iPhone X (series) earpiece sound issue

This is more an answer to the issue of very little or almost no sound emanating from the earpiece of the X series than a question. The existing thread was closed, so had to open a new one. I have a fix, and had to share with anyone who has it - try it before you replace.

I recently had this issue, and suspecting dust, tried a vacuum, fine brush, etc. but to no avail. Pundits told me I had to get a replacement of the earpiece/speaker set.

The fix was simple: Silicone gel-based tapes (Car clay might also work - but haven’t tried, so not sure). Put the (extremely) sticky tape against the earpiece and then a bit, and slowly peeled it out. Tested, and the sound was loud as new!

What I learnt from this is, dust screws! With the right kind of extracting agent, you can save precious $$!! Hope this helps!