yet). Everyone in this thread with the same problem: please open tickets with Apple's help desk and be persistent to escalate it before it gets shut down.

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Mar 12, 2025 7:49 PM in response to SravanKrA

Android phones don't have the same issue. I just barely switched and iPhone feels like an expensive downgrade compared to what I had previously with android. Wish I would've looked into the reviews of common issues before hand. Might just trade it in for an android and stay with them as Apple doesn't seem as decent as Android.

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Mar 12, 2025 8:02 PM in response to oarriaga08

It is so annoying. Frankly Apple charges way to much for these phones. You'd think that with the price they'd actually have things down and be responsive for a supposed "tech giant". They've lost their "why" that Simon Sinek describes in his Ted Talk and book. Profits aren't a why...its a result.


I'll do my due diligence and reach out to their support. This is embarissing considering my Google Pixel didn't have the same issues that this phone has and it's way cheaper than Apple. Considering this can someone explain to me why apple is better as compared to it's competitors?

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Mar 13, 2025 12:04 PM in response to oarriaga08

same thing happens to me with my first gen airpods, JBL Tune 230NC TWS, and Onemore Sonoflow over ear headphones. Not to mention it'll just disconnect from car bluetooth which is a ford sync 2 based system. This is annoying, I switched from iphone XR to upgrade not downgrade. the disconnecting and stuttering actually got worse when I updated to newest IOS today. Y'all wanna sell something for more money than economy models have gone for in the past then sell something worth it! I do not care about apple intelligence at all, I care about everyday usage and everyday I have to deal with this crap. Probably would've been better off buying an android device.

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Mar 23, 2025 2:53 PM in response to oarriaga08

Would the people saying they are contacting lawyers and/or switching to Android maybe just chill a little?


There IS a fix for this issue. Unfortunately the admins of this forum don't allow discussion of certain letters of the Greek alphabet, in particular the second one. So any message that clearly states how to solve the problem is deleted.


For those who don't want to dabble in Greek letters, I'm sure the fix will make it into a main iOS release soon.

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Mar 28, 2025 6:49 AM in response to oarriaga08

My wife and I returned ours for the same problem and got 16s. The only model having this problem is the 16e. Our new iPhone 16 works perfectly but, but cost us the difference I.e., $200 ea. I believe it’s a problem with their new C-1 cellular modem. This is the only model with their new in-house modem and the only model with the problem. I’ve heard that IOS 18.4 will fix the issue but, they haven’t released it. Got tired of waiting. I will never buy any just released model from Apple again.

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Mar 17, 2025 10:56 AM in response to oarriaga08

The issue does not occur when streaming internet radio to my headphones! It occurs with the Music app. I have not tested YouTube over Safari yet.


What did NOT work:

  1. Updating to iOS 18.3.2
  2. Forced Restart
  3. Network Reset
  4. Disconnecting and forgetting all other BT devices, the reconnecting only one
  5. Switched off new Brother printer (to eliminate BT interference)
  6. Settings->Privacy and Security->turned off all other BT devices


These dropouts are like packet errors on DACs connected per USB to a computer, which, in that case, are timing errors. The phone is likely running into some bandwidth errors.



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Mar 17, 2025 7:28 PM in response to oarriaga08

Fixed it!


Still on iOS 18.3.2


  1. Connected iPhone to MacBook Aire and restored iPhone in Finder
  2. Thereafter, I restored Backup from iCloud (also in finder: it prompted me and I clicked my way through)


No stuttering anymore!


In my opinion, the flaw is in porting the softwares and settings over from the old iPhone.


By the way, it never stuttered when streaming to my desktop DAC/amp combo using Airplay.


Please try it and report your results here.



[Edited by Moderator]



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Bluetooth audio stuttering issues on my iPhone 16e

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