iOS 14 and iOS 14.0.1 Sound Issues

Took our iPhone X max to Apple store to the Genius Bar. The ran diagnostics. Told us it was hardware issue. £60 for a new set of speakers.

showed them this thread.

they offered 3 options:

1. live with it
2. upgrade
3. wait for a software fix (they acknowledged this thread)
4. repair the hardware failure for £60.

absolutely gobsmacked

I believe I have the XS but I haven’t done the 14.1 update yet. For 2 weeks I’ve just had my phone on silent mode and that “fixed” the problem but it is definitely not ideal. Still preferable to sending a text that is silent and the next one being so loud it scares the crap out of me. It just seems awfully convenient for this to happen right before the release of their new phone and especially since based on all the above comments, Apple has had no interest in addressing this issue or even acknowledging it exists..

Applied 14.1 today. Summary so far:

problem arrived on iPhone X max after 14.0 upgrade. Then upgraded to 14.0.1. That didn’t fix it.

took it apple and carried out a backup, reset recovery. That didn’t work.

apple offered a speaker hardware replacement for £60 charge. But would not guarantee a fix.

waited for 14.1.

applied 14.1. Issue still there.

We've had 4 iPhones in our family since 2007 when they first came out. Updates have played games with draining batteries and they got caught on that one, still we stayed loyal. However, this update may be the end for us. The only way I can use my iPhone 11 "telephone" is with my blue tooth hearing aids hooked up, it's useable but crackly now, prior to update it was crystal clear. If I take off my hearing aids I can't hear what anyone on the built in speaker is saying even at FULL volume. No, I'm not deaf but need hearing aids for certain sounds. I let my kids listen on a phone call on my iPhone 11 at full volume and they say no way they'll do update, they have perfect hearing. I usually Google updates since the battery draining scam, but didn't this time and got bit in the a**. Now hearing aids have crackling in them (never did before the iOS 14.0.1 update) to add salt on the wound now I text and get pauses....then it goes then freezes. All the updates fault, and unless they give a patch to fix I'm out of iPhones for good, we were loyal for 23 years always getting newest models. All these other posts about blocked speakers, use gum to clean speakers LOL and hand sanitizer did it because of all the Covid-19 lotions etc. LOL please be logical - ITS THE UPDATE. We all did the update..and now all have the same issues - Hmm what could it be? Apple ruined the update and now we have Apple sauce junk. Fix it fast or a mass exodus.

Not so! I had this issue last month, and made appointment at Apple Store. They ran the diagnostics and it failed on the ear speaker. Guy took it through the back and came back about 10 mins later saying it was fixed and the cause we dirt/fluff in the ear receiver. Tested and working a treat. Left it at that.

Yesterday 22/11 the exact same issue has started to reoccur. I do not believe that there could be such a build up of dirt in the space of a month for the same issue to reoccur, especially since the phone was functioning perfectly between December 2019 and October 2020, 10 months of use and being in pocket and no issue.

Have another appointment with the Genius bar for them to investigate but this all points to a software flaw with the latest update.

So went into Leeds Apple today. Again they rans diagnostics. They insisted it was speaker issue (hardware) and said it was either £60 to replace the speakers or we live with it. After arguing for about 40mins we caved in and agreed to a speaker replacement in the iphone XS Max.

1hr later went back to collect.

The replacement speaker did not fix the issue. Apple staff then decided that it could be a 'logic board issue'. And that nothing (in their opinion indicates it being a software issue). So. They said the only option left to us was to pay for an out of warranty replacement (£556) or do nothing and live with it.

The managers at the store said they could replace for free at their discretion if there a 'exceptional' circumstances. They didnt feel this circumstance fit the criteria for 'exceptional' circumstance. So we asked them to define what the criteria was. They wouldnt define what that mean't, except that this problem did not fit their definition (the definition that would not define).

Wholly unsatisfactory.

update from me:

having been fobbed off by Leeds store and arguing and arguing after them saying it’s not a problem for them to fix, we contacted apple support and the guy was a godsend. He offered a repair or replacement, free of charge. We sent off the iPhone, and lo and behold, they repaired the phone.

my takeaways:

1) Leeds store were the worst support, they did everything in their power to silent us a fix under consumer warranty as they tried to state that our complaint wasn’t within 2 years (we originally reported the problem in September).

2) Leeds store stated they replaced the speakers and left those in, apple support stated that the Leeds repair notes show that they HAD NOT.

3) apple state the eventual fix was a “model repair” but declined to tell us what that was.

4) they tried to say it was “water damage to a component”. We stated it is water proof and it’s never ever been in water.

anyhow. We have a repaired phone. Apple won’t tell us what the repair is.

but I feel your pain!

Is your phone still doing this? I got a new iPhone 12 and it still did it and the reset it to factory mode twice and still kept happening. They sent me another brand new phone and the volume still goes from soft to max and crackling noises. It only started after the new iOS but now I'm starting to wonder if it is an app that is causing this to happen. Is yours fixed?

The fact that Apple acknowledged it's engineers are aware of the issue is both hopeful and infuriating, especially after this length of time with such a glaring issue. My 18-month iphone XR has been experiencing low volume(approx 70% reduction) in it's headset earpiece only since IOS 14 update. I've been using my Apple Airpod Pros to communicate for personal and biz use ever since. My speaker and Airpods work great.

I couldn't take it anymore, hence, why I'm here adding my voice and vote to the issue. After reading everyone's issues, it seems pretty obvious it's a glitch in the software. Apple, if you're going to charge $1000+ for a smartphone, you have to provide more thoroughly-tested software prior to major releases and you need to listen to your customers and provide fixes for these types of major issues more quickly. It's a phone and we can't hear! Can you hear us Apple?

I held down the power button and the up volume button at the same time. Hope this helps you, too!

Ok did you then leave the Loud Sounds “ON”? Or change to 90dB and then turn off?

There isn't one. It's now a defect within apples 14.0.1 and 14.1 updates.

I’m having this issue too. My volume while in a call has vanished. I’m having to take calls on speaker phone because the handset doesn’t get loud enough for me to hear anymore. This only happened after I updated to the new iOS.

I really hope it’s something they can patch.

I have exactly the same problem!! its frustrating, i always use speakerphone because im doing another things and the sound its very very low!! i tried everything, i reinstalled the ios 14 with no luck

I’m seeing same issue on XR after iOS 14 and 14.0.1 update. Apple support is asking the same questions repeatedly with no working solution to this. I’m very disappointed of my iphone, calling is important part of my bussiness and now my phone is unusable. I’m considering buying new android instead of this useless brick.