Q: Static in Iphone 4s

Hey Everyone,

Looks like you are all still whipping a dead horse as they say. Apple has failed you again. Return your defective 4s and go with a Samsung Galaxy S II or any high end 4G LTE device.

Once your past the learning curve of Android Vs. iOS you'll never look at Apple again.

Truly SHOCKING for a company such as Apple to treat consumers this way.

Wonder what's all this about../

Anyone have any first hand info about this update?

http://goo.gl/UKebD

Whatever that new update is it didn't help the static issue....not that i thought it would, i think we're all still in agreement it's hardware

This problem is indeed real.  I don't notice it directly on the phone or even speaker phone, but through the Bluetooth on my car, it's EXTREMELY evident.  I thought I had a crappy connection to someone, but it's always there.  Compare to using my BT on my iPhone 4 just earlier in the day (or for over the last year) and there's never been a problem.  Based on what I'm reading, I'm not going to swap phones just yet.  Sounds like Apple needs to:

A) Acknowledge

B) Plan some sort of swap for better working phone

Fortunately, I happen to really like all other aspects of the 4S so far...

Just got it yesterday, so I'm reporting the problem with a brand new phone.  64GB model, as if that matters...

The problem is very real and I have alerted Apple to the problem numerous times, and have switched my phone 5 times already. All of the phones have the same buzzing sound.

I recently got an acknowledgement from an Apple rep that the engineers are now regarding the Static/buzzing as a legitimate issue. I hope this isn't them just saying whatever to get us to forget this issue. Whether that is going to get an iPhone 4S with out the sound buzzing in my ear to me at somepoint in the near future is unknow. I want them to do the right thing ASAP. If they have a rev B. of the iPhone 4S in the works, get it to those folks who have been complaining about the noise at no cost to the customer.

<Edited by Host>

I've got my 3rd Iphone 4S on wednesday in the Apple store in Hamburg, had two short calls on thursday and thought i'd might be lucky. But today i had a longer phonecall and there it was again - the static sound. Interesting enough the person at the shop wasn't too keen on giving me a replacement. He told me that they were waiting for new instructions by Apple and it wouldn't make any sens to give me a new Iphone every week (as if i'd have time for that). So he indirectly admitted that it's a major issue. Just because i had another issue - the volume went upp to FULL just by holding the Iphone in the hand without pressing any button - he handed out a new one to me.

To be honest: if i'd known about all these problems before, i would have kept my 3GS 32GB although it meanwhile had become really slow and the battery didn't last long. I could have saved 849 Euros!

Come on Apple - Do something!!!

Why Apple is not answering???

We're being treated like a rash... Ignore us and hope it goes away.

Bought iphone 4s 16 Gb black on ATT from apple store 2 weeks ago.  Same static/cracking low pitch noise during the call.  I don't notice it much over the bluetooth so I think it has somethign to do with speaker.  I am quiet surpised that Apple is not responding to the issue considering that there are so many people reporting this issue.

I am going to eschange the phone this weekend but seeing how many people tried and didn't get it resolved, I am not counting on it.  If the next set won't fix the problem, I will return the phone and switch to Verizon to get new Nexus.  Luckily my contract with ATT is over and no point to stay on.  Not only Apple blew it by not releasing iphone5 with bigger screen, 4G, and descent light notification system but now it appears that the 4s is having serious issue.  Bye bye ATT, bye bye Apple.

Hey folk, i have the 4s more than 2 weeks tested, and well, its a  horrorshow during phone calls. I sometimes get phone calls an dhear nothing from the other person, but he understand me, other calls i noticed my own voice in the background as a robotic voice, also i noticed white noise.....today the 4s go back to apple, i think i get a new one, but i also think that every 4s has this horror problem and i am very angry when i see lots of commercials in the tv with the 4s, now i used the 3gs :(

I think Apple produced the iPhone 4s even if it was configured and tested with 80%, what would steve said if he was alive....

Think about it Apple

With the faint static never leaving my iPhone 4S, and reading so much from others' similar experience, I returned it for a full refund this weekend.  I only "solved" the static problem by reactivativing my 3GS and ditching the 4S.My iPhone 3GS was my first iPhone, and it served as a fantastic companion for 2 1/2 years.  Now I'll take some time to reconsider.  I may wait till next year to see if an iPhone 5 comes out without a similiar static problem.   I may make the jump to an Android in the next few months, but I am holding out and hoping Apple will step up to the plate and acknowledge this design flaw and rectify it.

Good choice BenCBoston, i wish i had kept my 3GS 32GB and not sold it directly. Then i would do exactly the same thing.

I had this intermittent issue where callers could either not hear me or hear static.  I did a complete reload of the software and reset the network settings on the phone but the problem always came back.  I finally got to the point where the problem occurred all the time so I decided to open it up.  I removed the battery and the speaker/mic assembly to check for debris but I found nothing.  I also could not find any liquid damage on the board.  I reassembled the device and now the phone works great.  The only thing I believe it could've been was that the screws may have loosened and the board was not grounded.  I've seen this happen to laptops just from typical transport or movement.  Just something to consider if you see this problem however if your phone is still under warranty, have Apple service it.

@cel

ce1 wrote:

....

When I took the phone from her I heard it immediately, but that's because I knew what to listen to. I work in the microelectronics industry and when integrated circuits make this kind of noise, the issue tends to be related to (1) incorrect voltage or (2) a faulty component. Faulty components can continue to work within expected parameters, but will emit an electronic buzz/humm/static/whine/crackling. I'm doubtful that Apple can ever solve this issue with a software fix, but they may be able to fix it by identifying the issue and fixing it in their future production.

Do you know if this kind of faulty component is drawing more energy than it is supposed to?

This is exactly why Apple is not talking about it.  They have plenty of bright engineers and I am certain they have found the faulty component a long time ago.  The problem is that millions of phones have already been made and millions have already been sold.  This problem cannot be fixed with the software update. And it cannot be fixed with some kind of bumpers that would cost them 5 cents per phone.  If Apple decides to accept that it is a real problem they would have to address it by having every single phone go through the Apple support or replace them with the new ones.  Either way it will cost Apple a lot of money plus bad publicity.  With iphone 5 being released less than a year from now or possibly even 6 month they figured it's better to just pretend the issue doesn't exist and just let it go.  Those customers who want to exchange the phone can keep exchanging.  Those who want to return recently purchased one, can just return.  And those who didn't notice the problem to begin with won't notice it anyway.  In any case this is a much easier way out for Apple and the least expensive.