Hello Apple Developer Support,
We are observing inconsistent behavior with push notification sounds routing to Bluetooth / external speakers.
Our app sends push notifications with a custom sound file using the sound parameter in the APNs payload. When an iPhone is connected to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones:
On some devices, the notification sound plays through the connected Bluetooth/external speaker.
On other devices, the notification sound plays only through the iPhone’s built-in speaker.
We also tested with native apps like iMessage and noticed similar behavior — in some cases, notification sounds still play through the phone speaker even when Bluetooth is connected.
Media playback (e.g., YouTube or Music) routes correctly to Bluetooth, so the connection itself is functioning properly.
We would like clarification on the following:
Is this routing behavior expected for push notification sounds?
Are notification sounds intentionally restricted from routing to Bluetooth in certain conditions (e.g., device locked, system policy, audio session state)?
Is there any supported way to ensure notification sounds consistently route through connected Bluetooth/external speakers?
The inconsistent behavior across devices makes it difficult to determine whether this is by design or a configuration issue.
Thank you for your guidance.