Some iPhone 16e owners are reporting Bluetooth audio issues that could be an iOS problem

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Some iPhone 16e users are experiencing Bluetooth bugs
Audio can sometimes stutter or cut out, according to the reports
It’s unclear what exactly is causing this issue, Apple hasn't yet responded

Apple’s iPhone 16e is a complete revamp of the iPhone SE, improving Apple’s budget handset in almost every way. But there’s one area where the new device is apparently struggling for some, prompting widespread complaints from users.

The issue seems to be centered on the iPhone 16e’s Bluetooth audio capabilities. Specifically, many users have noticed that audio from the phone will occasionally stutter or cut out entirely when they are connected to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones. According to some reports, the bug appears when you hook up the phone to multiple Bluetooth devices at the same time.

The problem has been documented by a number of people on Reddit, X, and Apple’s official support forums. These complaints seem to go back a few weeks, suggesting that they might have been present when the iPhone 16e launched in mid-February. We've asked Apple for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

Cause unknown

When Apple launched the iPhone 16e, it became the first iPhone to come with Apple’s C1 chip, a cellular modem that handles 5G connectivity. But if you’re thinking that new chip might have something to do with the problem, that’s probably wide of the mark.

That’s because past rumors have claimed that Apple is working on its own in-house Bluetooth chip, but that this is still not ready for production. That means Bluetooth is still handled by other components, just as in other iPhones that are seemingly unaffected by this bug.

That means the cause is still something of a mystery. It’s unclear if the issue relates to iOS (and if so, how), although some users have claimed that updating to the latest iOS 18.3.2 patch does not resolve the problem.

Some users have contacted Apple’s support team, so hopefully the company is aware and working on a fix. With iOS 18.4 on the horizon, we’ve got our fingers crossed this widely reported bug gets swiftly squashed.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.