Q: Voice Control Keeps on Activating

I agree.  Apple needs to fix this concern.  It is crazy... My opinion of Apple's leadership is not high at this time...

Its definitely related to headphones.  I switched headphones (still use very cheap ones but not Apple's) and it stopped doing it.  If it were still happening to me I'd take it in to the genius bar (with a link to this discussion) because i think some people have had luck having the headphone jack replaced.  Or insist on a replacement phone.  this is a hardware issue.  good luck.

Very frustrated by this problem with my iPhone 5: Siri/Voice Control Activating, calling/facetiming random contacts (very embarrassing), music playing, applications closing.  Originally, I was able to prevent it from actually executing voice control dialing, but later lost the ability to disable that functionality upon upgrading to the latest OS (why Apple would prevent the user from disabling with the latest OS is beyond me.)

After my first call to Apple, the representative suggested upgrading my software.  Oddly enough she said that the engineers did not have any cases on record as to the issue being more widespread.  Needless to say, I didn't believe what I was told.  Despite my disbelief, I went ahead an did the software upgrade, but that did not resolve the problem.

The problem continued for a few days, intermittently I should add, which makes it even more frustrating as you think you may be out of the woods, only to be returned to the sobering reality.  One evening my entire interface froze, requiring me to perform a hard shut down.  During my second call to Apple, the rep explained how I could visit an Apple store and have them run a diagnostic.   He also explained the possibility of needing to replace the entire phone.

I finally found time to visit the Apple store.  I explained to the Genius (as they are called) the nature of the problem.  He quickly agreed that the problem was likely a faulty home button.  The tech did a really quick home button replacement for a relatively decent price (wouldn't you know that I am 4 months past my warranty so I had to pay out of pocket).  I left thinking the problem was finally fixed.

The problem was not fixed...

Just 5 days later, the problem resumed.  I plan to return to the Apple store tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I'm not confident that there will be a simple fix.  I resent possibly having to buy a replacement phone for what I can only think of as a non-isolated product defect.

To top it off, Apple has announced its iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake Button Replacement Program.  https://ssl.apple.com/support/iphone5-sleepwakebutton/

How about a program to resolve our issue?

iPhone 4 has just gone psycho on me!

Home button has always had issues. I actually use the assistive touch screen button and have just dealt with it. Thought I had gotten a little water in it the other day but nothing major.The last 2 days have been ****. Whether the phone is locked or not, being used or not, voice control randomly comes on and calls (and facetimes) random contacts at all hours of the day. Most of them people that I don't want to call especially at 2am. Last straw today was leaving a 5 minute message on my friends voicemail in LA  (I live in Canada) whom I never called. It was a recording of me ******** about my phone to a guy at work?

Reading through all these threads it seems to me that there is no rhyme nor reason to any of it. Some people say it's hardware. Some say it's headphones.I rarely have ever used headphones and certainly not in the last 2 months.Some say to clean the charge connector. Some say to disable siri (don't have it on the iphone 4) There is no "settings" fix around!! Take it from someone who has read threads on this for HOURS! Everyone from iPhone 4 up to 5s are having these issues. I purchased a new home button and am going to dissect my phone tomorrow. I'm so frustrated that I don't really care if I screw it up now but will let you know the outcome. Frankly I believe we are looking at a software glitch if it is affecting so many different models. Wish me luck

So...I replaced my home button this morning. Took about 90 minutes. Not for the faint at heart. Quite extensive and nitpicky but doable. I replaced the battery as well. Turned it on and home button clicking nicely just like new with proper app switching and closing.......however, Voice Control problem still there. Within 4 minutes it had already dialed someone. VERY frustrated. Phone is powered off and useless now. Guess I will have to upgrade to a new phone but my fear is that apple will actually acknowledge there is a serious glitch (possibly from one of the recent ios updates) and create a fix. This will come out 2 days after my purchase

I'm having the identical problem, and similar frustrations as Kaybays.

My first trip to an Apple Store resulted in a replaced Home button, to no avail. My phone remains possessed, randomly activating Voice Control, calling people from my contacts, and spontaneously playing music. (Luckily we have the same tastes.)

Today on my second trip to an Apple store, the suggested fix was a screen replacement, $100+ out of my pocket. I balked. The fact that this discussion thread started 3 and a half years ago and has over 110,000 views makes it clear that this is a manufacturing problem, and apparently a large scale one at that. Like others here, I resent having to pay out of pocket due to Cupertino's inattention to this longstanding hardware issue.

do you have a 4s or 5s?  since my problem went away when i upgraded to a 5s, i'd insist on a new phone.  my 4s was possessed and it drove me crazy, especially since i listen to audiobooks with one earbud when i'm going to sleep and all of the sudden voice control would jar me awake.  this is a truly unacceptable situation.  good luck.

consider printing out this discussion and insist on speaking to an Apple manager.

I have an iPhone 5. I did speak to a manager today, but could not get him to budge about replacing my phone. However, I didn't see this discussion until later, when I got home and searched to see if others have had similar problems. I'll try again, using this thread as evidence that my problem is far from an isolated instance. Thanks for the advice!

I shut off the voice control/Siri launch daemon, this solved the issue for me.

I had generally the same problem, apps closing, music stopping, that stupid U2 album randomly playing, and the voice control showing up every 3 seconds. I tried turning my phone off and on again a few times and it still happened. I did two things and I don't know what worked because the happened at the same time. I updated to the most recent update and cleaned out my headphone jack with a cotton swab, I haven't noticed the problem, so maybe if you try one of these things it could help. If it doesn't well at least you know what doesn't work

My 5S also keeps randomly activating SIRI (to me it's a stupid app anyway) and phoning random numbers from my phone book.

Before I even updated the iOS to 8, this was happening. I though iOS 8 would solve ALL PROBLEMS.

The **** phone wouldn't even switch off, I couldn't even unlock the screen. Somehow or other it came right and now I'm waiting in baited breath for the whole flippen lot to happen again.

What makes this so bitter, it's my first iphone. I should have actually kept on with the Android device (i.e. Samsung)

Has anyone a suggestion to this tale of woe?

Have the same problem iPhone 4... phone randomly calls people just sitting in my pocket. I'm sure it's the home button getting pressed and voice control doing whatever it wants. All we need it an software update that has an option to disable that ****er. I did send a report to apple about it, I hope everyone with this problem does.

I have the exact same problem!!

The voice control is activated by holding down the home button. My iphone 5s was working perfectly normal until i had some water damage to it, the phone itself is fine however my voice control ALWAYS comes on, when i'm at the gym, my music is constantly being interrupted. sometimes at night i can hear the beep sound when voice control comes on, it drives me CRAZY!!!!

I've tried everything but so far, turn off voice dialling and siri, there's no way i have found to successfully turn off the 'voice control when holding down home button' feature.

Voice Control keeps going on, then off, then on at random times.  I've tried turning everything off, before this it was Siri.  It seems like it gets worse with every update download.

This is the first, and last Apple product I will ever have.  Several of my kids have them, I had no idea how bad Apple is.  I was ambivalent about my last smartphone, I would love to have that Samsung back.

How much can you sell a 5C for, and what's the best way to do it ?