RF Static on nearby devices

It happens with all bluetooth devices: my old Moto RAZR did it, too. Regular Edge/Cell and Ethernet should not cause that interference. Try turning your Bluetooth OFF (settings/general/bluetooth).

Eddie O

That is just absolutely the way GSM phones work. I've had GSM phones for years and actually can't use it in my office at work which is filled with computers and video equipment.

There is nothing you can do about it except to keep your iPhone away from other electric devices with radio signals (i.e. stereos, computers).

any GSM device outputs exactly the same RF but in different strengths. The fact that you hear the noise is a good thing and an indication of the antenna gain within the iPhone 🙂

I very rarely notice any interference. I have a laptop and haven't noticed any thing, and at work I use two lcd displays, and never hear anything, and I keep my iPhone on my desk right next to my computer.

The only time I notice interference, is when I place the iPhone in the dock, and plug external speakers into the back. I have to put the phone in airplane mode to get the speakers to stop making noise. Other than that, it doesn't bother me on a daily basis.

This really has nothing to do with EDGE or WiFi. It's strictly a GSM thing.

This is not the perfect workaround, but when you are on your landline, you could always switch to "Airplane Mode". That will temporarily shut off the GSM.

Another trick would be to dock the iPhone with a non-certified device and answer "Yes" to switch to Airplane Mode. The advantage to that is that when your land call is over, you could simply remove the iPhone from the device and it would automatically switch out of Airplane Mode.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
-Peter

Found a solution!! I set out to find a solution today and to make a long story short, here's what I settled on: taping two small pieces of aluminum foil on the back of the iPhone in a specific location (pic 1):

1) Cut out a 2" x 3" piece of aluminum foil.
2) Fold foil in half horizontally (foil is now 2" x 1.5").
3) Tape foil from the bottom right corner (on the back of the phone) up to the middle of the text "iPhone" (pic 2, pic 3).
4) No more buzz/static/popping sounds coming out of your speakers!

Another solution, to avoid using tape (although electrical tape leave no residue what-so-ever on the iPhone), is simply placing the iphone on a sheet of aluminum foil. This might be a better idea for people experiencing this problem in a static environment rather than a car (i.e. iPhone on office desk with nearby computer speakers). After discovering this solution, I also saw another potential solution online, using aluminum foil wrapped around the audio cable coming out of the phone. I haven't tested that method, but it looks much more obtrusive.

For me, other materials didn't work (at least not perfectly). I also tried various sizes of aluminum foil in various locations - you could probably get by with a smaller amount of foil, but this amount works 100% (so far at least).

I guess it should also be noted this solution could potentially work for other GSM phones with this issue (i.e. blackberries, sidekicks) - you'll just have to experiment with the size of the foil and its location.

Hope this helps!
Brian Cometa

Every solution has it's consequences. That black area of the phone is the location of the antenna for the phone and bluetooth communications. Your solution works to keep the buzz out of local devices and may also keep your phone from connecting to the cell-phone network by blocking the transmit and receive function of your phone.

Using 'airplane mode' results in the same objective, but gives the added benefit of increasing battery life, not overall, but to next recharge. Admittedly in 'airplane mode' no phone calls received or automatic email checking and that little corner not covered might allow phone operations that 'airplane mode' would not.

Message was edited by: MAC20MIC

I found that if I just move the iPhone a few feet away my speakers, the problem goes away or is greatly reduced.

Matt

MAC20MIC wrote:
Every solution has it's consequences. That black area of the phone is the location of the antenna for the phone and bluetooth communications. Your solution works to keep the buzz out of local devices and may also keep your phone from connecting to the cell-phone network by blocking the transmit and receive function of your phone.

The antenna connects underneath the black area, but goes all the way to the top of the phone. This solution keeps out the buzz and has no negative impact on reception or functionality (just yesterday I was on the phone from deep within Frys - a large metal heavy store - and my reception was fine).

Using 'airplane mode' results in the same objective, but gives the added benefit of increasing battery life, not overall, but to next recharge. Admittedly in 'airplane mode' no phone calls received or automatic email checking and that little corner not covered might allow phone operations that 'airplane mode' would not.

For me, Airplane mode is not a solution to this problem, it's a bad "work around." While listening to music in my car I still need my phone/mail/texting to work. My solution allows everything to keep working, just without the gsm interference. As far as battery life, my solution obviously has no impact.

Message was edited by: MAC20MIC

Brian,

I was attempting to be constructive about your solution and it's limits. I can see your point now that I understand you are in your car, only means of communication and on car charger.

From the bottom of the phone to the top connection is a coaxial cable under the metal back of the phone and not part of the radiating antenna system. Reduction in interference to external devices by covering part of the antenna is reducing the phone's ability to communication with the cell tower too. For others not on a charger frequently or towers more widely spaced, not as workable -maybe?

I was only trying to educate from my background and experience and may be not very well.

mike

I just discovered that my iPhone gets (RF) into my Bose QC2 headphones. I had somehow expected better from Bose and Apple (especially since Bose sells an iPhone adaptor for the QC2.

Clay Jackson