Apple EarPods microphone is not detected (on a Macbook)

[doniks]

I have a set of headphones that work as speakers and microphone without problem on an android phone or on macos. Under ubuntu they are only detected as outputs, but not as microphone. in the audio settings I can select the output to be one of: internal speakers, hdmi monitor, or these headphones. The only input is the internal microphone of the laptop. When I make a call with microsoft teams, the other end confirms that they hear the sound from the room.

The headphones are similar to these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Earphones-Handsfree-Headphones-for-Samsung-Galaxy-S8-A5-A7-A8-A9-J1-J3-J5-J7-UK/163465454907 with a connector with four segments. I also tried another set of headphones, different brand, same behaviour: work fine in other devices, work as output-only in ubuntu

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.10
Package: pulseaudio 1:13.0-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.3.0-23.25-generic 5.3.7
Uname: Linux 5.3.0-23-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: peter 1577 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: peter 1577 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Dec 9 11:00:07 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-11-14 (24 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine" - Release amd64 (20191017)
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/22/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 187.0.0.0.0
dmi.board.name: Mac-E43C1C25D4880AD6
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookPro12,1
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-E43C1C25D4880AD6
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvr187.0.0.0.0:bd07/22/2019:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro12,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-E43C1C25D4880AD6:rvrMacBookPro12,1:cvnAppleInc.:ct9:cvrMac-E43C1C25D4880AD6:
dmi.product.family: MacBook Pro
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro12,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Apple and Android have different definitions of 4-pin TRRS connectors, so they are not compatible with each other. You need to choose one that is compatible with Apple if you want it to work with a Macbook. See: https://www.cablechick.com.au/blog/understanding-trrs-and-audio-jacks/

[doniks (kaabud-lp)]

Oh. I didn't know. Thanks for explaining Daniel!

Yes, I can reproduce now with two different headsets. Both have a four pin connector. One is from an Android phone, the other I think is Apple.

When I

* boot into Mac OS, and connect the Android headset, I can not see it as in audio input in the settings
* boot into Mac OS, and connect the Apple headset, I can see it in the settings
* boot into Ubuntu and connect the Apple headset, I can not see it as an input

So, I think there is still some hardware detection not working properly in Ubuntu.

I attach some photos.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu.
Ubuntu 19.10 (eoan) reached end-of-life on July 17, 2020.

See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

We appreciate that this bug may be old and you might not be interested in discussing it any more. But if you are then please upgrade to the latest Ubuntu version and re-test. If you then find the bug is still present in the newer Ubuntu version, please add a comment here telling us which new version it is in and change the bug status to Confirmed.