Bluetooth on Nexus 7

[DavidEarlBrown]

Didn't see a thread just on bluetooth for Nexus 7 so started this one. Sorry if duplicates issue found elsewhere.
the Nexus 7 bluetooth is very unstable and almost unusable. It turns off automatically without notice and once that has happened every time you try to start it again it turns off again in a few seconds. It has happened when I tried to use hands free in the car and when I tried to use an Anker Bluetooth Keyboard. I have the latest 4.42 upgrade. Is this an OS issue or is it hardware? This urgently needs to be fixed. It makes it unusable in the car and for editing documents (without bluetooth keyboard).

 

[John Bean]

There probably are threads (I recall seeing a few) but their relatively low number is an indication that it isn't a universal problem. For example I use my Nexus 7 with a Bluetooth keyboard and have never had the slightest problem with it.

Whatever problems you are seeing are not unique but relatively rare - and since I don't have them it is unlikely to be the OS or some design fault in the hardware, but of course hardware faults could exist. Perhaps it's some obscure combination of settings and/or particular apps and/or particular BT devices that cause these disconnections, but that's very difficult to determine except by a careful process of elimination.

 

[TheAmazingDave]

The Nexus' various antennae are crafted into the back plastic panel. If the back panel is knocked loose at all, it can and will compromise the various radios' signal integrity.

For instance, I sat on mine once a while back, and the GPS stopped working, I had caused the pins that contacted the GPS antenna to bend and break their solid connection. I had to take the cover off, and carefully bend the pins back up, to ensure they made firm contact. My GPS works better now than it did out of the box.

Others have reported similar with WiFi, the top corner of the device sometimes comes apart, breaking connection with the WiFi antenna. Users have simply snapped the case back together along the top and presto, full WiFi signal.

Here's what I'm talking about. All of the black squares on the inside of the back cover are the N7's various antennae.