diff --git a/apps/chanora_flutter/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift b/apps/chanora_flutter/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
index c30b367..08764f5 100644
--- a/apps/chanora_flutter/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/apps/chanora_flutter/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import Flutter
 import UIKit
+import Flutter
+import AVFoundation
 
 @main
 @objc class AppDelegate: FlutterAppDelegate, FlutterImplicitEngineDelegate {
@@ -7,6 +8,33 @@ import UIKit
     _ application: UIApplication,
     didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
   ) -> Bool {
+    // Configure the iOS AVAudioSession for voice chat BEFORE Flutter
+    // starts the audio engine. The category + mode combination tells
+    // iOS to:
+    //   * route via the receiver/speaker like a phone call
+    //     (`.playAndRecord` + `.voiceChat`)
+    //   * engage hardware AEC / NS where the device supports it
+    //   * default the speaker output (so the user doesn't have to
+    //     hold the phone to their ear)
+    //   * permit Bluetooth headsets (so AirPods et al. just work)
+    //
+    // SRS-197 covers the iOS audio routing contract; this is the
+    // matching iOS-side implementation. Failures are logged but do
+    // not block app launch — the audio engine will still come up,
+    // just at the iOS default playback route.
+    do {
+      let session = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
+      try session.setCategory(
+        .playAndRecord,
+        mode: .voiceChat,
+        options: [.defaultToSpeaker, .allowBluetooth, .allowBluetoothA2DP]
+      )
+      try session.setActive(true, options: [])
+      NSLog("chanora_flutter: AVAudioSession configured (playAndRecord/voiceChat)")
+    } catch {
+      NSLog("chanora_flutter: AVAudioSession setup failed: \(error)")
+    }
+
     return super.application(application, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: launchOptions)
   }
 
diff --git a/crates/chanora_audio/src/engine.rs b/crates/chanora_audio/src/engine.rs
index 22e87ff..de046b9 100644
--- a/crates/chanora_audio/src/engine.rs
+++ b/crates/chanora_audio/src/engine.rs
@@ -261,9 +261,25 @@ impl AudioEngine {
         #[cfg(target_os = "ios")]
         {
             if cfg.mobile_voice_preset {
+                // iOS AVAudioSession configuration is performed
+                // Swift-side in `apps/chanora_flutter/ios/Runner/
+                // AppDelegate.swift::application(_:didFinishLaunching\
+                // WithOptions:)` BEFORE Flutter starts its audio
+                // pipeline. The category/mode set there
+                // (`.playAndRecord` + `.voiceChat`,
+                // `defaultToSpeaker | allowBluetooth |
+                // allowBluetoothA2DP`) is the recommended iOS shape
+                // for voice clients and engages on-device AEC / NS
+                // routing where supported. cpal's CoreAudio
+                // backend then opens its streams against that
+                // session and inherits the routing. Logging here
+                // just records that the engine-start path
+                // acknowledges the request; the actual session
+                // mutation lives in Swift because it must happen
+                // before Dart loads.
                 info!(
                     target: "chanora_audio",
-                    "ios: voice-chat session mode requested (binding pending — Chanora iOS audio is documented-only for Beta)"
+                    "ios: voice-chat session mode requested — AVAudioSession configured in AppDelegate"
                 );
             }
         }