iPhone iPhone 7 & 7plus & iOS 11.3 microphone issues - anyone know if Apple have clarified anything yet?

[TiggrToo]

So, this we know: There have been way too many reports for folk like me still stuck on 11.2.5 or below, to upgrade our Series 7 devices to 11.3.1, without risking killing the phone's microphone with some weird hardware issue.

This being the case, does anyone have any more information as to just why this happened? And, more importantly, is it still a risk (I assume it is)?

Anyone here with a 7 or 7+ who skipped 11.3 but's on 11.4 beta? Wondering if Apple fixed 'the issue' and if 11.4 will be safe to upgrade to.

 

[C DM]

So, this we know: There have been way too many reports for folk like me still stuck on 11.2.5 or below, to upgrade our Series 7 devices to 11.3.1, without risking killing the phone's microphone with some weird hardware issue.

This being the case, does anyone have any more information as to just why this happened? And, more importantly, is it still a risk (I assume it is)?

Anyone here with a 7 or 7+ who skipped 11.3 but's on 11.4 beta? Wondering if Apple fixed 'the issue' and if 11.4 will be safe to upgrade to.

I believe what's known is basically what's in the article and discussion at https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/04/apple-aware-of-iphone-7-mic-issue-ios-11-3/

 

[TiggrToo]

I believe what's known is basically what's in the article and discussion at https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/04/apple-aware-of-iphone-7-mic-issue-ios-11-3/

Yeah, I knew all that. What I don't know is if there's been any resolution...

 

[Armen]

So, this we know: There have been way too many reports for folk like me still stuck on 11.2.5 or below, to upgrade our Series 7 devices to 11.3.1, without risking killing the phone's microphone with some weird hardware issue.

This being the case, does anyone have any more information as to just why this happened? And, more importantly, is it still a risk (I assume it is)?

Anyone here with a 7 or 7+ who skipped 11.3 but's on 11.4 beta? Wondering if Apple fixed 'the issue' and if 11.4 will be safe to upgrade to.

I've done every upgrade in the iOS 11 series including beta and public builds on my 7+. I have not had any issues with the microphone.

 

[TiggrToo]

I've done every upgrade in the iOS 11 series including beta and public builds on my 7+. I have not had any issues with the microphone.

Which sadly seems to be the case: there's only a subset of 7's affected, but from what I can tell Apple have yet to define the common feature in question which makes this so maddening.

Apples annoying penchant for secrecy when it comes to consumer affairs is a real PITA.

 

[mous94410]

I read a report of a customer. Apple exchange his iPhone 7 Plus for free even if his iPhone was 18 months old

 

[TiggrToo]

I read a report of a customer. Apple exchange his iPhone 7 Plus for free even if his iPhone was 18 months old

Yeah, I'm sure they did but, being brutally honest, none of that matters to me. All I care about is trying to ascertain is if Apple have identified a cause and if the isssue is 'fixed' in 11.4. i don't like to gamble with my iDevicen if one of the results could be iPhone death...

 

[JPack]

Which sadly seems to be the case: there's only a subset of 7's affected, but from what I can tell Apple have yet to define the common feature in question which makes this so maddening.

Apples annoying penchant for secrecy when it comes to consumer affairs is a real PITA.

Seems more than likely to be an actual hardware failure. Otherwise, it would make sense Apple would release iOS 11.3.2.

 

[TiggrToo]

Seems more than likely to be an actual hardware failure. Otherwise, it would make sense Apple would release iOS 11.3.2.

That only hit users when they updated to 11.3?

 

[JPack]

That only hit users when they updated to 11.3?

iOS 11.3 introduces so many new features, I wouldn't be surprised if the testing equipment didn't pick up all the faults at the factory.

https://semiengineering.com/how-much-testing-is-enough/

 

[TiggrToo]

iOS 11.3 introduces so many new features, I wouldn't be surprised if the testing equipment didn't pick up all the faults at the factory.

https://semiengineering.com/how-much-testing-is-enough/

None of this answers my questions and I refuse to believe that this was just 'hardware'. It's far more probable that a kernel level change didn't take something unique to the 7 and 7plus into account and caused an irrevocable failure in a vital component.

As I said at the start, Apple have been horribly silent in this issue and yet they must know by now what the issue is.

If you don't know anything then that's fine, but please don't speculate because it's not helpful. I'm looking for facts, not therories.

 

[C DM]

None of this answers my questions and I refuse to believe that this was just 'hardware'. It's far more probable that a kernel level change didn't take something unique to the 7 and 7plus into account and caused an irrevocable failure in a vital component.

As I said at the start, Apple have been horribly silent in this issue and yet they must know by now what the issue is.

If you don't know anything then that's fine, but please don't speculate because it's not helpful. I'm looking for facts, not therories.

Well, as you essentially alluded to, it doesn't seem like anyone really knows anything beyond what's been mentioned and discussed so far (otherwise there more than likely there would have been updates to the existing article and thread about it, and/or a new article about any new developments).

 

[TiggrToo]

Well, as you essentially alluded to, it doesn't seem like anyone really knows anything beyond what's been mentioned and discussed so far (otherwise there more than likely there would have been updates to the existing article and thread about it, and/or a new article about any new developments).

Man, as much as I love my Apple kit, they sometimes seem to relish being as opaque as possible... So infuriating...

 

[C DM]

Here's the latest "news" it seems:
Apple No Longer Offering Free Out-of-Warranty Repairs of iPhone 7 Models With Grayed-Out Speaker Button

 

[Juliana Zapy]

So, this we know: There have been way too many reports for folk like me still stuck on 11.2.5 or below, to upgrade our Series 7 devices to 11.3.1, without risking killing the phone's microphone with some weird hardware issue.

This being the case, does anyone have any more information as to just why this happened? And, more importantly, is it still a risk (I assume it is)?

Anyone here with a 7 or 7+ who skipped 11.3 but's on 11.4 beta? Wondering if Apple fixed 'the issue' and if 11.4 will be safe to upgrade to.

Do not upgrade to 11.4.1
Last monday i did and my microphone died!!!

 

[Lhutz]

The hardware update broke your phone (11.4 did it to me.) The microphone is a "module repair" which means they can't/won't repair it.

If you don't have AppleCare or are out of warranty, they will charge you $319 for a replacement. I learned this the hard way, which is why I am in the market for a new brand of phone.

 

[decafjava]

The hardware update broke your phone (11.4 did it to me.) The microphone is a "module repair" which means they can't/won't repair it.

If you don't have AppleCare or are out of warranty, they will charge you $319 for a replacement. I learned this the hard way, which is why I am in the market for a new brand of phone.

What is a "hardware update"?

 

[JPack]

None of this answers my questions and I refuse to believe that this was just 'hardware'. It's far more probable that a kernel level change didn't take something unique to the 7 and 7plus into account and caused an irrevocable failure in a vital component.

As I said at the start, Apple have been horribly silent in this issue and yet they must know by now what the issue is.

If you don't know anything then that's fine, but please don't speculate because it's not helpful. I'm looking for facts, not therories.

Turns out I was right.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/...er-loop-disease-boot-loop-hangs-on-apple-logo

 

[SeenJeen]

Turns out I was right.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/...er-loop-disease-boot-loop-hangs-on-apple-logo

Good call. It's just too bad that Apple was "quietly" fixing these phones for less than a month.