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Help Samsung Galaxy S3 Bluetooth 4.0 useless?

C

CTfromDC

Lurker
So I bought the Polar H7 HRM to monitor my heartrate via android apps. The HRM is compatible with Bluetooth Smart or Bluetooth 4.0, which the S3 is suppose to have...problem is, it doesn't pair with the device...after some reading and searching google, it seems like the ICS OS is the problem maybe. It doesn't support Bluetooth pairing with Bluetooth Smart/4.0 devices???

Does ayone have a work around, or experience this issue and come up with a resolution...Very fustrating, if this is true, why even list the device as being compatible with the Bluetooth Smart if its a known fact that ICS doesnt work with it, its useless...

Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
 
CTfromDC said:
So I bought the Polar H7 HRM to monitor my heartrate via android apps. The HRM is compatible with Bluetooth Smart or Bluetooth 4.0, which the S3 is suppose to have...problem is, it doesn't pair with the device...after some reading and searching google, it seems like the ICS OS is the problem maybe. It doesn't support Bluetooth pairing with Bluetooth Smart/4.0 devices???

Does ayone have a work around, or experience this issue and come up with a resolution...Very fustrating, if this is true, why even list the device as being compatible with the Bluetooth Smart if its a known fact that ICS doesnt work with it, its useless...

Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...

Have you tried contacting Samsung about this issue? They have pretty good customer support. My buddy has the H7 as well and it works fine with the iPhone 4s. So you're probably right - may have something to do with ICS
 
I contacted Samsung, nice and all, but not very knowledgeable of their own product it seemed. I was told that the S3 actually doesn't use Bluetooth Smart/4.0 as every reputable website(cnet) claims, they say its 3.0, which would mean that its not compatible. The website doesn't say was version of Bluetooth it uses

I was wondering if anyone has tried a micro usb to usb adaptor along with one of those 4.0 usb IOGear bluetooth usb adapters, and created a dongle, will it work, i'm buying both from e-bay as I type
 
CTfromDC said:
I contacted Samsung, nice and all, but not very knowledgeable of their own product it seemed. I was told that the S3 actually doesn't use Bluetooth Smart/4.0 as every reputable website(cnet) claims, they say its 3.0, which would mean that its not compatible. The website doesn't say was version of Bluetooth it uses

I was wondering if anyone has tried a micro usb to usb adaptor along with one of those 4.0 usb IOGear bluetooth usb adapters, and created a dongle, will it work, i'm buying both from e-bay as I type
Click to expand...

Have you checked if Polar have their own app in the Play Store? Have you checked it is compatible with Android at all?
 
Szadzik said:
Have you checked if Polar have their own app in the Play Store? Have you checked it is compatible with Android at all?
Click to expand...

Polar says that its compatible with Bluetooth 4.0, S3 is supposedly using Bluetooth 4.0 technology, which would mean they are compatible. The issue isnt an app, its pairing the devices, they dont see each other....I tested the HRM with an iphone and it paired.

I guess the Samsung S3 doesnt really use the 4.0 like its advertised as having.
 
CTfromDC said:
Polar says that its compatible with Bluetooth 4.0, S3 is supposedly using Bluetooth 4.0 technology, which would mean they are compatible. The issue isnt an app, its pairing the devices, they dont see each other....I tested the HRM with an iphone and it paired.

I guess the Samsung S3 doesnt really use the 4.0 like its advertised as having.
Click to expand...

Did you actually read what I said? Bluetooth 4.0 works fine on S3.

Read here:

Polar Forum - Announcements in Forum : H7 heart rate sensor

Then here:

"Currently Polar H7 is not compatible with Android and Windows phones."

Compatibility of Polar H7 Heart Rate Sensor | Polar Global

You bought a product without checking its compatibility with what you want to use it with?
 
Szadzik said:
Did you actually read what I said? Bluetooth 4.0 works fine on S3.

Read here:

Polar Forum - Announcements in Forum : H7 heart rate sensor

Then here:

"Currently Polar H7 is not compatible with Android and Windows phones."

Compatibility of Polar H7 Heart Rate Sensor | Polar Global

You bought a product without checking its compatibility with what you want to use it with?[i/QUOTE]

I dont need to read what you said, samsung confirmed that the s3 does not use 4.0, and i bought the product based on specs that were listed for the s3, which said that it indeed used 4.0...okay smart guy...either way, i am getting another product that will work. Also, those lins to polar were prior to the s3 releasing. There are sites that show updated devices that are supposed to be compatible, 3 is one of them.
Click to expand...
 
CTfromDC said:
I dont need to read what you said, samsung confirmed that the s3 does not use 4.0, and i bought the product based on specs that were listed for the s3, which said that it indeed used 4.0...okay smart guy...either way, i am getting another product that will work. Also, those lins to polar were prior to the s3 releasing. There are sites that show updated devices that are supposed to be compatible, 3 is one of them.
Click to expand...

Where does it say, that BT 4.0 is the same as 4.0 Smart/ Smart Ready? Where did Samsung say that they support that?

BT4.0 != BT4.0 with Smart/ Smart Ready
 
It says on The box Smart Ready , means that a computer a smartphone a tv etc... It can comunicate with a smart capable Bluetooth, like polar H7 and many thing that will cam out . Galaxy s3 says in the Box smart ready, i hope they will fix it soon, i Try with a software called "Bluetooth SMART SCANNER" from Market And It Finds it my H7 Polar so now i know its Smart ready, and is only a software problem .
I hope it helps
Kind Regards,
Fernando Bello
 
I just bought a Samsung Xcover 2. Mainly because I ride a lot with the bike and I wanted a water resistant phone with bluetooth 4.0 so I could connect the latest haert rate belts with it. I also thought the Polar H7 would work but like you wrote before I faced the same problems connecting the H7 with my samsung. I also used the app to scan for bluetooth smart devices and it showed up on the list but I still was not able to pair the device. I think it's a problem with ICS 4.1.2 so I hope they do an upgrade fast to 4.2 for these models from samsung based on the galaxy S3. I'm really pissed they promote bluetooth smart 4.0 everywhere so that you buy it only to find out it doesn't work.
 
ubunoid said:
I just bought a Samsung Xcover 2. Mainly because I ride a lot with the bike and I wanted a water resistant phone with bluetooth 4.0 so I could connect the latest haert rate belts with it. I also thought the Polar H7 would work but like you wrote before I faced the same problems connecting the H7 with my samsung. I also used the app to scan for bluetooth smart devices and it showed up on the list but I still was not able to pair the device. I think it's a problem with ICS 4.1.2 so I hope they do an upgrade fast to 4.2 for these models from samsung based on the galaxy S3. I'm really pissed they promote bluetooth smart 4.0 everywhere so that you buy it only to find out it doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Although I can't really help with this issue, I thought I would just point out to you that Android 4.1 and 4.2 are Jelly Bean, and not Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). Not that that actually helps with bluetooth connectivity, but I suppose when 4.2 releases it might.
 
So there's another app now that can use the Polar H7 strap and it will actually show the HRM data; "nRF Utility" - actually it's setup to pair with lots of different types of devices.

So come on developers if these guys can figure it out, everyone can surely!
 
Hi, i'm new here.

I am considering buying a Galaxy Xcover 2, does the Polar H7 HRM work with it now, on the Jelly Bean 4.3 ?
 
Probably samsung will bring an upgraded firmware for the xcover 2 when android 4.4 kitkat comes out. This kitkat version will also solve the low memory problems and the bluetooth 4.0 issue.

Thumbs up they keep their promise this time. :smokingsomb:
 
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