iPhone keeps automatically turning on voice control and going crazy!

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Level 1

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iPhone keeps automatically turning on voice control and going crazy!

I have an iPhone 3GS which is barely 6 months old. Never Jaibroken or unlocked from the service provider. Recently it has started opening voice control out of the blue, when I'm nowhere near the phone. The first time it happened it was in my pocket while I was excercising, so I was jumping around but not putting any pressure on the screen or home button. When it starts doing this the 'black on white' setting also turns itself on and off. It has been happening more and more often. After having played games on it for much of yesterday and charging it, about 11pm last night the voice control turned itself on. Even putting the phone on silent does not stop the 'beep' that sounds when voice control is turned on. I tried to message a friend and it kept forcing me out of the screen, switching between black on white and white on black, going back and forth between the home and search screen and not letting me do anything. I turned it off for the night and back on this morning, it has been doing the exact same thing, and has added 'calling random people' to the list of crazy things it keeps doing while I'm nowhere near it. I haven't updated the software in a while, and I can't even get it to behave for long enough to check what version it has on it. What could cause this and how do I fix it? Someone suggested an app could be screwing it up but I can't think which I would have downloaded around the time the problem started.

Dell XPS, Windows Vista

Posted on May 2, 2010 6:53 PM

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Answer 1

Petertxu

Level 1

20 points

May 8, 2010 7:24 AM in response to staceymaree

Sorry, no help, but the same happened to me today, so want to keep this string hot. Mine is 9 months old...

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Answer 2

May 13, 2010 7:16 AM in response to staceymaree

This has been happening to me repeatedly--mostly when I run, but sometimes when it's just sitting on my desk. It is so infuriating. Once it starts up, it won't just happen once, it will go to voice control again and again. I now realize that I just have to turn iTunes off, and don't take it with me on long runs anymore.

Will Apple replace the unit?

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Answer 3

stweath

Level 1

55 points

May 14, 2010 12:27 AM in response to staceymaree

Seen similar things happen with other phone (Blackberries, etc). You may have some moisture inside the phone. Check your moisture indicators to see if they have been tripped (one's in the very bottom of the headphone jack, and one's in the port for the sync cable). They should be white, if they're pink/red, they been exposed to moisture.

Finally, turn the phone off and remove your SIM (you'll be without your iPhone for a couple of days). Put the iPhone in a plastic ziplock bag with a handful of rice (rice first, phone on top). Seal the bag, and leave it for a few days. The rice will absorb any residual moisture.

Replace your SIM, use and monitor your phone for a few days. DO NOT run with it, unless it's protected (that may be what caused the original problem).

If that doesn't fix it, take it in to your nearest Apple Store or Service provider for a check.

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Answer 4

vrc54

Level 1

0 points

Jun 9, 2010 5:14 PM in response to staceymaree

Me too. About 40 minutes into my bike ride or walk, suddenly what I'm listening to is replaced by the little voice control tone and then general flakiness. The comment about moisture makes sense because it's very hot and humid here in Austin, but I don't see any red or pink down in the headphone jack. I'll try a hard reboot. Any other suggestions?

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Answer 5

Jun 9, 2010 9:00 PM in response to vrc54

Me too. About 40 minutes into my bike ride or walk, suddenly what I'm listening to is replaced by the little voice control tone and then general flakiness. The comment about moisture makes sense because it's very hot and humid here in Austin, but I don't see any red or pink down in the headphone jack. I'll try a hard reboot. Any other suggestions?

Are using earphones? If moisture gets into the button on the headset cord it can activate voiceover.

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Answer 6

madmax88

Level 1

24 points

Jun 9, 2010 9:09 PM in response to staceymaree

You said that you have not updated in a while, I would try updating it to the newest software version and see if that fixes the problem.

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Answer 7

j2nh

Level 1

0 points

Jul 6, 2010 10:21 PM in response to madmax88

Bump.
Mine started doing it yesterday sporadically. Very, very humid but not wet. Suddenly, just sitting on my desk voice control activates. Phone is now in a bag of rice, will report results in a couple of days.

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Answer 8

Aug 30, 2010 1:27 PM in response to j2nh

Mine is not humid and has never been wet. Voice control started to come on for no reason with or without headphones. The last time I was just sitting on the couch and music started playing after hearing the voice control tone. This is making the phone usless to listen to audio books or music. How do I permanently disable voice control? The controls for it are greyed out not allowing you to disable it.

HELP!!!
Wish I hadn't upgraded the operating software. Never happened until then

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Answer 9

Emirbt

Level 1

0 points

Sep 15, 2010 12:28 AM in response to staceymaree

Hi, the same thing happened me today, i am using iPhone 3GS with the latest iOS 4.1 software, never tried anything like jailbreak or something like that but today voice recognition started to open on random periods. After reading this topic i have removed App Store from the running background applications and its not happening until then. I'll keep you informed about that, i hope a software fix solution is on the way.

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Answer 10

Emirbt

Level 1

0 points

Sep 15, 2010 12:36 AM in response to Emirbt

Hello again,

Removing App Store from the background applications didn't solve it. Its now returned with random opening of iPod and Voice Recognition applications again. Also restarting multiple times didn't work.

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Answer 11

Sep 15, 2010 12:39 AM in response to staceymaree

seems like a hardware problem, it could be the home button
contact apple care!

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Answer 12

Poppa_d

Level 1

0 points

Sep 20, 2010 5:18 PM in response to staceymaree

Same thing happen to me tonight at the gym kind of sad that nobody from apple has address this problem, but let's see if we get a fix sometime soon.

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Answer 13

Poppa_d

Level 1

0 points

Sep 20, 2010 5:31 PM in response to Poppa_d

Found this on another website, sweat seeping into the mic/button.. Sweat (contains salt) is conductive, thus short-circuiting the headset button, and so the iPhone will go into voice control mode.. (It's as-if you have pressed and held down the button for 2-3 seconds manually to use VC)
As for skipping, I believe it's the same issue, but as the sweat may not short circuit fully, the button is being intermittently short circuited, thus leading to the iphone thinking you single/double/triple tapped the button, e.g. pausing/next/previous track.. I used another pair of headphones an it worked fine.

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Answer 14

lmcg0103

Level 1

0 points

Sep 25, 2010 12:59 AM in response to staceymaree

Hi,

Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you, just a similar problem! My iPhone 3GS is about 5 months old and for the past month or two voice control has been activating randomly when in my pocket. I rarely use headphones so that's not the problem. At first I thought I was applying pressure to the home button however it was happening too often for this to be the case. I have recently discovered, however, that the voice control activates if slight pressure is applied to the phone, left of the home button! All I have to do is press it slightly and voice control activates. I don't have a case for my phone but I presume if I is it would happen much more often! Try applying pressure around the home button and see if that's the case for you. I plan on taking my phone into an apple store soon so I'll keep u posted.

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Answer 15

Sep 26, 2010 4:05 PM in response to vrc54

my iphone would not play music or videos. i got that unsupported attachment message. I put it, with the sim card in, in a plastic bag with rice for an hour. and all is fine now. Still get the message though.

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