iOS 6 on iPhone 4: earbud mic sensitivity

I have tried multiple head sets and still have the problem. I use my iphone for calls on average 4-6 hours a day. I need to find a fix soon or switch phones.

I too have this issue and it affects ALL of my calls. I have tried the speakerphone fix and that did not work. Everyone complains that is sounds as though I am crushing ice in the background. I have had this issue with my iPhone 4 as well as the iPhone 5. Terrible!

Same issue. When I'm in a noisy environment, using my iphone 5 with headset, the person I am talking to hears all the background noise. It only happens when I'm using the headset. This did not happen with my iPhone 4. I'm assuming based on your post that it has to do with the operating system. I called Verizon and they said they received an internal memo from Apple on 12/12/12 that they are aware of the problem and that it is software related and that it will be fixed in the next Software Update.They could not give me a date for the fix. This is very frustrating. Furthermore, many of the words of the person i am talking with are cut off. I tried the suggest Speaker on off fix and it didn't work!! Calling the Apple Store now.

Same problem with my iphone 5 on sprint. The 'fix' didn't work for me either.

I recently learned that there is a speaker on the outside of the iphone that records background noises to help increase call clarity. Could the software be missing the capability for the headset? In other words, the phone wants to crank up the sensitivity banking on the fact that the outside speaker should recognize the background noise and the software will remove it. However, in the case of the headset, the external mic is turned off (or in your pocket) and the phone doesn't know to turn down the sensitivity.

Just a thought...

I am also facing the same issue and what i observed that if I rub near micropohone on phone (near power socket) during the call, I can hear the rub sound in my ear buds. Which means microphone at earbud and phone both are working together. your analysis seems correct to me and definitely it is an issue with IOS6 because before installing that my earbuds and phone was working good. I have Iphone-4 with IOS6.0.2.

Doesn't that new commercial with the orchestra that is touting the noise reduction tick you all off? Clearly the noise reduction is not working as advertised.

After seeing that commercial, I did learn where the iPhone 5 noise reduction (NR) microphone is located and did some simple tests. One would assume if the phone was face down on a table or in a pocket, that the noise reduction would be worse than if the NR microphone were near the noise source. So I ran some simple tests to see if this is the case.

The most common complaint I hear from people on the other side of my phone calls is the very loud typing sound from my PC keyboard. So I recorded a call with the phone face up on a table (NR mic down), phone face down (NR mic up), and with the NR mic immediately next to my PC keyboard.

The volume of the PC keyboard typing was very loud in all three case: no noticeable difference between the three.

To see if the issue is only related to headset, I did a test with speakerphone and handset. Speakerphone was about the same as headset. Handset however had noticeable quieter PC keyboard typing noises. While i was talking, the typing was almost unnoticeable. When i stopped talking, the typing was still loud enough to disturb the call, but not as loud as speakerphone and headset..

So I can only conclude that the NR only works in handset mode. And only when I am actively talking.

Anyone tried the headset after applying the 6.1 update?

Didn't work 😟 Too bad I was really looking forward to it. Even the headset that autolocks by iteself is still broken.

I am starting to lose a little faith in Apple. Easy fixes for them, but they do not seem to listen even by contacting them directly.

Even I am loosing faith in apple after recent IOS updates. I have observed couple of issues in IOS6.x and nobody seems to be bothered about these in apple. Issues related to earbuds and autolock must be solved at highest prority.