iPhone 4S high pitch noise

I'm also having this issue with my white 64GB 4S. Interestingly, I also have a Mini -- a 2011 Cooper S Convertible. Interesting that it seems to be a lot of BMW and Mini owners (and one Audi owner) reporting the problem. I'm experiencing the noise when I connect my phone via the 1/8" aux jack. Normally music in my car comes from my 160GB iPod Classic, which I've used both via the 1/8" aux jack and (more often) connected with the Mini-supplied combo USB/1/8" cable that plugs in via the 30-pin connector. I've never had noise problems with the iPod Classic. Likewise, I plugged in my 16GB iPhone 4 via the 1/8" aux jack many times and never had the noise problem. So I don't think it's specifically a problem with the Mini's sound system -- the problem only happens with the 4S -- but the fact that so many people reporting the problem have Minis or BMWs seems to suggest that there maybe some connection.

Dan

I've got a Corolla and my friend with a VW bug is having the same issue. Neither of us had problems with our old iPhones (3G and 4) or with our iPods. Doesn't happen with aux plugged into my stereo. ***! Lol

Having the same issue with my 4s in my BMW. I actually have an 89 325is, though I never had a problem with the iphone 3G, 4, or any of the iPods.

Theres only one other device that I've actually heard this type of high frequency noise coming from, and that was a cheap 2gb mp3 player I bought in China as a temporary music device when I travelled through the rougher parts of the the big cities.

The noise you hear is related to the ignition, and is due an improperly constructed input cable. It is not the fault of the iPhone. You need to properly shield and ground the cable. This can be done with mesh braid placed over the cable, and then grounding the mesh braid. To improve the cable appearance, you can cover it with black shrink tubing, and heating it with a hair dryer. BMW, and most other auto manufacturers go for the cheap route - an cable plugged into the earphone cable - rather than using a 30-pin connector. Does the iPhone 4(S) documentation recommend using an input cable plugged into the earphone connector, and using it in a car?

@ carl wolf

But then, the noise should appear also when using iPod Classic, iPhone 3GS and 4, which it doesn't.

All of the reviewers only face this problem with the 4S.

Ergo, the cable shouldn't be the problem!?

And I wouldn't have the same exact issue with the 30 pin connector with two new iPhone 4's with a setup that worked fine for all other Apple products I've connected including two iPhone 4's.

Of course I meant new iPhone 4S's, sorry!

Same here in a Hyundai minivan using a Monster cassette input with my new iPhone 4S. Happens with all audio output through the headphone jack in the car. Not a problem when using earbuds. I've never had this issue with the following using EXACTLY the same setup: iPhone, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch (4th G), iPod Nano (1st and 3rd G), iPod shuffle (3rd G). This is obviously a iPhone 4S issue.

I wouldn't dismiss Carl's theory, though. It's possible that the 4S is more sensitive to an already existing grounding issue.

At first, that's what I thought. Ignition related, or maybe alternator whine. But then I realized that it doesn't happen on any of the other apple devices, and there is really no amount of shielding that will shield the input line from interference. Yes, it may help a little, but this problem is inherent to the 4s phones. I believe it was this or another thread where a supposed sound engineer stated the design of the dual attenas attenuated this sort of interference, especially when the 1/8" jack is in the attena itself, and that it's probably not going away. I would rather have to hold my phone anti-death grip than to have to hold my hands over my ears cause my 4s is trying to make high pitch dubstep frequencies. Albeit I'm not one to actually believe in hearsay.

-Derek

I'm also having this problem. I have a BMW X3 with the official iPod-Your-BMW kit, which has worked flawlessly with every iPhone model up until the 4S I just got. That high-pitched whine grates on my nerves.

While I'm glad to hear it's not just me, I'm thinking that this is a hardware issue and not something that can be fixed with a software update. Hopefully Apple will look into it and address it.

PROBLEM SOLVED FOR ME:

Same problem started for me with my new 4gs, not present with iPhone, 3g, 3gs or 4 or any other ipod dating back to the touch-wheel model.

Clearly something introduced with the 4gs causes this problem when pluged into headphone jack and audio sent through a (in MY case the MONSTER iCarPlay) cassette adapter.

BUT...

I dug out an older, generic cassette adapter (no brand, just "Made in China") and swaped it out with the MONSTER cassette adapter and the problem went away.

I in no way mean to slam MONSTER, but in my case using another cable/adapter solved the whine problem with the 4gs. "Your Mileage May Vary".

I reported here before MESTI, and I just called back Tech Support. They still haven't heard of this, they told me they heard first from me, they tried to make me go through what they figure could be common sense fixes, I told them I have tried almost every single thing. I even talked to a Senior Supervisor because the regular tech did not know what to tell me, the Senior Supervisor didn;t know about it either and asked me to report it as a feedback at http://www.apple.com/feedback, I did and posted a link to this thread so that they read all of our issues. Please report it at the feedback link I shared here so that they declare this an official issue because at this point as long as I have been able to see, they don't have a clue about this issue, and since not many people use their car auxiliary they would never know this issue is in their phones.

Done. Hopefully they recognize this as an issue soon and start coming up with a fix

Interesting discovery-- NO squeal or feedback in my friends 2008 Honda accord... Soooo what's the difference?

David, who is your phone company? ATT or Verizon? I had a similar issue and thought it was my speaker, computer all kinds of culprits. Then found out it was happening when ATT went off 3G and on to EDGE which created a noise that came thru my speakers. Not sure if that's what you're experiencing. But if on ATT, check if the noise happens when on EDGE.