iPhone XR, poor quality phone calls and Folio Cases

This problem occurs with most folio cases used with the iPhone XR. The problem arises because, when the case is folded back, the background noise reduction mic, which is located under the camera, picks up the users voice and cancels it out, the person receiving the call therefore hears a muffled voice. If the folio case is opened like a book the case doesn’t reflected the users voice into the background mic and the person receiving the call hears a clear voice.

When the user activates the speaker phone during a call with the case folded behind the phone the problem does not occur and the receiver hears the caller perfectly. This is because when the speaker phone is activated the iPhone XR disables the background noise reduction mic and the phone stops cancelling the users voice. It is not possible to disable the background noise reduction mic using Settings.

I did a simple experiment and put a small narrow piece of tape over the background mic to effectively disable it and the sound quality of the recipient of the call was perfect with the folio case folded back. Removing the tape and the received call was almost unintelligible.

Problem solved, the people receiving my phone calls can live without the background noise reduction on my iPhone XR.