Level 1

113 points

iphone 8 poor/sensitive mic during call

Just got a new iPhone 8 (updated to ios 11.0.2) upgraded from iPhone 6. When making a call if not talking directly into the mic the person on the other end cannot hear me (or my voice volume is drastically lower). This occurs when even slightly moving the phone away from my mouth or rotating the phone slightly up or down. My father has the same problem with his iPhone 8, even returned it and got a new one, same problem. Switching to speaker phone solves the problem. Also noting it does not happen all the time and a hard reset can fix it for a bit but then it goes back to the bad behavior.

Has anyone else experienced this?

iPhone 8, iOS 11.0.2

Posted on Oct 5, 2017 7:48 PM

Top-ranking reply

bazilh

Level 1

51 points

Posted on Feb 20, 2018 11:14 AM

I found this interesting post on a similar mic issue thread for the iPhone X (thanks to brentwoodkennyg):

I sound muffled or underwater, but only sometimes. Other calls are perfect. Tried all of the fixes in this forum - Network reset, LTE off/on, full reset, wi-fi calls off. Noise cancellation off. With and without cover. Got a replacement phone from the Apple store. None of it helped and now I know why...

The issue turned out to be how I was holding the phone. There are three microphones on the X and one of them is located by the camera on the back of the phone. Even though I didn't cover it while holding the X (with fingers and thumb on the sides of the phone, I apparently was close enough to make that mic behave differently. When I move my phone-holding position in the same grip to the bottom part of the phone, the problems vanish. I have run through a series of test with my "complainers" and this seems to pinpoint the root cause. It's either user error or a design flaw, but there is a simple workaround. Hold the phone at the bottom of the case and definitely not near the top. Problem Solved!

Update as to why this works: Apple has designed noise cancellation into the talking side of the phone. (This is different than the noise cancellation in the Accessibility settings - those are for the listening not speaking). Anyway, there is a small mic on the back of the X by the camera. It's purpose is to listen for ambient noise (think crowded bar) and to cancel that noise from what it hears from the mics on the front at bottom of the phone. Those mics hear your voice talking plus they hear the ambient noise (crowded bar). The software "subtracts" the bar sound from what it hears on the front and the listener never hears the bar noise - just your voice. (You can test this by completely covering the back mic hole with your finger - then the listener hears the bar noise and has trouble hearing your voice).

Anyway, this is a really great feature - except that if you hold the phone near the top, it channels part of your voice into that back mic and it ends up canceling out all or part of your voice. So I have to hold my phone at the bottom and things work fine. This also explains problems with folding phone cases and issues when you are holding the phone between neck and shoulder.

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403 replies

Dec 11, 2017 6:23 PM in response to KeithJ80

Hi Keith I have the same issue with my Iphone 8Plus, purchased on 2nd November 2017. No one can hear me unless i have the headphone connected or connected to bluetooth. Speaker phone also works, but regular mic does not work everyone tells me they cannot hear me.. this is extremely embarrassing as I am calling clients and they almost hang up me as they cannot hear me. I have to shout very loadly for them to hear me and in an office environment this is very ofoff putting to my colleagues and down right embarrassing to me. Apple just told me to try and record on voice memo.. well this works fine, but still people I call cannot hear me.. Next idea was to download IOS 11.2, well did that this morning and still no good. I assume now they will tell me to reset the phone another waste of 45min of my time.. I can see that you have had a huge response to your post.. did you manage to get the issue resolved or do you still experience the mic issue?

Thanks

Paul

Dec 11, 2017 10:04 PM in response to paulcb400

Also, becareful how you hold the phone as if anything hand or case is blocking the rear microphone then that will be causing the problem.

I had exactly your problem and it was my folding case was folding over the microphone.

Dec 12, 2017 11:05 AM in response to paulcb400

It has to do with the blocking of the rear microphone (between lens and flash-light) If you have a folding case which blocks the rear microphone than the "normal" bottom microphone starts to mute and muffle.

Try to make a call with the case open and the rear microphone free.

Gr.,

Dec 14, 2017 2:54 PM in response to Briansyddall

I am having all the same issues as the rest of you. Just got an I8 from an I6 and when I am on speaker phone the party on the other end says I am muffled and if I am not close to the mic they can not hear me. My I6 I could’ve 10 feet away on speaker and still be heard. Apple needs to fess up to this issue or I will be switching away from Apple. Too much money to have this kind of issue.

Dec 17, 2017 12:38 PM in response to Usgstom

i thought i found a fix by following the recommendation of getting rid of my flip case that blocked the rear mic but the problem has since returned.

currently exchanging the phone for a brand new one so will see how that goes.

Dec 20, 2017 7:54 AM in response to KeithJ80

Having the same issues. Put the earbuds in and no issues. Just a little movement of the phone and the person can't hear me. I hope Apple can figure out this issue. My husband has the 7 no issues.

Ludus88

Level 1

4 points

Dec 20, 2017 9:01 AM in response to Apple falls far from old Apple

Do you think it's a sw bug or hw? the fact that a lot of iphone (from 7 to X) have this problem after some updates makes me think that is a sw issue...the doubt is if Apple will be able to solve it...

Dec 20, 2017 9:31 AM in response to KeithJ80

Hi everyone, because this seems like a widespread issue, and, because this phones are so new and still under warranty, I would recommend taking your iPhone to an Apple Store or an Authorized Retailer. Sorry for this issue, that can be very aggravating. Hope you find the solution there.

Best of luck,

techguy5000

Dec 20, 2017 9:35 AM in response to Apple falls far from old Apple

Same here, I thought my flip case was the issue as it seems to have been sorted once I removed it but it has since came back.

I got the phone exchange for a brand new one which I haven’t tested as yet.

Dec 20, 2017 10:00 AM in response to KeithJ80

The problem is so intermittent you think you fixed it but then it comes back. Right now after putting in the big update from apple our two phones are working right (1 1/2 days). We have carefully eliminated the case as a problem, (mic still failed with case off) but each case is different so you need to test your case making sure it does not cover the mic in back, the two on the base or the one by the ear speaker. We replaced one of the two phones with another brand new one to no effect, using compressed air gently blew out the grills on the bottom mic. Replaced our old SIM cards with new ones. So we just keep hoping the upgrade holds.

Dec 20, 2017 11:22 AM in response to SteveGord

I’ll say it another 100 times. It’s software affecting the hardware. Every single iPhone running iOS 11, will have this issue. It all depends on how the device took in the update back in sept. That’s why most complaints are involving devices installed with 11.x.x. This problem happened in the launch of 11 and ALL DEVICES ARE AFFECTED. I own 5 8’s and only 1 has no microphone problems. I noticed the issue when 3 different people couldn’t hear me for s**t no matter how loud I talked. It’s a sensitivity issue that ties with the software. And no. Sorry. Apple is unaware of this because they’re focusing on more emojis than the actual phone itself. I’m level 10 by the way. Not 1

Dec 20, 2017 11:29 AM in response to Apple falls far from old Apple

Dec 20, 2017 6:12 PM in response to jerryknows

I upgraded my wife from the iphone 6 to the 8 and then myself to the X when it came out. EVERYONE she talks to has trouble hearing her with the same issues in this thread. The case is NOT the issue. Since calls seem to work okay with headphones or speakerphone, I'm inclined to believe it is a software issue. The fact that Apple has so far refused to acknowledge this issue should have Steve Jobs rolling over in his grave. This is just flat out horrible. We switched from Android when the 6/6+ came out. We just might have to go back to android after we pay these phones off (which will be another 2 years).

This issue should be clearly (pun intended) obvious to anyone who has extensive IT experience. All other possibilities have been exhausted by this community. If Apple isn't willing to accept that this issue exists in their software, then they have bigger leadership and culture issues to deal with that will damage their reputation long term.

Dec 20, 2017 6:24 PM in response to jdjohannides

They admitted to me it is probably a software issue. I wonder how popular this issue is. The person on line in front of me at the Apple store had the same issue but I don’t see too many threads on it. Perhaps Apple is monitoring the thread.

Dec 21, 2017 1:15 PM in response to KTMRider2018

I am having the same exact issue as you all. This is totally ridiculous. We are paying out the nose for these phones and they dont work. I hope the next software update i just did with the 11.2.1 fixes the issue of this stinking mic problem. Come on Apple, a phone is suppose to send and receive calls without issues. Quit working on emoji's and fix the basic problems! We have been with Apple since day one and have really liked all their products. The last few years though they are getting cheaper and cheaper components though....The charging cords and ear buds dont even last a year anymore. Steve Jobs ran a tight ship. Sure wish he was still around running His Company!! Anyone find a solution to the Mic issue yet? Thanks everyone for your comments and posts.

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iphone 8 poor/sensitive mic during call