iPhone 7 Plus Phone Call Sound Quality

I think it's poor when it's abundantly clear there are various call quality issues with the iPhone 7 and 7+ which we're having to attempt to diagnose because Apple fail to recognise that something isn't right. I've owned a Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, S6 Edge, S7 and Note 7, the call quality on every one of them was fine yet I've owned an iphone 7, 7+ and replacement 7+ on all of them call quality is poor. You don't have to be Einstein to recognise the overwhelming evidence suggesting there is a call quality issue with these phones, the consensus of opinion is that it's a software related. If it wasn't an issue this thread wouldn't have grown to 17 pages and continues to grow. Before anyone asks I made the mistake of moving to the Iphone 7 followed by the 7+ after the Note 7 was discontinued due to the battery issue, if it wasn't for the battery issue it would have been the greatest phone I've owned by a mile. I have an Apple senior tech phoning me early next week to update me on the the poor call quality issue and whether the imminent release of IOS 10.2 will contain call quality improvements, the beta versions suggest not but that's not to say the final release won't.

As this thread is censored it reasonable to assume that it's being read by someone at Apple and irrespective of Apple continuing to deny the issue exists they are actually aware. I've spoken to Apple Support personnel who've admitted they would feel the same but Apple just won't acknowledge that there's an issue...

red1mp wrote:

I think it's poor when it's abundantly clear there are various call quality issues with the iPhone 7 and 7+

The only thing that's abundantly clear is that there are no call quality issues with most 7 & 7+ iPhones, because if there were there would be thousands of posts about it by now, as there have been with other problems that affected even a relatively small number of phones. There are no call quality issues with my 7+, or any of the dozen or so new phones used by my associates. There are issues with a few phones. Some of these issues have been traced to using a case not designed for the phone. Some of them have been identified as hardware problems that are resolved with a replacement phone. And, as I pointed out in another thread, there are several DIFFERENT call quality issues reported in this thread; they can't all have the same cause.

So it's logical to attempt to identify which of the various problems your phone has, if it has a problem.

If it wasn't an issue this thread wouldn't have grown to 17 pages and continues to grow.

17 pages is a short thread, especially when everyone isn't talking about the same problem. And most of the posts are rants or repeats; very few of them actually provide any useful information. There's a thread that has new posts today with 44 pages. There was one a few years ago with 750 pages. Here's one with 40 pages: iOS 10.1 Battery drain

As this thread is censored it reasonable to assume that it's being read by someone at Apple and irrespective of Apple continuing to deny the issue exists they are actually aware. I've spoken to Apple Support personnel who've admitted they would feel the same but Apple just won't acknowledge that there's an issue...

Reasonable, but not true. The hosts are moderators, they are not support people or engineers. Their sole job is to enforce the rules of the forum. The don't generally read the forum; this is the busiest forum on the Internet, and it would take a staff of thousands to read everything posted. Instead, regular users (meaning anyone who has accumulated over 150 points) can report posts to the hosts to review. If the host thinks the reported post violates the TOU they will remove it and send the poster an email explaining why it was removed. They do not remove all reported posts; they make a judgement call on each one.

This forum is not the way that Apple identifies problems; it is simply too subjective as a source. The plural of anecdote is not data. Apple catalogs problems reported through the various direct support mechanisms, where the report can be verified and replicated. This includes phone support, genius bar activity, chat support. All incidents reported are logged, and recurring problems tend to bubble to the top. This so far is not a recurring problem; an example of one is problems with the 6S battery that is described here: iPhone 6s Program for Unexpected Shutdown Issues - Apple Support. Another is an issue with the digitizer failing on some 6S+ phones. There are support programs for each of these. If the number of reports of audio problems through the regular support channels reaches a threshold indicating general problem Apple will do something about it. Until that time they will treat each reported incident as isolated, and deal with the individual phone with the problem. As any company would.

Update: I just ran an analysis on the thread. This is the 223rd post. However, there are only 80 different posters in the thread. And the last new contributor was on page 12, which makes it more of a 12 page thread. Of the 80, 20 had found solutions. So it's 60 users with a problem that hasn't been resolved. Yes, it's a problem for those 60 and Apple should fix it. I'm certainly open to believing that only 1% of the people with some sort of audio problem have posted. So by that assumption 6,000 phones have some sort of audio issue, but not the same one. The actually number of 7+ models sold has not been published yet, but based on past years and initial running rates it's probably around 50 million. So 6,000 /50,000,000 is 0.01% of all 7+ models sold. Which is why Apple doesn't consider it a widespread problem. It's easy to be misled on how widespread any problem is in a support forum, because only people with the problem post. It's like counting the number of sick people in a hospital, and from that assuming that everyone outside of the hospital is sick. Yes, it needs to be fixed. But it's unlikely to be a generic problem in software or hardware, because if it was there would be orders of magnitude more incidences reported. And if it's not a generic problem there is no mass fix possible; each one must be evaluated on its own, beginning with identifying which of the several different problems is at issue.

Hi. I'm one of the folks with the problem that a person I'm speaking with - at random times - can't hear me. I'm on my 2nd 7+, and still have the problem.

From posts here, I've realized that there is more than one single version of iOS 10.1.1, so I just downloaded and installed a newer version. This time, I downloaded it via iTunes (whereas originally I had downloaded it directly to the phone).

I also turned off the ambient sound cancellation function.

And I looked at the case. As far as I can tell, the only possible opening in the back that may be for a microphone (between the camera and the flash), is not covered.

So, we'll see if the not-being-heard-by-call-recipients problem persists now.

Fingers crossed.

thanks for your suggestions. I just tried all the methods still have problem. i even use the same sim card and put into my iphone 6 and at same location call others the quality of voice is significant improved. my sound at the other end of phone is heard very blurring with noise it looks like something covers my microphone . but i also try to test my microphone through voice memo very clear and no problem.

so i think i will go ahead and contact apple support.

It's not the 6 we have issues with it's the 7.

Why then if a phone replaced have same issue?

I just want a phone that works!

I have had iPhone 7 replaced twice.

Have a 3rd on way Ape store had ran out of iPhone 7 to issue why is this?

My guess issue is bigger then they say.

I hope next time my phone works.

If I mentioned in past going to go back to another type my post was delet

I think we need to ascertain which is the predominant fault. With my 7+ the person on the other end during a call tells me that my voice is muffled and keeps breaking up. This is exactly the same as as the first 7+ it replaced. Ask the person at the other end to describe exactly what they are hearing then post the response.

Can you clearly describe the fault so that we can see which is the predominant fault being reported. There is a suggestion that there are a variety of faults in this thread I think it's more a case of symptoms not being described fully.

It is not a case of symptoms not being described fully. Some of the posts describe a problem hearing on your phone, others on the person at the other end not hearing clearly. These are clearly unrelated. Some report that removing the case resolves the problem, others that the case makes no difference. Some report that the problem also occurs with the voice memo app, others say the voice memo app is fine, it is only people on the other end who don't hear clearly. Some report that disabling Voice over LTE resolves it (meaning it's a carrier problem), others that this setting makes no difference. Some report the problem occurs with both the built in mic and earpiece and with a headset, others say its OK with a headset (or speakerphone) and only a problem when using the built in mic and earpiece. Usually when there are different symptoms it is indicative of different problems.

The subject of the thread is rather general, and it will be noticed by anyone who has any sort or audio problem. That's not a criticism, just a fact of life. But for a meaningful discussion we need to be clear about what the exact symptoms are for each report of a problem. You've been very clear about your symptoms, but they are not the same as some of the other posters. And the fact that I can confirm from 5 other 7+ users that we don't have the problem you describe means that it is not a system-wide fault in iOS 10.1.1.

mforrest62 wrote:

If I mentioned in past going to go back to another type my post was delet

That is not why your post was deleted. There are dozens of posts a day from people who say they are going to a competing product that are not deleted. It was either something else in your post (perhaps an external link) that was the reason it was removed. And you should have received an email telling you why. The one other way a post will be deleted is if it was in response to a post that was deleted. This is "collateral damage" and is just a limitation of the way the forum software works. If this is what happened you would not get a notification.

Ok just to be clear my issue with my iPhone 7 are people calling me or receiving calls from me can't hear properly. I sound muffled inconsistent voice to the other end I have had people hang up on me cause the community action is so bad.

I have been told could be my phone case, it's not as have had it removed and same issue. I have had my supplier say could be LTE issue switched it 3G issue still exists.

Down full default resets twice didn't resolve issue.

Going on my 3rd replacement when it arrives at the Apple Store for me to pick up.

Been to Genius Bar 4 times issue is still an issue, checked speakers mic all functioning fine on my 2 iPhone 7 so far.

Last time at the Genius Bar my technperson serving said maybe it's my sleeve or way I hold the phone! I doubt that the issue, then the person sitting beside me said he has same issue he was waiting to be served.

It's obvious there is some problem with these Iphones 7 Apple aren't communicating that we hear you and looking into your issue.

My question to Apple is what stage are Apple are at with this and when can we have a phone working as it should?

I just want a working phone.

If you at Apple buy a TV and it's blurry and hard to hear wouldn't you want it or replaced with a working TV!!!!

Well had replacements with exact same issue!! Why?

I have the same problem with my iphone7 Plus. No one can hear me when I am talking. Recipients complain that the audio is garbled, clipped, or non-existent. Very frustrating to talk to people, I want to throw the phone out the window! Does anyone know if there are any settings that can help, or is this a phone issue that I should demand a replacement? I just upgraded from the 6 plus which had no issues.

I am having audio issues as well. 7Plus. iOS 10.1.1. audio garbled, clipped, muffled, or completely out at distant end. Enabled LTE for Voice & Data. reception is better while using speakerphone, which make no sense to me as audio out path should be the same mic unless turning on speakerphone changes the mic-input?

This is my exact problem the only remedy and it's very funny. Use the iPhone like a walkie-talkie listen to the top and and talk directly into the bottom of the phone that's the only way it works for me. My other remedy

jfl77 wrote:

I am having audio issues as well. 7Plus. iOS 10.1.1. audio garbled, clipped, muffled, or completely out at distant end. Enabled LTE for Voice & Data. reception is better while using speakerphone, which make no sense to me as audio out path should be the same mic unless turning on speakerphone changes the mic-input?

Turning on the speakerphone turns off the noise cancellation feature. It's the same microphone, but the 2nd mic on the back of the phone is off. You can try turning off noise cancellation in Settings/General/Accessibility. Also, if you have the phone in a case try without the case. Some cases interfere with the back microphone.

(all of this has been mentioned in the 18 pages of this thread, but it's hard to find).