Strange red light....

Question

Level 1

8 points

Strange red light....

Hey all,
have checked everywhere and have not really seen this problem. I have had the phone a few months with no issues. works great and battery life is fine. The other day i put on a screen protector....a very thin film one which works great and looks almost like nothing is there. i also bought a satechi wireless charger/FM transmitter and plugged that in to the phone...works fine.
later that evening I noted that in the area where the proximity sensor is, that a little red circular light came on. it is not a reflection since i could clearly see it in the dark as a shining light. it did not stay on for long but now occasionally comes on at random times. I cant find any rhyme or reason to when it comes on and goes off. I have no idea if the phone is broken or if that light is supposed to come on to indicate something. Has anyone seen this?

Dual G5 2.0 Rev.A, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jan 12, 2010 5:16 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 12, 2010 5:43 AM in response to Macfly4

You're welcome.

The iPhone DOES NOT have an indicator light, so there SHOULD NOT be anything that lights up on your iPhone's screen. It doesn't matter if ANYONE else has experienced the same. This IS NOT normal. If the light sensor or the proximity sensor is lighting up, this is being done in a FAULTY manner.

If you are in the U.S., you can call AppleCare or make an appointment at an Apple store if there is one nearby.

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Answer 2

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 5:28 AM in response to Allan Sampson

Yeah, i know it is not supposed to have any indicator light. evidently my phone has not read the tech specs. i am telling you what I am seeing with my own eyes. this is why i posted the question...because i have seen nothing saying there should be any light. i am asking if anyone else has seen this and if there is any possible way that one of the sensors could light up somehow in a faulty manner. whether the phone SHOULD have a light doesnt matter here as mine IS lighting up at random times.

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Answer 3

Kwopau

Level 4

1,748 points

Jan 12, 2010 5:43 AM in response to Allan Sampson

Allan Sampson wrote:
The iPhone does not have an indicator light.

The iPhone includes a proximity sensor and a light sensor located in the same area.

To your response, it does have an indicator light, it's located to the left of the speaker, and if you make a call, and block the proximity sensor and unblock it, if you look closely a red light will shine for a few sec. and disappear. I've noticed this since Iphone 3G, and on iphone 3G S as well.

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Answer 4

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 5:52 AM in response to Kwopau

Interesting ....thank you. So someone else HAS seen this happen.
Allan, i appreciate you are trying to be helpful in your way but telling someone that something SHOULD NOT be happening in the face of actual experience to the contrary is not helpful. that is like telling you that you shouldnt have a broken arm because bones are resilient and can withstand all sorts of damage...when you clearly have a broken arm.
the fact is that light IS being emitted at sporadic times from the sensor area of MY phone. The purpose of this thread was to find out who else might have seen this phenomenon. apparently their ARE others.

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Answer 5

Kwopau

Level 4

1,748 points

Jan 12, 2010 5:58 AM in response to hexonxonx

hexonxonx wrote:
I have heard of this red light coming on after an iPhone was exposed to water or when dropped. Something may be wrong with your iPhone.

well my iphone was not exposed to water or was never dropped so that's not the case here. Both my iphone 3G and 3G S does this and both were never dropped in water or on ground and it does only pop up when i make a phone call, proximity sensor takes place, if unblock it, screen turns on and then the red light pops for a few sec. I think it is normal for this to happen. But as for the OP, if it does at random times, I'd suggest going to the genius bar and have them take a look at.

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Answer 6

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 6:05 AM in response to Kwopau

i just tried making a call and blocking/unblocking the sensor and no light. at this point its pretty unclear when the light will go on and what will turn it off. i havent been able to detect a pattern as you have. i havent exposed it to water either but wondered if plugging it into that car charger might have damaged it somehow. havent read of anyone else having a problem with the same transmitter/charger.
unfortunately i am not in a country that has a genius bar nor even a true apple store to check it out. im in finland so the phone is sold through the sonera provider itself. guess i can take it in but unlikely to do much other than send it to apple if anything. the phone is not acting strange or anything..everything else appears to work perfectly.

Message was edited by: Macfly4

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Answer 7

Jan 12, 2010 6:37 AM in response to Kwopau

If an indicator light, what is it indicating when on?

From the proximity sensor you wouldn't see it anyway when the iPhone is being held to your face, and it should not be on when the iPhone is not being held to your face. If so, there is something wrong.

The iPhone does not include an indicator light.

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Answer 8

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 6:42 AM in response to Allan Sampson

uh...i never refer to it as an indicator light. i specifically said it is a light that shows in the sensor area. I know there is no INDICATOR light. the question asks what IS making the light and why. thanks to those who are replying to THIS question in a helpful, non-antagonistic manner.

Message was edited by: Macfly4

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Answer 9

DCGOO

Level 3

769 points

Jan 12, 2010 6:58 AM in response to Macfly4

...The other day i put on a screen protector....a very thin film one which works great

Just a WAG here, but I am wondering if there is enough reflection from the supposedly invisible screen protector, that it is intermittently falseing the proximity sensor. I have tried mine, but have yet to see anything light up on mine. But I could believe different IR transmitters might be more visible than others.

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Answer 10

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 7:01 AM in response to DCGOO

yeah, i wondered that too since it seemed to happen right after putting it on. never did it before, even with a different, thicker protector on. i didnt want to take this one off since it went on so well without air bubbles but its the most likely cause. i was just surprised to see any light at all since i knew there isnt any type of true indicator there...just sensors.

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Answer 11

Denis247

Level 1

85 points

Jan 12, 2010 7:29 AM in response to Macfly4

Infra red refers to a spectrum of light normally 'invisible' to the naked human eye. Probably, the film is splitting this light, causing some wavelengths of light to interfere with each other and produce interference wavelenghts, which fall into the 'visible' band. Like in radio where two or more signals can combine and produce a third 'interference' signal, so as in light, and indeed sound. They're all waves, just at different frequencies. I'm sure I read another post some time back of a person able to see the light transmission from the IR sensor.

Have you tried looking at it with a digital camera ?, most of these don't include any IR filtration and as the sensors are IR sensitive, they will 'show' the IR transmitted light. (A good way of verifying if your IR remote control is working is to look at it with a digital camera while operating it and looking for the now visible light beam being emitted).

I know I've gone on a bit, but at least I believe you saw a light and I thought I'd offer my take on the causes.

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Answer 12

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 7:40 AM in response to Denis247

Wow! Hey man, i think you are on to something. I tried it with the camera and low and behold, it shows a bright light right where im talking about in the area right to the left of the ear piece on the phone. it must be the proximity sensor doing something like you said and creating a visible red light occasionally. it does seem to happen when i put a finger right next to where that sensor is. interesting. strange that the 'film' screen protector might be resulting in something like this. but thanks for the info...guess my phone isnt damaged in some way after all!
cheers!

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Answer 13

Macfly4 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2010 7:44 AM in response to Tamara

Tamara, the area is the same as you are talking about but in my case it does not appear to be a reflection...its an actual light which is emitted..i checked in a dark room and sure enough, there was a red light which was then clearly visible.
allan, give it a rest, the second post was not antagonistic. it was just restating my facts. i notice that often your responses are a know it all and somewhat condescending tone. you might want to watch that in the future.
thanks to all...looks like this might be solved...guess thats one for the engineering types to comment on.
thanks again!

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Answer 14

DCGOO

Level 3

769 points

Jan 12, 2010 8:00 AM in response to Macfly4

Wow! Hey man, i think you are on to something.

I agree. I could not see anything myself direct. But the digital camera definitely does, clearly. During a call, mine flickers continuously. But I only see it during a call, although not very bright. I do not have a screen protector or case on my iPhone.

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Answer 15

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Jan 12, 2010 9:12 AM in response to Tamara

Tamara wrote:
A red light is not normal because there are no actual LED lights in there that would light up.

Actually the proximity sensor is both an IR LED transmitter and receiver. As pointed out you can see the IR transmission on your computer through isight if you have a mac. Normally IR cannot be seen by the human eye. Perhaps the OP's sensor is broadcasting in the visible wavelength as well as the IR wavelength. Nevertheless, it is an LED.

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