iphone 11 pro camera won't focus

I'm on my second brand new Iphone 11 Pro and this one is having the same problem as the first. The camera won't focus. I can hear the lens' buzzing trying to focus and screen appears to shake.


I've got a Quadlock case on it and never dropped (either phone). The first issue happened within a week of getting the phone and Apple replaced immediately. Two weeks later and my new phone is doing the same thing!!


Forced reset, latest IOS, etc. done. The problem occurs on all camera apps (Halide, Camera+, Facebook, Instagram, etc...).


Help!


Mike

iPhone 11 Pro, iOS 13

Posted on Oct 18, 2019 7:17 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 1, 2020 1:25 PM

Thanks for getting in touch, we're sorry to hear about the damage to your phone.


Whilst damage to smartphones from mounting them on motorbikes is not a common problem we have had a small number of customers report the issue which we are taking very seriously. As the number of affected customers is very small (less than 1% of our motorcycle mount users) and not all bikes cause damage we are doing everything we can to collect as much data as possible to help to identify the root cause.


Here’s some more detailed information from our engineering team: 

___________________________________________________


The damage seems to be isolated to the camera image stabilisation mechanism of the phone and appears to be caused by the high level of vibration experienced on some motorbikes. Certain combinations of phone and motorbike seem more susceptible than others but we are still gathering information and do not have a complete picture at this time.


While this issue is not unique to Quad Lock (as we have seen reports of the same problem on other brands of phone mounts), we understand the frustration it is causing our customers and have allocated every resource we have to help understand the issue and develop a solution to the problem. The good news is that the design we are working on will be compatible with all existing Quad Lock motorbike mounts so once it’s available it will bolt on to your existing mount.


We hope to have a product available for testing mid 2020 so if you would like to be involved with the testing phase please let us know and we will add you to the list. 


What can be done to speed up development? If you can share information regarding your setup it will help us diagnose the problem in-depth and speed up development. If you can provide the following information that would be greatly appreciated:


  • Original order number
  • Model and year of your motorcycle
  • The type of riding you mainly do (eg: off-road/commuting/touring)
  • KM's you've travelled since installing your mount
  • Average distance each ride
  • Model of phone
  • Photo of your mount installed on your bike.

___________________________________________________


So what now? If your phone is still under warranty the manufacturer may be able to repair the camera module under warranty. If you do get the camera repaired, we do not recommend mounting the phone on your motorbike (with any brand of mount) to prevent the damage recurring. 


Unfortunately we can't offer any suggestions other than to wait for our dampening solution at this time. We understand that's not acceptable for everyone so if you feel that the product does not meet your needs you can return the product for a refund. 


Again we are sorry for the inconvenience. If you could help by sending through the requested info above that would be great. 


If you are interested in assist with testing the vibration dampening solution when it’s available please signup to this list.


Kind Regards,

67 replies

Mar 21, 2020 5:14 AM in response to Benaskew22

Surely Apple can’t blame the quadlock case when both my 7 and XR that were both mounted on the same bikes in the past have never had an issue. If it’s a case that the 11 can’t handle vibration or whatever the cause of the camera packing it in, I’m taking my XR back off my son and he gets a very expensive new phone and I’ll use the older and tougher XR 🙄

Apr 23, 2020 10:00 AM in response to WoestWashandje

I have my 3rd replacement phone but I’m afraid to use it on my motorcycle because I’m sure it will cause the camera to fail again. And then I’m unable to take pictures on my trips it’s so frustrating to spend this much money on a phone and it has this flaw I used my iPhone 7 for many miles with no problems. I wish apple would step up and admit the flaw and offer a refund so I could just get an older model iPhone that dose not have this problem so I can use the navigation without having to sacrifice my camera come on apple do the right thing.

Apr 24, 2020 5:52 AM in response to Tombi3

Or just make a better camera sensor... We walk around with little computers and phones in our pockets. Those little devices can keep you caught up on social media, and it is also a map to the world. With that being said, you mean to tell me that they can't make a better camera that can withstand the vibration of a motorcycle's handlebars? Hogwash! I use a Garmin Zumo 395 on my Africa Twin for navigation but I do like to see my phone and who's calling and what song is playing in my Sena headset.

Jun 1, 2020 9:07 AM in response to Patsaw

Glad I discovered this thread. Have had my 11Pro for less than a month and my 1x and 2x lenses started acting up. Quad lock case, handlebar mount.


I’m probably doing the same thing after this gets fixed and using an old “dummy” 7 or something connected to my pro as a hotspot.


Does anyone have knowledge of the sensor failing from being in a jacket pocket or backpack? From what I’m gathering it’s just the rigidity to the bars.

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iphone 11 pro camera won't focus

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