# Sound from app going to speaker and Bluetooth



## Brian Converse (Jan 28, 2019)

I got a new Samsung phone yesterday. Audio (turn by turn directions) from the app is now going to both the internal speaker of the phone and my Bluetooth device. I use the native map within the Uber app. I'd like audio to only come through the Bluetooth when it's active. I've tried multiple different Bluetooth devices and they all operate the same way. I've done a lot of research around settings in the Uber app and on my phone and can't come up with an answer on why this is happening or how to fix it. Anyone have a clue? Thanks.


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## Tony JACKSON (Nov 16, 2016)

That problem recently popped up on me too on the Uber app. Until a couple of weeks ago sound only came through my Bluetooth headphones and then it started coming my Bluetooth headphones and my phone (samsunS Galaxy S7). 

When I switch to Google maps for navigation no problems. I tried it with another pair of bluetooth headphones same result. I'm pretty sure it's the app.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Uber = FIX IT TILL ITS BROKE.

CUT RATES PAID TO DRIVERS.

REPEAT.


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## islanddriver (Apr 6, 2018)

I turned my Moto phone off then back on it cleared that up. I do it everyday now no problem


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> Uber = FIX IT TILL ITS BROKE.
> 
> CUT RATES PAID TO DRIVERS.
> 
> REPEAT.


I always thought uber fixes things that aren't broken.

Like a new app to help drivers understand earnings in delayed and processing time


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

After several episodes of the UBER Navigation app locking up on me during rides. I decided to reinstall the UBER app last week. When I first opened the app I got a message at the bottom of the screen asking me to try the "Overlay". Since I could not go online without the overlay feature on I turned it on. Now I get turn-by-turn instructions over my earbud (PLANTRONICS E500) and my phone's speakers....very annoying. I have unpaired and re-paired my earbud, bought a new earbud and paired it and get the same results. I turned off my car's Bluetooth and got the same result. I even reset my phone's and got the same result*...*instructions over the earbud and the phone's speakers. None of the help desk crew nor the technicians at the hub have been able to solve this problem, which by the way does not occur when I use the Google Navigator! After reading through this conversation I tried one last time to fix it by turning of my phone and then turning it on again the results are the same. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Sidecar


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## 911 Guy (Feb 8, 2018)

Sidecar said:


> After several episodes of the UBER Navigation app locking up on me during rides. I decided to reinstall the UBER app last week. When I first opened the app I got a message at the bottom of the screen asking me to try the "Overlay". Since I could not go online without the overlay feature on I turned it on. Now I get turn-by-turn instructions over my earbud (PLANTRONICS E500) and my phone's speakers....very annoying. I have unpaired and re-paired my earbud, bought a new earbud and paired it and get the same results. I turned off my car's Bluetooth and got the same result. I even reset my phone's and got the same result*...*instructions over the earbud and the phone's speakers. None of the help desk crew nor the technicians at the hub have been able to solve this problem, which by the way does not occur when I use the Google Navigator! After reading through this conversation I tried one last time to fix it by turning of my phone and then turning it on again the results are the same. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Sidecar


Is your phone BT connected to your car?


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Uber navigation sucks, I learned that the hard way.

Whatever Uber wants you to do, do the opposite.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

Brian Converse said:


> I got a new Samsung phone yesterday. Audio (turn by turn directions) from the app is now going to both the internal speaker of the phone and my Bluetooth device. I use the native map within the Uber app. I'd like audio to only come through the Bluetooth when it's active. I've tried multiple different Bluetooth devices and they all operate the same way. I've done a lot of research around settings in the Uber app and on my phone and can't come up with an answer on why this is happening or how to fix it. Anyone have a clue? Thanks.


You might find the waze app quicker and more accurate than google or uber for navigation. I have a s7 and never had any issues like you are describing.


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## islanddriver (Apr 6, 2018)

On my Android Moto phone I had the same thing I found that if you turn the sound down some it doesn't jsppen


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

It's a known problem with a recent app release.
https://uberpeople.net/threads/uber-voice-prompts-are-using-ringer-sounds.306977/


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## Avatarded (Feb 5, 2019)

Hello guys,

Just signed up for forum ( for the same reason!!)
Week ego the same thing happened to me. I have small BT speaker and Android ZTE MAX phone, using for turn by turn GPS directions, using UBER navigation, for 2 years have no problem. Suddenly, week ego, I started to have audio from the speaker and phone same time. Very annoying and riders continuously asking what is going on, it is sound like echo. Was poking around of settings of UBER app and phone but could not eliminate this effect. How to prevent phone from talking after pairing speaker and BT "ON"? Any ideas what to do?

My regards to all !


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

911 Guy said:


> Is your phone BT connected to your car?


No. The problem even occurs when I turn off the car Bluetooth


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

To re-iterate/clarify: it's a known problem, with more details in the thread I linked above. It would seem that Uber in its infinite wisdom screwed up the *Android* app in a recent update. I don't know if this is happening on fruit-phones.

Before, in-app navigation voice came through the phone's "media" audio channel. This meant that its volume could be managed via the "media" volume control. It also meant that when a Bluetooth device is connected, in-app navigation voice is muted on the phone itself and comes through the BT device only.

Now, it would appear that in-app navigation voice comes through the "ringtone" audio channel instead. This means that it won't be muted on the phone itself even when a BT device is connected (just like your ringtone). It also means that when you lower the ringtone volume, the navigation voice through *both* the phone and BT device are lowered.

Some have filed a complaint with Uber (see response to one driver in link in my previous post). I have filed my own complaint and received a BS canned template response.

I suggest everyone files their own complaint as well, to burn a fire under them to fix this nonsense, so please go here: http://t.uber.com/drivercontact


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## StephenT (Oct 25, 2016)

KD_LA said:


> To re-iterate/clarify: it's a known problem, with more details in the thread I linked above. It would seem that Uber in its infinite wisdom screwed up the *Android* app in a recent update. I don't know if this is happening on fruit-phones.
> 
> Before, in-app navigation voice came through the phone's "media" audio channel. This meant that its volume could be managed via the "media" volume control. It also meant that when a Bluetooth device is connected, in-app navigation voice is muted on the phone itself and comes through the BT device only.
> 
> ...


Yay! That's My thread.  
As you can read, after realizing the issue I then took to lowering the Play Store rating for the app.
That got someone's attention and they suggested I report it via the webpage as a issue with the app.
This got a semi-canned response, admitting the issue, but following two updates it hasn't been fixed (changed back).

Please submit your tickets for this. Let them know it is a big issue. It is a safety issue on several levels and distracting for both Drivers and Riders.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

StephenT said:


> Yay! That's My thread.
> As you can read, after realizing the issue I then took to lowering the Play Store rating for the app.
> That got someone's attention and they suggested I report it via the webpage as a issue with the app.
> This got a semi-canned response, admitting the issue, but following two updates it hasn't been fixed (changed back).
> ...


Oh yea... I should have mentioned that also: it's a highly distracting safety issue for those who want navigation voice.

This depends on the type (and quality) of Bluetooth device you have, but, the navigation voice comes out of the phone first because of BT delay, then a second later (with mine) the same voice starts echoing through my BT device. This makes it so very confusing to understand the directions, in turn distracting you, making it a major safety issue.

Some passengers say it's annoying for them also.


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## AlmostJaded (Jan 25, 2019)

It has already caused me to miss turns on more than one occasion. So annoyed.

Filed a ticket at that link - that'll be the 4th I've filed since the problem started, and the first since you guys explained the ringtone/media problem. I hadn't made that connection before, and it's really obvious, lol! 

I guess it never occurred to me that a multi-billion dollar company that literally depends on a single app for it's very existence would do something that colossally stupid.


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## mmn (Oct 23, 2015)

A sort of a workaround for me is to set the navigation to Maps. In the app I still get the echo, but as soon as I "navigate" it switches and I get Maps audio BT only.

But Fix It, GDI...!


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## Z129 (May 30, 2018)

Avatarded said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> Just signed up for forum ( for the same reason!!)
> Week ego the same thing happened to me. I have small BT speaker and Android ZTE MAX phone, using for turn by turn GPS directions, using UBER navigation, for 2 years have no problem. Suddenly, week ego, I started to have audio from the speaker and phone same time. Very annoying and riders continuously asking what is going on, it is sound like echo. Was poking around of settings of UBER app and phone but could not eliminate this effect. How to prevent phone from talking after pairing speaker and BT "ON"? Any ideas what to do?
> ...


Welcome to UberPeople.net


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

The only practical "temporary fix" I can think of is a wired earpiece. You'd need one with a long enough cord (or extension-- I miss Radio Shack), and your phone becomes a literal anchor of sorts.

For me it's worth it as I have various issues with an external navigation app, which is why I want the in-app navigation to begin with.


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## AlmostJaded (Jan 25, 2019)

Even this isn't much of a fix, because the ringtone signal will still "echo" through the external speaker.

Throw in the fact that a lot of newer phones require an adapter for a 3.5mm cable.

C'mon Uber. This is ridiculous.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

AlmostJaded said:


> Even this isn't much of a fix, because the ringtone signal will still "echo" through the external speaker.
> 
> Throw in the fact that a lot of newer phones require an adapter for a 3.5mm cable.
> 
> C'mon Uber. This is ridiculous.


True, but at least with an earpiece, I can hear the directions right in my ear without that damn delayed echo until they (hopefully) fix this bug.
I'll have to try this anyhow...


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

KD_LA said:


> The only practical "temporary fix" I can think of is a wired earpiece. You'd need one with a long enough cord (or extension-- I miss Radio Shack), and your phone becomes a literal anchor of sorts.
> 
> For me it's worth it as I have various issues with an external navigation app, which is why I want the in-app navigation to begin with.


So much for trying a wired earpiece as a temporary work-around: all navigation sound still comes through the phone itself, nothing whatsoever through the wired earpiece itself (except phone calls).


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## AlmostJaded (Jan 25, 2019)

Had a lengthy conversation with Uber today about a different issue - and was surprised that the tech I spoke to was aware of the bug (constant complaints) but indicated that nobody there had heard anything about what's causing it or any potential fixes. Literally, people here that have narrowed this down to media/ringtone are better informed than Uber's tech support.

Isn't that nice.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

AlmostJaded said:


> Had a lengthy conversation with Uber today about a different issue - and was surprised that the tech I spoke to was aware of the bug (constant complaints) but indicated that nobody there had heard anything about what's causing it or any potential fixes. Literally, people here that have narrowed this down to media/ringtone are better informed than Uber's tech support.
> 
> Isn't that nice.


Yea, a technology company. A technology company with customer support. Yea, that's it. SMFH.


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

It is a scary thing thing that the technology developers are unaware of this problem!!! 
Makes me wonder about their interest in resolving the matter quickly. Especially since during one of my visits to "Green-light Hub" the technician I spoke to assured me that he was documenting the issue as I described and would submit it for the attention of the technology group...That was more than a week ago.


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

When I went online yesterday I got a message that an update was available. I updated the app hoping UBER had resolved this issue. No such luck! *The issue persists!*.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

Sidecar said:


> When I went online yesterday I got a message that an update was available. I updated the app hoping UBER had resolved this issue. No such luck! *The issue persists!*.


I noticed that update too last night. I haven't yet had a chance to test it, but, I'm wondering if a ton of us should drop by at their hubs to file a complaint in person. No idea if it would go anywhere, but at least we would be complaining to (generally) an English-speaking person. Maybe that will drive the point.


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## baloneytastessogood (Jan 2, 2019)

KD_LA said:


> To re-iterate/clarify: it's a known problem, with more details in the thread I linked above. It would seem that Uber in its infinite wisdom screwed up the _Android_ app in a recent update. I don't know if this is happening on fruit-phones.
> 
> Before, in-app navigation voice came through the phone's "media" audio channel. This meant that its volume could be managed via the "media" volume control. It also meant that when a Bluetooth device is connected, in-app navigation voice is muted on the phone itself and comes through the BT device only.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the warning


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

Hello Everyone (including UBER if you ever look at this site). It seems that the problem of the "turn-by-turns" on both phone speakers and blue tooth earbuds has been remedied!!! Yipee!!. While driving today I noticed that initial destination notification was not being broadcast on both channels (media and ringtones). So I disconnected the google maps and connected Uber Navigator and it worked just fine except for one or two route restarts while en-route to the destinations... So I guess it has been fixed? Thank you to everyone who raised this issue with Uber and persisted in complaining until it was fixed.


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## KD_LA (Aug 16, 2017)

Sidecar said:


> Hello Everyone (including UBER if you ever look at this site). It seems that the problem of the "turn-by-turns" on both phone speakers and blue tooth earbuds has been remedied!!! Yipee!!. While driving today I noticed that initial destination notification was not being broadcast on both channels (media and ringtones). So I disconnected the google maps and connected Uber Navigator and it worked just fine except for one or two route restarts while en-route to the destinations... So I guess it has been fixed? Thank you to everyone who raised this issue with Uber and persisted in complaining until it was fixed.


Fixed how? I've not seen any app updates?


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## AlmostJaded (Jan 25, 2019)

No idea how, as I didn't see an update either - but it's fixed.


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## Sidecar (Feb 4, 2019)

Maybe the 'pushed' the correction, rather than having the driver 'pull' it from Google Play Store...I don't know


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## Coyotex (Feb 10, 2019)

Before I had my "I no long have a nav voice from the app" issues, I had the navigation voice on the phone, then the bluetooth. All I had to do was turn to a radio station and wouldn't have to hear it through the car speakers. So, in other words, I had the navigation voice TWICE, with a split second delay. Changing to the radio solved it for me, no issues. Now, when the BT connected, the voice doesn't come through the phone. If I don't want it through the car speakers, I have to turn the BT off completely. I'm not technology person, but huh?


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

On android. If you want to eliminate sound through your audio speakers , go to settings, sound, media. Adjust volume there.


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## Coyotex (Feb 10, 2019)

kdyrpr said:


> On android. If you want to eliminate sound through your audio speakers , go to settings, sound, media. Adjust volume there.


Thanks! But I don't want to eliminate ALL sound. I listen to podcasts via my phone, so I would like to keep that going. Just the app navigation sound through the BT system.

If there's a way to turn off BT on individual apps though, I'm all for it!


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## mmn (Oct 23, 2015)

Coyotex said:


> Thanks! But I don't want to eliminate ALL sound. I listen to podcasts via my phone, so I would like to keep that going. Just the app navigation sound through the BT system.


If you're using uber in-app navigation you're sol. If you switch to using Maps for Uber nav then you can mute the t-b-t directions in the Maps app. Not sure about Waze.


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## Coyotex (Feb 10, 2019)

mmn said:


> If you're using uber in-app navigation you're sol. If you switch to using Maps for Uber nav then you can mute the t-b-t directions in the Maps app. Not sure about Waze.


Bummer. I LOVE the Uber in-app navigation!


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## FormerTaxiDriver♧ (Apr 5, 2018)

Sidecar said:


> When I went online yesterday I got a message that an update was available. I updated the app hoping UBER had resolved this issue. No such luck! *The issue persists!*.


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## toingubera (Mar 4, 2019)

AlmostJaded said:


> It has already caused me to miss turns on more than one occasion. So annoyed.
> 
> Filed a ticket at that link - that'll be the 4th I've filed since the problem started, and the first since you guys explained the ringtone/media problem. I hadn't made that connection before, and it's really obvious, lol!
> 
> I guess it never occurred to me that a multi-billion dollar company that literally depends on a single app for it's very existence would do something that colossally stupid.


FWIW given the many bugs the product team has with the app I see problems like this "normal". They really don't have the capability to produce a quality app.


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## Avg2424 (May 31, 2019)

Downgrading to version 4.209.10003 fixed it for me. If you are on a newer version, you need to uninstall it first. I would recommend wipe the storage, then uninstall, then install 4.209.10003. 

It drove me crazy because I didn't know what was causing the sound over my speaker. It started after my last app update and tonight was my first night after the update.
Wiped and uninstalled reinstalled several times. Ended up not driving tonight because it was annoying to me and riders. 

I snagged a newer version updated 5/30 and it didn't work, then tried the older version (February) online from apkmirror. 
Note to self, don't update the app


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## StephenT (Oct 25, 2016)

.... and the latest update [late May 2019] has the frizzin issue back again.
Uber is a Technology Company. That's the kool-aid. So it is no wonder they continue to lose billions of dollars every quarter.
If anyone has a link to the APK I'll take it. I really really try to not sideload apps, but I absolutely can't use the Uber Partner/Driver app without silencing my phone because any sound from the app comes out of the speaker as if it were a "Ring" event. That means on My GS9+ the initial words are slightly muted and get louder (with an echo effect). If I have my BT in use (which I always do while driving), I get it via BT as well, but a half second delayed from the phone's speaker.


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## Avg2424 (May 31, 2019)

StephenT said:


> .... and the latest update [late May 2019] has the frizzin issue back again.
> Uber is a Technology Company. That's the kool-aid. So it is no wonder they continue to lose billions of dollars every quarter.
> If anyone has a link to the APK I'll take it. I really really try to not sideload apps, but I absolutely can't use the Uber Partner/Driver app without silencing my phone because any sound from the app comes out of the speaker as if it were a "Ring" event. That means on My GS9+ the initial words are slightly muted and get louder (with an echo effect). If I have my BT in use (which I always do while driving), I get it via BT as well, but a half second delayed from the phone's speaker.


Not sure if I can post links, best I can do is tell you to google this exact phrase: apkmirror uber driver 4.209.10003
Should be the first link


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## StephenT (Oct 25, 2016)

Avg2424 said:


> Not sure if I can post links, best I can do is tell you to google this exact phrase: apkmirror uber driver 4.209.10003
> Should be the first link


Did anyone that experienced the issue upgrade to the release on June 2 or 3 and can report if they fixed it [again]?
I am using the older 4.209.10003 version and not allowing the app to update.


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## BCS DRIVER (Oct 25, 2018)

I had the issue recently. Currently running 4.217.10001 and not having the issue now.


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