iPhone X with Apple Leather Folio Mic Issues

Hi,

I had the same problem and returned the leather folio case. The problem is not issued by magnets, it is because the folded cover overlaps the little microphone between the two camera lenses (little hole), which should reduce the background noises. Using this folio with cover folded it also rups over the microphone and it is almost impossible to make phone calls. I almost returned my iPhone, cause I thought it might be the phone, that is not working. I talked to the people from Telekom, went 2 times in an Apple Store, but nobody could help me and nobody knew anything about the problem.

It is an constructional defect of the leather folio case.

Just bought the Otterbox Strada and everything works fine. The iPhone X ist a great mobile phone, the best I ever had, but the leather folio is disaster.

YES, it is the case. NO, it has nothing to do with the magnet. It is the flap of the case covering the rear microphone. It isn't just the Apple case; it is any folio case whether it has a magnet or not. You probably haven't read the entire thread, but others have fixed it by either not folding the flap all the way back, or holding it with a finger between the flap and the back of the phone, or by punching a hole in the flap where it covers the rear microphone.

That is not exactly a bug, it isn‘t a feature, either. 😉 It is due to physical limitations. The iPhone has a VERY strong suppression of background noise. You can be in a crowded bar, call someone and he will eventually even think you were in your office. That works by the mic near the camera, which normally records the background noise, but not your voice. This way the delta between the two records is your voice.

Now, the case builts a tunnel for your voice and leads the sound waves from your mouth to the rear mic. The iPhone now „thinks“ your voice was background noise.

If you want to use a book-style-case, there is only one way: Hold it in another way, so that the mic has free „view“ to your surroundings. The easiest way is to use your left ear and simply let the flip hang off.

This is not caused by the magnet. It's caused by the tiny noise cancelling microphone on the back between the two photo lenses, which covered when the flap is wrapped around completely. It doesn't happen when the flap is held away from the back.

I‘ve had the same Issue with my Leather Folio Case, so Apple Store Support offered me a Refund, despite I noticed the Problem way after the official 14-Day Return-Window. I just went for the simple Apple Silicon-Case, although I found a Workaround for the Problem. If you’re willing to renounce on the automatic Lock / Unlock Feature, you simply could deactivate it in the Display & Brightness Preferences. With that Option turned off, you’re able to make Calls with the Cover closed. In my Test, making Calls this way with Sound going through the Leather didn’t affect the Sound-Quality for me. Still not optimal, you‘ll waive a Convenience-Feature for this, but a Solution for handling these Cases.

I have the same problem with the Apple folio case. However since I like the case a lot, otherwise, I put up with the problem. In order to deal with the muffling problem, I insert my index finger between the flap and the back of the phone when I wrap the flap around back during a call. This creates enough space between the back of the phone and the flap to eliminate the muffling problem. Btw, I had a a

Strada before this one and returned it. I like this one a lot more even though it’s twice the money.

After reading about these problems and experienceing the same issue with my new X phone, I took my folio cover back to my Apple store. Was told that at least 3 other people had been back and complained of the same problem. They were very nice and replaced my Folio cover with another cover of my choice. This time I chose a standard non folding style cover. Sound problem solved. No more issues with people having trouble hearing my phone or understanding my calls.......

The problem is quite different: The Folio doesn‘t COVER the mic, it leads the sound of your voice from your mouth behind the device to the rear mic. Then the iPhone „thinks“ your voice was background noise an canceles it. ;)

You can either totally cover the rear mic by pressing the backcover over it (needs to be tight) or you fold the backcover in a was, that the mic stays free. If there ist only a little space between cover and mic, that‘s eben worse than no space.

I'm afraid it looks like it's ALL folio style cases. If you are determined to use one (which I am), you need to place your finger between the back of the phone and the front flap of the case when on a call, this takes away the muffled sound. Call with the case front full folded over, suffer from the issue as far as I can tell.

Hurry up Apple....get this sorted!!! Two phones and three cases before I identified the issue!! Must be costing phone suppliers and case manufacturers a small fortune in returns.

Since getting my iPhone X I've been mainly using it via car Bluetooth. Yesterday I made a call using the conventional method. I have a Nomad leather folio case and when I use it with the cover folded back and the phone to my ear- same issue as everyone. The other person said I was muffled and garbled like I was trying to speak under water.

I tried turning off off noise cancelling but it made no difference.

No problems if using speakerphone mode.

When I let the cover hang with the phone to my ear, it seems to be ok. Looks stupid but at lease the person on the other end can hear me clearly.

I've always used a folio case for my iphones: 4S, 5S, 6S. Never encountered this issue before.

At least now I know it's not a faulty phone per se, just a design quirk!? Hopefully it can be fixed via software update.

I have since returned my Otterbox Strada folio case with a magnetic cover, for an all leather vertical flip cover. No problems taking calls, even with the vertical flip cover, turned right back. This proves to me that the problem is the magnet built into the cover, and caused by a change in the spec of the iPhone X, which has not recognised the impact of magnets on case covers, even their own expensive case!

A couple of hypotheses have been proposed in the thread; if you are interest you should read it. The one that seems the most likely to me is that the case, when folded back, channels your voice to the noise cancellation mic, so the algorithm thinks your voice is noise and cancels it.

A couple of users reported that keeping their finger between the case and the back of the phone eliminated the problem. This problem has been reported with other phones (7s & 8s) over the past year; there are several threads relating to it. And the consensus in all of those threads is that it is the flap covering the mic that causes the problem.

Addendum: One thing you can try is to hold a magnet against the back of the phone while on a call. That should provide valuable additional information.

I followed these instruction and found that my folio case was blocking it. Now its working once I cut out the piece next to the power plug.

If you put a POP SOCKET on the back it will prevent the case from touching the back when it’s open and it’s easier to hold. This cures the problem. I had the same case as my mother’s but I have the pop socket on mine and she didn’t. Her microphone was muffled and mine was not.

Your case has a magnet in it to wake up and sleep the iPhone. The magnet interferes with the microphone when folded to the back. It is a physical issue, not something software will fix unfortunately. I stopped using my Folio case and returned it to Apple. The very kindly gave me a gift voucher to the value of the case.

Thanks Appl