Auto Turn on Bluetooth on Phone When BT Device Turned On

[dtfamily]

I have a Jabra speakerphone in my car that automatically turns on when you enter the car. If it doesn't detect a bt connection, it shuts off in a minute or so. To save battery, I keep bluetooth off on my phone usually.

I know I could turn the phone on, and turn on bluetooth. But what I'm trying to do is find an app that would recognize a bluetooth device has turned on (my speakerphone), and then auto turn on my phone bluetooth?

Does such an app exist? I've tried a few that auto connect when a call is received, but as I mentioned in my first paragraph, the speakerphone will auto turn off if it doesn't detect a pairing in the first minute or so of getting in the car, so that when I receive the call after the first minute, there's nothing for the auto connect on the phone to connect to?

Hopefully I'm making sense- please ask for any clarification if needed. Thanks for any help!

 

[funkylogik]

Im not sure about the app but to be honest, you can keep bluetooth turned on on the phone and it doesnt use battery unless its connected to something :thumbup:

 

[UncleMike]

There would be no way of detecting the presence of your Bluetooth speakerphone without having Bluetooth on the phone turned on.

If you normally plug your phone in when in the car you you could use something like Tasker or llama to turn on Bluetooth when you power the phone.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

I think it would be almost impossible to reliably do what you want-- especially in under a minute and without using up even more battery than just leaving your Bluetooth on all the time.

I just leave Bluetooth on all the time on my phone-- and the only reason that I do so is because my car has Bluetooth. I used to worry that it would drain the battery, but as a practical matter, I really don't notice any more battery drain.

You basically want the phone to detect the car, which is impossible without battery-consuming Bluetooth radio or NFC radio usage, or horribly battery-draining GPS receiver usage. Or at least you want the Bluetooth to wake up every few seconds, sniff for the car's Bluetooth speaker, and then go back to sleep if the car isn't detected--which is basically what Bluetooth devices naturally do anyway (especially devices with "Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR" or newer.)

One possible workaround would be this... If you use WiFi at home and office, maybe you could program an app like Tasker to turn on Bluetooth when your WiFi loses its connection (assuming you get your car out of WiFi range in under a minute from startup) and to turn off Bluetooth if no connection is made to the car within a minute. It wouldn't be a perfect solution, and I guess that keeping Tasker running would use at least as much energy as just leaving the Bluetooth on.

 

[Nevpaurion]

Couldn't it be accomplished with one of those NFC type tiles that do certain things when your phone is placed on them/near them?

 

[RazzMaTazz]

Couldn't it be accomplished with one of those NFC type tiles that do certain things when your phone is placed on them/near them?

As I mentioned above, NFC would require battery-draining radio usage. Not to mention that it would require the phone to have NFC (which isn't very common) and the OP would have to install an NFC tag in his car (also not very common).

 

[Nevpaurion]

As I mentioned above, NFC would require battery-draining radio usage. Not to mention that it would require the phone to have NFC (which isn't very common) and the OP would have to install an NFC tag in his car (also not very common).

Doesn't the OP's info say he has an S3? That has NFC.

Also I have my NFC (S-beam, android beam) on at all times. Never once experienced battery drain, on either my S3 when I had one and my Note 2.

The tiles are pretty cheap and easy to get a hold of from Samsung I believe. Not sure though. It's just a sticker from what I hear, no real installation process per say.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[dvhttn]

... I just leave Bluetooth on all the time on my phone-- and the only reason that I do so is because my car has Bluetooth. I used to worry that it would drain the battery, but as a practical matter, I really don't notice any more battery drain. ...

This. I've heard all the stories about BT draining the battery etc but the difference isn't noticeable for me, so BT is on all the time.

Dave

 

[RazzMaTazz]

Doesn't the OP's info say he has an S3? That has NFC.

Also I have my NFC (S-beam, android beam) on at all times. Never once experienced battery drain, on either my S3 when I had one and my Note 2.

The tiles are pretty cheap and easy to get a hold of from Samsung I believe. Not sure though. It's just a sticker from what I hear, no real installation process per say.

Good catch. Good points. So then the questions are:

1) Since many of us also never notice battery drain from just leaving our Bluetooth on 24/7, does it drain anymore battery to run the NFC radio + Tasker 24/7 or to run Bluetooth 24/7? (That would be irrelevant if you were running NFC + Tasker 24/7 for other reasons too.)

2) Is any difference in battery drain worth the cost and hassle of setting up the NFC tag & Tasker?

One experiment trumps a thousand expert opinions.

I'd recommend leaving BT on 24/7 and seeing if it actually causes problematic battery-drain. If so consider implementing a different solution.