iPhone sounds muffled to people I talk to

I have the exact same issue with my iPhone 5 and so does my girlfriend with her iPhone 5. I have already exchanged one iPhone 5 for a new unit, but the same problem exists with the new unit. If I talk into the phone normally, like I am trying to use it as a phone, then people on the other end can't hear me clearly. The sound on the other end is either muffled badly or cutting part of the conversation out to the point that they have to keep asking me to repeat myself. This is EXTREMELY frustrating as you would expect that you could use the iPhone as a phone. To me it sounds like either the mic is of poor quality, which probably isn't the case since talking into it in speaker phone mode works just fine, or it is the algorithm being used to detect the faces proximity to the screen. In either case this seems to be a design flaw that needs to be fixed ... OR ... allow people to exchange for a unit that works correctly (i.e. iPhone 4S or, if it works, iPhone 5S). To me it looks like this a "known issue" which Apple does not want to address in fear of the publicity and how it will affect their financials (i.e. profits and stock price). I am pretty frustrated with this, as I have been a longtime iPhone user (iPhone, iPhone 3, iPhone 4, and now iPhone 5). Apple did the right thing in addressing the antenna problem on the iPhone 4, but it seems like it doesn't want to do the same thing here on the muffled voice issue.

I think you are dead on, and I call it a defect in the design.

If you google images of it, you see that the main mic for phone use is on the bottom, ONLY on ONE side, making it very unnatural to hold the phone with the left hand and have the mic in front of your mouth. I think there is also more aggressive background noise cancellation on the 5s compares to the 4. I think it is the worst when background noise is significant.

I have observed further and I also think it is related to microphone placement, which forces me to tilt the phone up at an awkward angle to get the mic near my mouth.

Hi ,

I have try the enabling hearing aid mode or even the audio mono mode : no luck once again iphone 5 between iphone 5 . The call is nowhere near what the iphone4 was . The only thing that help '' a bit '' is disabling the LTE . ( just a bit but almost not noticable )

Anyone have try a beta IOS ?

Patrice

I am having this same issue. I had the iPhone 5s for a while before my friends started complaining that I was sounding muffled though. This is making me think that it may be problem with the new iPhone iOS 7 update. But my family all has new iPhones (5c and 5s), and they do not seem to be having the same issue I am, so I am just confused now. I am going to go to an Apple Store and see what they can do. I am hoping it is just my phone since my family is not having issues with theirs. Also poeple here on the forum are saying that they got replacements, and that still didn't help. So I am dumbfounded as to what it could be that is causing this annoyance. I will report back with any findings.

My 5s just started to develop this issue and thanks to this thread i was led to a path of recovery BUT simply disabling the noise cancellation didn't do the trick. Covering the microMicrophone located by the rear camera lens with my finger was still needed to solved the problem. To make this a more permanent solution i took three small slivers of black gaffer's tape and layered them on top of the mic. I wanted to use a non reflective black tape as not to create lens flare while taking a picture when the "flash" is on.

I'm having exactly the same problem. Had to go back to using my landline. This is not funny when you've spent nearly £700 on a phone.

Am going for a genuis appointment on Tuesday to see if they can do anything.

Meanwhile I shall try the hearing aid solution to see if that works.

I have EXACTLY the same problbem, has ANYONE resolved this? Its getting really bad. I have tested and made my friend phone me of my phone and through my iPhone 5 he sounds terribly quiet and muffled, but I swap back and through his 4S micorophone into my iPhone 5 speaker in my ear sounds clear.

How can an 4S pick up clearer than a 5....

I'm having the same problem, I hope they figure this out and get a fix out there! I had my 4s for 18 months and loved it, I've had this 5 for a few days and this is getting on my nerves! I considered the Samsung s4, now I'm wondering if I made the right choice. I love Apple... but they REALLY need to step it up... I have a few more days to decide what to do... I just don't know yet.. we'll see. Seems like I should have my answer, looks like this problem has been out here for months. ****....

It seems that with the iPhone 5s, that because it's longer, we actually have tendency to tilt the phone more. Maybe because it's becasue the iphone 4s was so far from our mouths we didn't even think about trying to make it closer, but now it's so near our mouths that we instinctively try to pull it closer and talk directly in the mic as if it were a normal lan line phone. I donno.

Hello: I am writing to see if you had your problem resolved with your new iPhone 5?

I recently purchased an iPhone 5c and am having a similar issue with people not being able to understand what I am saying. They state that my voice is muffled, garbled and difficult to interpret what I say.

I have tried my phone without the Otter case, with it and in different locations (inside, outside of the house, different rooms etc.). No luck with it. I do get comments if I use it on my right side of my head, it improves the clarity. I now have a new iPhone 5c just like the previous one and already have had one person state it has the same problem. I have brought this problem to Apple's attention and that is how they replaced my phone. I fear that this is not going to help the situation.

I was hoping someone who has dealt with this would have an answer? You were the most recent post on the problem so I thought I would ask you if you found help with the problem?

Thank you for your help.

I am having the same issue and for me it is not the noise cancelling mic because if I turn off noise cancellation I have the same issues. My understanding is that if I turn noise cancellation off the back mike is deactivated.

Imagine my dissapointment after about 15 years of different mobiles and never a problem with clarity to find that everyone says my voice sounds muffled and distant on my new i5s....and worse, there is apparently no cure!

I wish someone had told me about this before I went the Apple route...

Hey all - it seems I'm not the only one having this problem. I took mine to the apple store and they made a fuss of the phone, told me my apps had crashed and I needed to do a full hard reset. This, according to them would be all it needed. Did it work ? Err, no. I couldn't test it in the shop as they ( conveniently) have a poor phone reception. So muggins here has to take another trip to the " genius" bar. Hey ho.

Reading the other comments it looks like I'm going to have to either deal with it, live with it, learn to be right handed, cry, scream or just get a different handset.

Yes! I'm having the same issue with my 6 Plus. I first noticed it in my car when people were talking to me thru the bluetooth system. So, I reinstalled the software in my car system. No change. I put the phone in my coat thinking I would was getting feedback. Nothing. So basically, you can't use a case with this phone, if you cover up the microphone. What a bunch of crap. I should of stayed with Android. I may just buy out my contract and get rid of this!