iPhone SE 2020 making a clicking sound when opening Snapchat and camera app

I've had the SE for a few months now and only began to notice this noise this week. Not to overshare, but I suffer from misophonia, so I definitely would have noticed this earlier had it been organic to the phone.

We have the same issue. Apple replaced the phone for this reason already twice! Last Saturday we drove 81 miles to the closest genius bar and complained that the first iPhone which they replaced had the same mechanical sound issue again. So they replaced it. We we arrived at home we realised that our genius bar, replaced our broken iPhone for a new broken iPhone which is disgusting! So we drove back today to get this issue solved and they simply send us away! Apple Care on the phone cared about this issue but the Apple store which messed up didn't!

I'm really mad about something like this! We have laws and Apple has to obey laws!

Imagine they told me it's expectable that a camera can develop strange noises!

Well not after you just unboxed the phone!

I discovered the same problem on mine. I guess it's the sensor of the camera witch is kind off waking up. Every time I exit the camera or snapchat and then reenter again it doesn't appear, unless I wait a little longer or I turn off the display.

Anyway I'm disappointed, because I had phones at much lower prices, which never had such a problem!

Hey everyone,

This is actually due to the mechanics of the iPhone. Weird right? This is actually the aperture that is making the sound. The aperture is the mechanical part that opens the light sensor up to the incoming light. Any apps that use the camera will make this sound especially with the iPhone SE because this iPhone has a more pronounce sound to the aperture. Did you know that the camera sound was actually made because bigger cameras have the louder aperture.

Hope this helps,

CJM

Same here, definitely a mechanical "springy/clicky" noise, iPhose SE 2020 too

I recorded the sound using the "Voice Memos" app, you can listen to it here:

https://sndup.net/4sqv/iPhoneSE2020_mechanicalCameraNoise.mp4

Hi Tom,

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Oh wow, this is the exact same sound I’m getting. I hear it occasionally when using the camera (either by itself or within another app). I don’t hear it every time - but I’m hearing it a lot more frequently now.

Does anyone know if this is bad for the phone? I guess I don’t mind the sound if it’s harmless, but I’m worried that it means something in the phone is damaged.

Exactly, that's what I am trying to figure out too. I don't mind the sound too much if that it's what the iPhone is supposed to do. If it is not, although it's not a big deal today, I fear it could develop into some problems further down the line once warranty has expired...

ive only had my se for a week and noticed this sound half the time when I turn on my camera. From research online it would appear that it is common and a mechanicl sound that is normal. By the amount of people that are experiencing it as well, I would think it’s safe to say that it is a normal sound for this type of iPhone?

well, worth mentioning that I took the time to chat to an apple support representative the other day and they didn’t know what I was referring to (which didn’t give me the peace of mind I was after). They offered to book an appointment to go personally to a store for someone to take a look at the device in person... because of the current lockdown situation I won’t be doing this for now but will update this post if/when I end up going

update: I contacted apple support, they think it is a hardware issue, suggested to go into store and get it checked out. I live no where near a store and won’t be able to get to one for a few months due to covid.. mailing is not an option apparently but they said it should be fine to keep using until I get it checked.. fingers crossed I don’t make the sound worse overtime somehow..

2nd update: I woke up the next morning after updating my phone and talking to apple support for a few hours and no results, to find that it magically no longer makes the noise.. but it just needed a little knock to the head or something? Apple suggested to get it checked at one of their hardware advisers so good luck anyone else that is experiencing this..

This sound occurs on my SE GEN2 as

well. It has a very mechanical noise to it.

It is likely hardware.

is it an issue?

Well that’s the bigger problem, more appropriately: is this a wear part in the design that will fail?

That was a bit of a groggy post, so il clarify here.

Since receiving this iPhone SE GEN2 2020 this has been noticed.

Anytime - no matter what application - is used, the mechanical clicking noise occurs. It is very, very easy to tell that it comes from the camera when you perform a software action that invokes camera use.

I am not yet convinced that is necessarily an issue, but it could be a design flaw where parts from other devices used within this configuration have a more audible “open” noise. My concern lies within the repeated use. If for example this should not be making this noise, does that mean:

1) the part is rubbing against something that will cause part failure

2) the part is rubbing against something that could cause multiple part failure (cascade failure mode)

3) replacement under warranty uses the same design, so unless rectified, what’s the point of replacing

alternatively:

1) the part is functioning nominally and there is just a noise that was overlooked somehow during manufacturing and testing

2) software control of aperture speed (if that’s a thing) perhaps could be a fix, if indeed it is an aperture opening and shutting

i am not convinced having a technician look at this issue will actually yield any tangible results.

JeffStreak wrote:

i am not convinced having a technician look at this issue will actually yield any tangible results.

Yeah, neither am I, to be honest.

I guess what I would like to get from Apple is some form of acknowledgement of this noise being either

a) expected behaviour and nothing to worry about.

b) a sign of an actual design/part flaw accompanied by some options for affected owners of the product.

I think we got enough instances of this behaviour represented on this forum that it seems pointless to have to go into an Apple store to get it checked. It does not sound like this "issue" would be that hard to reproduce for Apple either way.