All my Bluetooth woes from iPhone finally went away when I got a Pixel last year. The iPhone is still here and being used, but not for exercising due to the connectivity issues.
I think it’s just Bluetooth itself being cursed.
I think it’s just Bluetooth itself being cursed.
re:Watch, it is likely using WiFi at least some of the time. My Watch shows up on my WiFi and conveniently connects using the same network as my phone, so it apparently knows the WiFi credentials from the phone, at least on a personal network. I never explicitly set that up, and getting Watch to stay off WiFi isn’t something I persisted at - mainly because it does help create a more perfect connection experience than is possible with Bluetooth.
I discovered this initially when I was charging my Watch, while well outside of bluetooth range but just barely in range of WiFi.
Hence my desire for a headphone jack.