Some iPhone 7 Users Report Microphone Issues on iOS 11.3, Apple Said to Acknowledge Problem

By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 5 May 2018 14:31 IST

Highlights

A microphone issue spotted on some iOS 11.3 running iPhone 7 models
Apple has reportedly acknowledged the existence of the issue
It is affecting a limited number of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

Some iPhone 7 Users Report Microphone Issues on iOS 11.3, Apple Said to Acknowledge Problem

It hasn't been a fortnight since Apple released iOS 11.3.1 to fix the touch functionality of some iPhone 8 units with aftermarket displays that had become unresponsive after installing iOS 11.3. And now, Apple is in the headlines for an issue that is said to be affecting the iPhone 7 series. The issue, which has reportedly been acknowledged by the iPhone maker, affects the microphone of a limited number of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models running iOS 11.3 or later during voice calls. It appears to be an uncommon problem, noticed by a few users worldwide. However, the Tim Cook-led company is said to be all set to provide a warranty exception through Apple Authorised Service Providers for the affected units that are no longer covered under warranty.

According to a leaked document that has been circulated to Apple Authorised Service Providers, as spotted by MacRumors, Apple has asserted that users using the affected iPhone 7 units may experience a greyed-out speaker button during phone calls. The issue is said to mute the built-in microphone to prevent users from being heard during phone calls or FaceTime video calls.

Apple has reportedly directed service providers to run audio diagnostics on the affected devices. It has also instructed service providers to ask users to manually disconnect or power off any audio accessories connected to their iPhone to replicate the problem. Furthermore, if the diagnostic screen shows that the affected device "could not detect dock" or "accessory not supported" alert, the service providers have been instructed to initiate the repairing process. Alongside providing free of charge service to devices that are covered under warranty, the service providers can request for a warranty exception for the devices that are not under warranty but are impacted from the microphone issue. But notably, the company didn't specify in the leaked documents whether the repairs will be entirely free of charge for the out-of-warranty iPhone 7 units.

A few complaints about the microphone issue have emerged on the Web. Nevertheless, the problem doesn't seem to have impacted all iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users. We weren't able to notice its existence on our iPhone 7 unit. That said, Apple hasn't clarified the cause of the microphone issue. Considering the reported document, the company is not in favour of fixing the issue through a software update and has instead instructed its service providers to repair the affected devices.

We've reached out to Apple for clarity on the issue and will update this space accordingly. Meanwhile, if you're among the users who own the affected iPhone 7 units, you should visit your nearby Apple authorised service centre to fix your device.

Apple iPhone 7

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS
Variants

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Best-in-class performance
Good battery life
Improved cameras
iOS 10, timely updates

Bad
Low light camera performance not best in class

Read detailed Apple iPhone 7 review

Display 4.70-inch

Processor Apple A10 Fusion

Front Camera 7-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

RAM 2GB

Storage 32GB

Battery Capacity 1960mAh

OS iOS 10

Resolution 750x1334 pixels

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Choose a variant

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS
Variants

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Great performance
Dual camera
Excellent battery life
Improved cameras
iOS 10, timely updates

Bad
Low light camera performance not best in class
Expensive
Ungainly

Read detailed Apple iPhone 7 Plus review

Display 5.50-inch

Processor Apple A10 Fusion

Front Camera 7-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

RAM 3GB

Storage 32GB

Battery Capacity 2900mAh

OS iOS 10

Resolution 1080x1920 pixels

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Choose a variant

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