Issue with Proximity Sensor during calls

I'm having the same problems on 2 new phones. I've restored them several times and have tried the "Reset All Settings" to no avail. Apple tech support acted as if I were an alien speaking a different language when I described the problem and offered no solution.

Looks like I'll be returning two really cool phones and switching to the Evo. 😟 So sad!!!

Same issue as everyone here. Putting calls on hold, mute, dialing. From either side (right or left). bumper, no bumper... same results.

Count me in as someone who is having this same issue with my iPhone 4.

My 3G never had any problems at all. My wife is now using that 3G now and I reverted the phone back to running 3.1.3 due to the fact that iOS 4 severely slowed down the phone. I wish I'd checked to see if that phone had proximity sensor issues while it was running iOS 4.

So far, I have muted several calls, hung up on several more, and initiated a conference call with someone I haven't spoken to in years while I was in another call. This seems to happen pretty much exclusively when I cradle the phone between my face and my shoulder. I'm waiting out the 30-day return period and if this issue is not resolved to my satisfaction by then, I will be returning the phone.

I am left handed and I hold the phone with my left hand or cradle it on my left shoulder all the time. I am using an Incipio iPhone 4 case with the phone.

Steve Jobs is a successful businessman and a genius at marketing. However, he has no right to tell consumers what the "right" and "wrong" way to hold a phone are. Granted, he hasn't come out and told us that we're holding the phone the wrong way with regard to the proximity sensor (as he did regarding the antennas); but if he tells me I'm doing something wrong by cradling his company's phone on my shoulder, I'll take my business elsewhere -- simple as that.

I put people on mute almost everytime. I have to switch the screen so it does not happen. This happened to me a few times on the 3gs, but the 4 does it everytime.

add me to the list. this is so annoying and accidentally called one of my customers yesterday on three way while talking to someone else. COME ON APPLE!

Has anyone had a successful encounter at the genius bar or with apple phone support. I got off the phone and they said this is the first they have ever heard of this, which is quite odd. they set me up for an appointment with the genius bar and im going to see if there is a replacement available or not or if there is another issue involved right now.

I just got off the phone with Apple support and the tech claimed that this is the first he's heard of proximity sensor issues.So...I would suggest that instead of venting in this forum that everyone call support an advise them of our situation with this issue.I am a big fan of Apple and their products, but a phone that can't make calls is useless

I hold mine in the left hand also.

I just returned from an appointment with a "Genius" at an Apple store.
She has personally experienced the issue with the proximity sensor so
was at least sympathetic to my distress. She recommended that I wait to
see if a software fix is forthcoming, as the issue seems to be prevalent.
I have 30 days to return the phone, so I will give Apple another 3 weeks
to resolve the issue or I will return the iPhone 4 and go back to my old
iPhone.

I've tried "Reset All Settings" and a hard reset of the phone (power and home
button held down), but I still see the issue with the proximity sensor. I
did some experiments with the original iPhone, an iPhone 3G, and and iPhone 3Gs
during calls and observed that the proximity sensor turns off the screen on all devices when my finger is just under an inch away from the screen. One interesting thing I noticed is that the iPhone 4 has a larger area of sensitivity over which the screen is blanked than the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3Gs. The iPhone 4 is sensitive across the entire upper portion of the screen, while the 3G and 3Gs were just sensitive in the upper left-hand corner.

I can easily replicate the issue by holding the iPhone 4 between my right ear and shoulder and making slight movements while watching in a mirror for the screen to become active. The screen never comes back on with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3Gs in such a scenario but readily does with the iPhone 4.

I am not using a case and have the 32GB version.

I too am having trouble with the proximity sensor on the iPhone 4. This is made even worse by the fact that tapping the lock button on top of the phone is hanging up calls now where it used to simply lock the phone. I'm close to picking a low-power innocuous app to launch into after starting calls to prevent the hangups/mutes/speakerphone activations.

Add me to the list of users also experiencing this issue....arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Reys wrote:
Wow. This is really a big one for me. Three iPhones and suddenly I'm having problems face dialing. The dimensions of my head haven't changed and I am routinely hanging up, pressing the "3", "3" or "9" keys (I'm left handed) or the speakerphone button. The lockout does not work for me...just ends the call.

I was able to lock the screen ** double clicking but now it just ends the call...weird.

Message was edited by: EdsNotHere

You might try doing a 'restore' as 'new device'. It's time consuming, but worked for me. Afterwards, I did a restore from backup (to try to recover apps, music, email accounts, etc.) and it still worked - no more face dialing.

I figured out the proximity sensor issue. Here you go apple. The sensor is placed in the wrong spot and its scope or diameter of sensitivity isn't broad enough; It's less than the diameter of an average pencil Here's what I mean. The sensor is placed directly above the "speaker" or ear piece. most people align the earpiece with their ear canal so they can hear. The proximity sensor is fooled by the depth of the persons ear canal. It is only sensitive out to about 3/8 to 1/2 inch. So as the sensor peers down the person ear canal, it turns the screen back on. Test my theory. place a cotton ball in your ear. The screen will stay off until you remove the phone. There is no software that can fix this. It's a design imperfection.

This is a non-issue.

Just press the phone against your ear harder or put tape over the sensor.