Based on comments on a few other threads here, it’s clear that I am not alone in having long intermintant dropped data between the Dexcom G5 transmitter and an iPhone running ios 10.x (10.2 in my case.)
I’m not convinced this is a dexcom problem. If you search the apple support forums for bluetooth on ios 10.x, they are filled with complaints about all sorts of devices dropping. My daughter’s new iphone 6s goes for extended period of times without receiving data from G5 transmitter even if it is right next to it.
Meanwhile, G5 receiver, much further away, has had no problems with connections. Both devices are connecting via bluetooth, which leads me to believe that some, if not all, of the fault here lies with the apple end of things.
On the other hand, iphone seems to work fairly reliably with bluetooth speaker, but this could be because it is less sensitive to initermittent drops.)
There are a number of “fixes” proposed for this issue, none of which I’ve had time to try yet. (In increasing order of drasticness, they are : Turn bluetooth on and off. Have iPhone “forget” the G5, then reconnect. Rebuild iphone from scratch.)
If anyone has more information about this problem, from Apple or Dexcom, I’d be very interested in hearing about it. The only reason we went with an apple phone (rather than Android) was because of the availability of the G5 mobile app. I’m starting to regret that decision.
I’m sorry I don’t have any fixes for you. I’m holding back with the G4+Share and iOS 10.1. When I tried the G5 I had more incidence of dropped bluetooth. I am not burdened by carrying a Dex receiver and iPhone. I also like the longer G4 transmitter range and service life.
I’ve been following all these issue because the G4 won’t be around forever. If I read more favorable reports from G5 users, I’d be more inclined to switch back to it.
I’ve had the G5 only for about 2 weeks and know nothing but the latest iOS with it… it has been frustrating. The best pattern I’ve detected is that it seems to link up better if the phone isn’t closer than about 3 feet or so to the sensor… I realize that’s of minimal help since most of us keep our smart phones close by, but I’m curious to see if you notice the same pattern too
I keep both the G5 receiver and my iPhone 6 (10.X) in my pocket on the same side as the transmitter. The receiver has never dropped a connection in the 4 months I’ve had it. Maybe 5 times a week, I get a drop from the iPhone, which is reliably fixed by turning bluetooth off then on again.
The drops are why I only have alarms setup on the receiver, and keep the receiver on me at all times. The phone is useful for entering events, but for me, it is not good enough to use all by itself.
In general I only see the occasional brief drop out. The prolonged ones are uncommon but very frustrating and stubborn, especially if it occurs when I’m about to go for a bike ride–I really rely on having that screen open with my phone in its holder while I’m riding. I’ve discovered that the most reliable and easiest way to fix it when it’s really stuck on “no connection,” is to simply un-pair it (Preferences > Bluetooth, select the ‘i’ next to the device and choose “Forget this device”), then close and re-launch the app. The option to pair will come up in a few seconds, accept it, and that’s it–stays connected indefinitely until this problem crops up again, which like I say is not that often for me, maybe once a week.
I had to get over some reluctance to try this fix because I thought it wouldn’t even pair and I’d be really out of luck, but in fact it always comes right back up for me. It’s a little cumbersome but I actually find it’s much faster and more reliable than turning off BT entirely or closing/relaunching the app or any of those things.
I’ve been disappointed with the reliability of my iPhone and Apple Watch with the G4. It is not the communication between the watch and phone, but rather constant disconnects from the transmitter to the phone. I would estimate that it works only about 50-60% of the time. Some of the phone disconnects are unexplainable as the Dexcom Share app either closes itself or stops working. The other problems are related to when the transmitter has an alert such as a calibration, a high, or low, it seems to break off communication with the phone.
It is a good thing that I use my Apple Watch for things other than Dexcom. Otherwise I would be very disappointed in my purchase.
Because I will be self-funding my CGM starting in April, I hope for my G4 to have a long life. Because I have several G5 transmitters waiting for the death of the G4, I won’t be sad when it dies. Except I hate all of the sound issues with the phone and G5. I am a huge Dexcom fan, but IMO they have made some bad decisions in recent years. Sometimes I wonder whether they consult with their users…
This is why the FDA requires Dexcom to provide the receiver with the G5 system.
The technical reasons for the drops are:
Bluetooth (the radio used to communicate with the receiver and iPhone) cannot travel through the body. This is why it works better when kept on the same side of the body.
The receiver only has one connection to the transmitter. As such, it has a more reliable connection.
The iPhone maintains several device connections in Bluetooth. As such, it will sometimes drop connections to some of the devices. You will notice more dropped connections if you are connected to things like headphones, speakers, cars, or other Bluetooth devices.
Apple has some Bluetooth… quirks… in how it deals with Bluetooth. Some of it is Apple and iOS, some is the Broadcom firmware (software) on the Bluetooth chip.
Any time you have a 1 to 1 connection with a device, it will be more reliable.
The only issue I have had in the last 15 months of having my Dexcom have been since this new update. I could have sworn that prior to this IOS 10 I could be driving and be on my phone in the car and still be connected to my Dex. Maybe I just didn’t pay attention but I feel since the IOS 10 is when I noticed it. Other than that I love my Dex and don’t know what I did for 30 years without it.
Which specific version of 10 are you guys running? I’m currently using 10.1 (which is what my phone came with) and have zero issues (knock on wood) with connection. My phone keeps bugging me to update but if it’s a more current version causing problems, I definitely don’t want to install it!
I didn’t know they were required to do so. I didn’t receive a receiver when I went to the G5.
In general, my BT connection is extremely reliable with my Dex. At any given time I have 2 or 3 devices connected via Bluetooth. I’m running 10.3 beta 2 on my iPhone 7plus. However, I never had any significant issues on my 6plus or 6s+.
