iPhone 14 Pro Max proximity sensor does not work on whatsapp voice messages

Hello saqlain36,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. Are you experiencing this behavior with any app other than WhatsApp? If so, please specify.

If not, we'd recommend reaching out to WhatsApp technical support for help with their app. You can contact them by following these steps:

How to contact an app developer - Apple Support

We hope this information is useful. Kind regards.

That pretty much means it's a WhatsApp problem. The proximity sensor is only active when the app you are using turns it on. If it didn’t work that way every time you moved your hand over the face of the phone the screen would turn off.

I am experiencing the same problem. I have the following notes:

Important: the phone screen problem is that is does NOT turn black when the phone is at my ear when I listen a voice message.

On WhatsApp: (Messenger and Business)

Voice Messages: The proximity Sensor takes 5 seconds to block the phone screen.

On Calls: The proximity Sensor works Ok.

On Facebook Messenger:

Voice Messages: The proximity Sensor does not work at all. No matter how long the message is.

On Calls: The proximity Sensor works Ok.

Regular Phone Calls: The proximity Sensor works ok.

On iMessage. The proximity Sensor works ok.

I have not tested Telegram.

Any ideas on if I should report this directly to Meta or if Apple will take are care of this problem?

Using an iPhone 14 Pro purchased on Dec 21st 2022 with iOS 16.2

Unlucky the problem is with iPhone itself. WhatsApp is just one of the hundreds apps that do not work properly with iPhone 14 serie.

if you try the same WhatsApp version on a 13 Pro Max the problem doesn’t exist at all. Same goes with all the other apps (Messenger, Telegram, Viber, etc.).

risposta da Telegram:

"Ciao, grazie per il feedback. Il problema riguarda iOS e affligge tutte le app di terze parti, non solo Telegram. Essendo un bug di sistema, non è possibile risolverlo, tuttavia è possibile che in futuro vengano introdotti dei workaround per ridurre gli effetti del problema. Al momento, se la tastiera non è aperta lo schermo viene immediatamente oscurato da Telegram. "

It's a typical third party response.

If Apple apps work properly and third party apps do not, they are not properly writing their applications.

There are no "secret" APIs Apple uses that are not available to third parties, and therefore there is no way for just (or all) "third party" applications to be affected.

Hello saqlain36,

If that didn't work, let's get you in touch with Apple Support. They can check a few more things for us: Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Cheers!

Also please report the bug through the feedback app (if you are using a beta version) or the feedback page:

https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/

It will happen in any app that does not use the proximity API to control the detector. It is up to the app to use the facility Apple provides; it doesn’t happen automatically.

If it works when using the built in phone app, but not when using 3rd party apps, the problem is with the 3rd party apps.

WhatsApp is a third-party vendor, you will need to contact them.

Apple has no control, only WhatsApp can and has to fix their app.

Apple can suggest, but Meta isn't going to listen to Apple.

I've the same problem. The screen doesn't go in standby mode while listening to voice message (near ear) in every third party app (I've tested WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Line and Signal). In all the mentioned app, it takes 6/7 seconds to get black screen and no touch... this is very frustrating (in a so expensive device like iPhone 14 Pro...). Everything works fine in normal voice call. No test with third party voice call and iMessage voice message. How can fix this???

In my case, the problem is still present only in WhatsApp.

Telegram has been updated, iMessage and phone calls seem to work fine now.

I have to say that at the Apple Store they have replaced my phone with a new one. Still same behaviour.