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iPhone 7 Plus Phone Call Sound Quality

So we just got 2 new iPhone 7 Plus' and I am noticing that the incoming call audio quality on both sounds strange. I have the Apple leather case on the phone and incoming audio sounds distant. Like it is coming from behind the phone or something. It almost sounds like the phone is on speaker phone but it isn't. Turning the volume down helps a bit but it seems off. Previous I had an iPhone 6 so I don't know how this compares to the 6 Plus.


Any help is appreciated!


Thanks!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Sep 16, 2016 11:36 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 2, 2017 5:26 AM

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The iPhone 7 (Photo credit: John Taggart/Bloomberg)

With the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Intel finally made its way into Apple's most important product. Good news for Intel, no doubt, but not for consumers.

Tests of LTE connectivity, released on Thursday by Cellular Insights, show a huge performance gap between the iPhone 7 equipped with an Intel modem and a Qualcomm modem. The difference in performance is a black eye not only for Intel, but also for Apple, which for the past five years had relied on Qualcomm exclusively for its iPhone modem chips. With the iPhone 7, Apple decided to make two versions -- one with an Intel modem and one with a Qualcomm modem. (Neither Intel nor Apple have commented on the performance gap so far.)

For consumers, the downside of owning an Intel version is significant. The tests revealed that Qualcomm-powered iPhone 7s are able to consistently establish stronger connections to LTE networks than Intel-powered iPhone 7s. Qualcomm modems outran Intel modems by 30% in overall performance, and 75% when the signal was at its weakest.

Since writing a story about these modem benchmarks, readers have asked FORBES -- directly and via Twitter -- how to make sure they're buying the better iPhone 7 with a Qualcomm modem. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, you probably should be careful which iPhone 7 you end up buying.

Here are some ways you can make sure you're not buying the inferior iPhone 7.

Model number

As this Apple spec page shows, Apple created two distinct versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to segment out devices with an Intel modem or a Qualcomm modem.

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By checking the model number on the back of the iPhone 7, you will be able to tell:

  • Model A1660 and Model A1661 means they have a Qualcomm modem.
  • Model A1778 and Model A1784 are equipped with an Intel modem.

Carriers

If you're a United States-based customer buying from a carrier, the best way to make sure which iPhone 7 you're getting is:

  • Verizon and Sprint sell the Qualcomm-powered iPhone.
  • AT&T and T-Mobile sell the Intel-equipped iPhone.

The Apple spec page indicates that the Intel-powered

A1778 and A1784 phones won't support CDMA (or code division multiple access), a cellular technology used on some LTE networks. That means an Intel-powered iPhone 7 simply won't work on CDMA networks, such as Verizon's and Sprint's.

Qualcomm's modem works on all the four big carrier networks in the US. And o

verall, Qualcomm's modem supports a much wider variety of cellular technology than Intel. Qualcomm hardware supports GSM/CDMA/WCDMA/TD-SCDMA/LTE, while Intel's only support GSM/WCDMA/LTE. That means that in addition to improved connectivity performance with a Qualcomm modem, Qualcomm can work on more networks.

Apple also sells unlocked versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhones 7 Plus that

come with a Qualcomm modem.

The relationship between modem makers and carriers is a close one. Supporting various cellular technologies is extraordinarily complex. Each carrier has their own unique network demands and features. Qualcomm has been in this game a lot longer than Intel, and as a result, it has a lot more to offer the consumer, according to experts.

“Building modems for today’s cellphones is an extremely daunting task,” said Sundeep Rangan, an engineering professor at New York University who specializes in wireless technologies. “It has to support a dizzying array of features and get the chips down to a form factor and low power performance.”

Follow me on Twitter @aatilley or send me an email: atilley@forbes.com

504 replies

Feb 15, 2017 5:38 PM in response to Steven Fisher1

I have the same issue with my iPhone 7 plus Matte Black 128 GB. I'm at my 2nd replacement phone for the same call sound issue when calling from the phone, not any other app using the mic is making this issue.


I tried something though and it seems to work for me, maybe it's going to work for some other people too. While the noise cancellation is activate (or not, it doesn't matter because for some reason the back mic seems to be always working...), simply put your finger on the back microphone between the camera and the flash and talk. It should be okay.


The back mic seems to receive the voice whether the noise cancellation is on or off and that must be why our voice is getting cut while talking on the phone but not anywhere else. I guess it must be some kind of calibrating issue (probably within the Phone app) itself, considering it's not making it with other app.


I'm running the latest Beta software and the issue is still there, I sincerely hope Apple is aware of this issue (and it doesn't seem to be physical considering no other app is having this issue.


Tell me if it works for you too, I'm curious!


We'll at least have some sort of workaround until it's permanently fix!

Feb 16, 2017 12:29 AM in response to Steven Fisher1

I took this issue high up in Apple Ireland which involved Apple Engineering, I had to install a diagnostic App on my phone whilst they took various logs over a couple of days of using my 7+. Once dignostics was complete my phone call quality improved though still not as expected of a high end phone. Who ever I've spoken to at Apple have made the point that this issue has been reported by a minute percent of Iphone 7 and 7+ owners, this made me realise they don't care. For me the best option is move to the new S company S8 due out soon, if the A company don't care and insist there isn't an issue why stay with them. It's quite clear the A company are reading this tread, I've sent them links to this and the Facebook thread but they still deny there's a problem so why not take our business elsewhere. Whilst the S company had the well publicised battery problem they owned up and rectified the situation, I experienced this as a Note 7 owner that wishes he didn't move to the A company.

Feb 16, 2017 3:43 AM in response to red1mp

I was experiencing the same issue with my iPhone 7, people I was talking to weren´t able to understand me, mic was cutting out, I sounded muffled etc.. Took my phone to the Apple Store and they gave me a new one, which is now working as intended. So I´d advise you to visit an apple store, and insist on getting a replacement. Good luck, greets
Flo

Feb 19, 2017 6:03 AM in response to digedidope

Same here in the Netherlands. Day before yesterday I got my third iPhone 7, but people I call keep complaining about fading call volume and/or garbled or muffled sound.


Fed up with talking to Apple and Vodafone support staff, I finally decided to hand in the towel and got myself an iPhone 6S, which turns out to have none of the problems the iPhone 7 seems to suffer from. I guess I'll just keep the 7 as a spare...

Feb 27, 2017 5:48 PM in response to jurneeka

i am also , i just buy 7+ , rose color 128G, during talking phone with my friend i can hear my friend speaking clearly , but my friend can not hear my sound clearly , they said my sound very low and some time cannot listen , looking signal transfer problem , but every friend said the same , i hope it because software problem not because because Mix or some hardware in the phone, and hope apple will be reply to this problem .

Mar 7, 2017 4:37 PM in response to Machinezane

I have the same issue with poor quality microphones on the iphone 7+ since day one (and this is my first Apple phone product since moving over from Samsung). Callers complaining I sounded muffled. Followed all instructions on IOS upgrade, memo test et al. Have sent it back to be fixed, they did a hard reset and IOS upgrade (still confused about this as it was already current).


During my own testing which included turning noise cancelling off, I found the position of the bottom of the phone in relation to your mouth greatly affected the quality. When the phone is direct centre of my jaw line the call quality improves, move it an inch up or down and the quality degrades significantly.


Sorry I cant offer any more, but position seems to be everything!

Mar 19, 2017 7:54 PM in response to Sonjamaj

I sent the phone back to Optus (I am in Australia), they hard reset it, updated the phone and returned it to my claiming it to be fixed........and it was the same. Went back to an Optus store and they replaced the sim card, and now work much better. Quality is still what I expect from a brand new phone, sounds like I am talking in a cave, but nothing more I can do about it now it seems.

Mar 31, 2017 9:19 AM in response to DebbyITS

Hi All, thanks for all the tips and my experience is much the same. I bought a new iPhone 7 three days ago and immediately noticed the poor audio from the called party. The received quality at my end was fair but not as good as the iPhone 5S which continues to be excellent both ways.

I found also that using the phone without any case improved the quality considerably and by covering the rear microphone made it worse. Turning OFF noise cancellation also improved the situation.

The choices seem to be either use it without the case and wait for an IOS fix or return the phone and chose something other that an iPhone.

Very unsatisfactory but very good for other competitors!

iPhone 7 Plus Phone Call Sound Quality

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