Iphone 7 Microphone not working, iOS 14.6

This post is specifically about iPhone 7’s and a different cause.

However, in your case you should be talking with Apple directly so you have a case on file and/or get service if not an update issue. Contact Apple by call or chat from https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201232

Hello,

Start here:

Get help with the microphones on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Then test with the Voice Memos app.

Good luck.

If you try to use the speaker option while making a call but it doesn't work you have these options.

1. Use Bluetooth headphones or speakers with it.
2. Click on the Get Support link at the top right of this page to start the service process and do an out-of-warranty replacement of your iPhone for a fee.
3. Trade it in on a new phone.
4. Find a reputable 3rd party repair site that can do board level soldering and have them re-ball four connections on the Audio IC that are problematic. If you go this route Apple may refuse service on your iPhone in the future.

The mic is dysfunctional. Can video - no sound. Can make calls - people can’t hear you. MANY Iphone7 plus users are experiencing this since doing the latest update. Apple needs to fix this issue/update - and quickly.

After 8 hrs online & then 1 hr at a Genius Bar I was told there was no connection between the iPhone iOS 14.6 upgrade and the loss of iPhone mic function immediately after the upgrade. Genius Bar solution: buy another (newer model) iPhone. In other words, Apple takes no responsibility for their software update. In fact they are so sure it is perfect that they provide no way to back down to iOS 14.5. Of course, if they did provide a ‘downgrade’ option, then it could be proven that the problem was caused by the upgrade & I’m sure Apple would not want to know/admit that.

It isn't due to the update, the update just revealed the symptoms from the Audio IC chip having failing connections to the logic board. You can either pay to do an out-of-warranty replacement of your iPhone or you can locate a competent 3rd party repair site that can do board level soldering. They should re-ball 4 connections between the Audio IC and the logic board which will remedy the situation. If you go this route Apple may refuse future service on that phone but that really should not be an issue. Your other item is to buy a new iPhone at the Apple Store and trade it in.

So had I not upgraded to 14.6 my phone would have not worked in the same time frame? I seriously doubt that. Also, deggie you would make the same ‘argument’ for other users with the same issue after upgrading? One incident can be a coincidence. Multiple incidents support a cause & effect scenario.

Unfortunately, one cannot determine if my phone would still work under 14.5 as apple does not provide a mechanism to return to 14.5. Shame on apple.

Not a real statistics buff are you? So if you go back to incandescent light days and you turn on your light and it burns out when you do that then you read posts from others who say the same then via cause and effect turning on lights causes them to burn out.

The update is basically the same thing, while loading it tests everything and gets failure results from the Audio IC. People who’s Audio IC fails at other times don’t make a connection to anything (mine failed in between updates).

I have no doubt a competent shop can show you the solder connection breaks. And no, an update cannot cause solder erosion.

I’m sorry your approach to a discussion is to attempt to lob insults at the other party. It is not relevant to the current discussion & just wastes time.

Getting back to the issue. You have now twice agreed with me. The first time I ignored the comment as I thought I might be misinterpreting your words. Now, however, it is clear that you would support that apple offered a product (the 14.6 update), I used the product, & my iPhone lost in-product mic capabilities. Way before I entered this discussion I knew about the soldering theory. That I might have lost my mic yesterday, today, in 1,2,3 years any way without an upgrade to 14.6 is precisely the point. Running the update cut short whatever life was still possible. When would it have failed? I don’t know, but I am reasonably certain that had I not run the update it would still be working today (3 days later out over over 1400 days of ownership while recognizing the rate of failure increases with days of use).

Putting out a product (update) that produced the final blow to my mic was not expected from apple. Being told my phone is now worth practically nothing at an apple store since it doesn’t have a working mic was not pleasant to hear as the prime reason it is now without much value is that I ran the 14.6 update before trading it in. If apple would offer to all in the same situation a trade-in value based on before the 14.6 upgrade, then that would be more appropriate.

Yes, I still believe apple should permit backing out of upgrades as a general business practice.

Where did I lob insults at you?

Whether you want to believe me or not the Audio IC is a problem for iPhones. If you take it to a 3rd party shop and they are disconnected do you really think that rolling back the OS would connect them?

Apple has never allowed rolling back the OS because of security reasons.

I hope this ends this discussion, but since you asked: “Not a real statistics buff are you?” I’m not sure that’s anything but an insult.

As a retired scientist who wrote publications using statistics to strengthen an argument, I’m pretty well aware of statistics. You just tossed your comment/question out without any facts in this area. In the future, you might want to not speak about topics that you have no knowledge on (my familiarity with statistics) and which are irrelevant to the topic (14.6 & the loss of mic functionality).

Otherwise, I will say that you are familiar with the topic, but only added opinions and not scientifically tested hypotheses.

I have the same issue. Iphone 7 plus. I recently updated my phone to 14.6.. When in a call I cannot hear anyone and no one can hear me. I can’t record video or take photos. If I restart the phone it works and then goes back to not working again. Bluetooth through car worked today. Apple needs to address this now KNOWN issue.

For them to do this you will have to contact APPLE, no management is here. And what is known about it? That 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6 and all the ones in between somehow broke the hardware? My 7 Plus didn't wait for an update, it just failed on its own.

Want to contact them for all of us? Seems like you are trolling this post. My phone works just fine after restarting. If you’re so adamant about it being hardware, then how do you explain the mic working after restarting? Sounds more like a software bug.

Because when the connections to the logic board are tenuous even pushing the buttons to reset can sometimes temporarily restore the connection.

if your situation is software you are different than most people posting here. If you use your favorite browser you can find videos showing the problem and the repair.