Iphone 8 plus microphone issues

Thanks that worked! Going into cellular settings and changing LTE to “data only” fixed the problem for me. Everyone should try this first to see if that helps them too. Now I’m guessing it’s a data / connection problem, and not the microphones.

I also turned off noise cancelling and enabled WiFi calling, in case these setting changes help too.

I’ve had my iPhone 8 for over a year, and only started having this problem since the day I recently moved to a new place. I didn’t change the sim, reset the phone or settings, do any updates, or do a factory install.

I spoke to Apple and told them I tested making a call between my new iphone 8+ and my old iphone 6+ with the answering phone being muted so sound only went from the iphone making the call. I used the TV as a constand sound source.

The iphone 6+ made a clear call with all the background, but the iphone 8+ only picked up the tv if it was placed directly in front of the speaker. Even moving it slightly meant little sound was picked up.

The Apple engineer said it was a great test and thought the bottom microphone (this is the one used when speaker is not used) was too condensed... I said its not picking up peripheral sound as all other iphones had.

I had also turned of noise cancelling in case this was causing the problem, but no change. Also it was interesting that voice memo picks up sound ok, but maybe there is a hidden feature that making a call uses

Anyway, I am going to take the phone into the Geniuis Bar, but have complained to Apple that an $869 phone should have been quality tested

You are just another one of many people complaining about the 8+microphone.

It seems we have all gone through **** trying to resolve the problem and have all spent hours on the phone with Apple second-tier senior advisers.

I am on my third 8+ phone. I also had no microphone issues with my six. They started immediately with the 8+.

You have done some really amazing tests and I don’t know whether your issue has been resolved or not but it doesn’t sound so.

Apple is very slow to admit that many people are now complaining about this microphone issue.

My carrier is Verizon and they replaced my Sim card. The advisor who I had spoken to many many days and God knows how many hours finally advised me it was a Sim card issue. He suggested the idiotic idea of exchanging what he thought was a compromise Sim card with another iPhone user having a different carrier. Why would I want to exchanged in the cars with another person and possibly infect their phone? What a ridiculous idea!

I went to Verizon and they whipped out an apple symbol card, installed it, changed a few settings which apparently affected microphone issues in my area which is New York.

I don’t know where you live but if it’s New York Pennsylvania Connecticut or New Jersey you might have a problem with one of your settings which should be on data only. Apparently any other setting caused static and poor voice quality in the microphone.

I don’t know if this helps but all I know is the deal I’m with Apple for five months and setting up three different phones, bringing them back to factory settings and putting everything in again was hair-raising.

Apple is far from user-friendly these days. I do not know what they are doing but I agree that they should not be putting our phones that may have hardware problems.

After receiving my third phone and going through the process of setting it up and then wiping out all the info and sending it back to to Apple and retrieving my $900 in escrow, I had the same issue. No one could hear me properly. My voice was breaking up. I sounded like I was on Mars.

I must’ve spoken to at least 22 tier senior advisers.

The last one had the sense to send it to the engineering department. They didn’t exhausted testing. I had to go through hours of running tests on my phone while on my landline talking to Apple advisor.

After all that wasted time if I still didn’t work properly.

I was told it was a carrier problem and to go to Verizon. I called Verizon and they said oh no problem just change the setting. Of course that didn’t work.

Then the Apple genius told me to take my Sim card and switch it with another idiot who would be stupid enough to give me their phone and Sim card to test for a day. My Sim card was probably compromised. Now why would I want to infect someone else’s phone?

Why I dopey suggestion.

I went to Verizon and they worked out a new Apple sim card. Changed a setting for my region which is New York and apparently your wife I has to be on data only. Now I have no problems!

I went through months of exhausting conversations with Apple. The frustration and anger at not getting my problem resolved What is moving me into a lunatic. After all it is just a telephone. But it didn’t cost $900! Why they couldn’t have just said you probably have a hacked Sim card To begin with is beyond me!

Go to your carrier and get a new Sim card. Explain the problem to them. They may have to change a few settings as well.

Apparently hacking some cars there’s a big thing these days.

I have been corresponding with whaddabeach Who is also in this Apple support community complaining of the Microphone issue.

We are both on our third phone and have spent countless hours over a period of months dealing with organizing tests and phone conversations with Apple senior representatives.

My problem seems to be finally resolved because I went to Verizon and they changed by seven card and a few settings. I live in New York and they said people in New York experience certain issues like this when their Wi-Fi setting is not

I have been corresponding with whaddabeach Who is also in this Apple support community complaining of the Microphone issue.

We are both on our third phone and have spent countless hours over a period of months dealing with organizing tests and phone conversations with Apple senior representatives.

My problem seems to be finally resolved because I went to Verizon and they changed by Sim card and a few settings. I live in New York and they said people in New York experience certain issues like this when their Wi-Fi setting is not set properly.

If you have not tried this maybe you should.

Same issue. Twice in and ‘can’t replicate problem’. Changed SIM. No change.

Tried ‘fix’ suggested in earlier post on this issue of covering up the mic on the back. (Small piece of electrical tape) “bingo” has worked so far. Terrible to think this is the only solution. Let’s hope it stays ‘fixed’!!!

babette71,

See if this helps:

Get help with the microphones on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Hi,

similar to my iphone 8 problem.

try block the rear microphone with multiple layers of tape and see if it helps.

(maybe it's switching microphones during conversation)

Regards,

Paleco

Apple is witholding known info. Several Tech Magazines have proven the 7’s and 8’s all have a bottom Mic flaw. No matter what you do, Tech Support, visit Apple etc... its their porblem and they are not owning up to it. Not a software issue. Its a bad design and bad mic. We all must go and contact Apple and demand proper replacement. Complain to f. t. c. Or f. c. c. So they finally act. Lets face it, they dont beta test. Consumers are thei lab rats.

i have the same problem and went to the genius bar. they diagnosed a faulty bottom right microphone and gave me a replacement handset as the microphone can not be repaired. the replacement phone has exactly the same problem. looking at the scale of feedback about the same problem from different users in different countries it must be a hardware or software problem...?? if the phones do have faulty microphones and at a large scale this would be massive for apple as replacement handsets required. if its software surly and IOS update would have been sorted by now...?

I have been working with apple engineers for 6 months and no help. They tried to blame att but not true. It's the **** phone. I put tape over the tiny speaker that is located in the back by the camera or hold my finger over the hole when the tape falls off. Ridiculous for all the money we spent to buy this phone.

Sorry to hear you’re experiencing so many problems. I was so frustrated from dealing with different Apple so called geniuses that I came close to being very nasty. That never helps no matter how angry you are because the technicians can only do so much.

The level of expertise varies from Sr to Sr and their personalities are sometimes abrasive.

The one thing that seems to be a commonality is the carrier. AT&T people have more problems than Verizon.

My microphone issue was finally resolved with Verizon. They replaced my Sim card and changed a few settings which apparently have to do with the area I am in. It also depends on who you get to help you from whatever carrier you are using.

This phone is definitely not worth the amount of money that I spent on it however at this point it will do until it is paid off.

I'm also experiencing this issue on an 8 Plus and carrying on conversations has become beyond frustrating. I've had this phone for 6-7 months, and experienced the problem from day one. I'm stunned to have found this post and discover that not only am I far from alone, but to see threads like this have lasted more than a year with no resolution from Apple which is simply unacceptable.

I purchased my 8 plus fully unlocked at an Apple Store just days after the XS was released. I chose the 8 Plus mainly because I have issues closing the windows on the newer models that lack a home button. This may be because of my own physical disability, but regardless of the reason, I was satisfied with my choice until I started making calls. Nearly everyone I talk to was telling me, "You sound muffled, like you're in a tunnel, underwater, etc."

As soon as I switch to speaker, I'm told everything is clear, but this is not a solution as some calls need to remain private. Just 15 days after my purchase, I went to an Apple Store and everything tested fine. Calls to Apple Support as well as that visit to Apple both had me believing it was a carrier issue. After 3-4 weeks of frustration with calls, I finally switched carriers from Tracfone to Verizon.

I have better service overall but the problem remains. I went back to the Apple store several weeks later, and the new possibility suggested was to have them replace the antenna. We knew it wasn't a carrier issue since I switched carriers specifically for this reason. I left the store undecided about what to do, because I'd rather not possibly end up with a refurbished phone just after 2 months and $800+ (256 GB model) to get a new one. After discussing this with Verizon, they confirmed it is not an antenna issue as my Data speeds would be affected as well. I have excellent data speeds and not a signal internet or MMS texting issue.

Over the past 3-4 months, I haven't gone back to the Apple store, because many people that I talk to stopped mentioning the issue. I also make most of my important calls on a landline to avoid the issue, which is not a solution by any means. Obviously it’s sometimes not possible to wait or schedule a call for a time when I'm near a landline.

This week people have begun mentioning it again – I’m told the problem never went away, but they just didn't want to continue bugging me about it. I simply don't know what to do as I'm not a fan of Android OS and cannot trade the phone in for an XR or XS as I need the home button.

Purchasing a new 8 Plus is, as this point, the only way to ensure I’d actually be getting a new one, but that’s not acceptable to me since I’ve only had the phone for 6-7 months and this has been a problem right out of the box. Not to mention, this issue is so common that it may happen again with a new or refurbished model. I’ve tried all the suggested “fixes” – turned off noise cancelling, hearing aid capability, changed LTE setting to Data only, restored the phone, blown compressed air on speaker grills, - nothing changes until you use speakerphone for calls. Apple needs to address and resolve this issue ASAP!

Any suggestions for someone who is unable to just trade up to an XS would be greatly appreciated.

I have the exact same problem. Took it too the Apple store and they did a hard reset, which fixed the problem temporarily. It is now happening again and it's very frustrating as each time I need to switch to the speaker phone which has no issues. This is a known problem by Apple and they don't seem to be able to fix it.