I bought an Apple Watch a couple years ago. I was excited about it. I was thinking that if I was in the other room, I would hear the phone ring and be able to see who was calling on my watch before having to hobble all the way back to where my phone was only to have it be a spam call. The problem was that the phone stopped making any sound at all.
After I synced it I started missing phone calls and text messages even when I was sitting right next to my phone. The phone stopped making noise and I simply did not notice the light vibration of the watch. Especially if I was busy moving around or driving.
After missing important calls and texts from family and doctors, I started researching. Many of the features had options for notifications on “Watch only, phone only, neither watch or phone, both watch and phone”. I found that the text and phone calls did not have the option settings of “play on both watch and phone” like other settings did. Simply put, syncing the watch turned off the ring and text tone on the phone.
In researching I also found years of complaints from consumers and no fixes. Doctors, construction workers, etc. who were frustrated after missing important calls.
I was told I was nuts by family and friends. They didn’t miss calls or texts they said. Testing, we found out that if your phone is unlocked, it did make noise so people who constantly have their phones in their hand using them did not see this happening, but those of us who put down our phones and don’t touch it so it locks up, are the ones who seem to have the problem.
I went to the Apple store where the guy was fairly patronizing and denied that it happened, told me I just didn’t know how to set it up. Finally, after he looked through the settings, I proved it to him by having him call me. Showed him how if the phone was locked vs unlocked made a difference.
He went in the back and came out and said you’re absolutely right but the thing is it is SUPPOSED to be that way, Apple doesn’t give that option of “notification on both watch and phone” on purpose. No refund for me, as they only had a 15 day policy and it took me a bit more than that to figure out the problem.
So, that was Apple‘s stance, regardless of complaints, it is a feature not a bug. They know best. Now, I’ve been unhappy with some Apple (and Microsoft) updates in the past that I learned to live with but this was the First Apple product I was ever completely disappointed in and could not not get used to or figure a work around. I could unsync the phone, but then I would lose all the features and would just have a very expensive watch.
Missing important phone calls and text messages such as a family member needing a ride was not acceptable to me, and I ended up giving the watch away to a family member because it was worthless to me.
I will say I really wanted that watch and if there was an update to get an option for both to have the ring tone I would buy again. Also one thing I really miss about it is I liked the find my phone feature that it had for when the phone slips down in the seat cushion, lol.
Sorry to ramble on about my sad story. But if you do find there is now a fix to give the “on both” option I would love to know. In the meantime, my phone is my watch. Lol
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