Audio playback stuttering/skipping iOS11.4

I am glad that I am not the only one with this issue. It started for me about 2 weeks ago.

The issue was spotted via Spotify, playback would stop for a second, then restart - followed by glitching and skipping. It was intermittent but happened regularly.

The setup where I experienced this was in my car. iPhone 7 into an auxiliary cable, with a lightning adapter. So I assumed the issue could be any of those connections.

But after updating from 11.3 to 11.4, changing auxiliary cable, uninstalling and reinstalling Spotify - the problem still exists. And it happens with the Apple podcast app, so the issue isn’t unique to Spotify.

Pretty alarmed that other people have this problem also, but notably over an extended period of time, and no updates have solved it.

This is my main way of listening to music - so it’s very frustrating.

Thanks for posting this. I have the same exact problem as described. It happens to me more often than not using the music app, and yesterday occurred in conjunction with use of the Youtube app. Had to manually restart the apps to get them to function properly. This has been an issue for the last several updates and is overwhelmingly frustrating. Please get this fixed Apple!

Nor has Apple publicly and formally admitted to this issue that 1000’s of us experienced. They expect the public to figure it out in public forums.

It is unacceptable, and as an apple customer for 30 years, I’m finally seeing their customer service slip.

Not Happy..

Audio Skipping... in a device whose secondary function is severely comp

I have a 6s, and have been experiencing this exact same issue since iOS 11 first came out. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, via apps including Audible, Overdrive, and Hoopla. I also use Apple’s Podcast app, Music app, and Amazon Music. Not only have I experienced this pause/stutter/skip/cutting in and out within ALL of these applications, but apparently, it’s also impacting my phone as well; my husband has noticed the same issues when on calls with me.

I took my phone in to an Apple Store (for a defective battery replacement) about a month ago. When I mentioned this issue to the staff member helping me, he said he’d “never heard anything about that,” but said he’d “make a note about it and pass it along.” I’m pretty sure he thought I was just another village idiot who didn’t know how to plug my headphones in properly (or something to that effect); I’d be willing to bet the cost of a new iPhone that my concerns were NEVER noted nor passed along to anyone.

After eagerly awaiting two more updates, I’m starting to feel like this issue is never going to be resolved. I’m

glad I downloaded the 11.4 update...now my battery drains super-fast, my apps freeze, and the stuttering audio is STILL a chronic issue. SMH.

I know the feeling — if this really is a case of 11.3 adding so many features the iPhone 6s can't cope with the overhead of all the extra background CPU usage, they shouldn't have released it. Prior to 11.3, I had only considered upgrading to get some of the newer features, because my phone was still working great. Now, I'm so frustrated I don't want to upgrade unless this problem actually gets fixed, *and* I'm reluctant to install updates until then, since it could make things worse.

My hope is that Apple will fix this bug in 11.4.1 or something very soon. My suspicion is there's some runaway processes since the phone also seems to get hot, but I have no idea what that would be, since like you said it happens often when the phone is otherwise idle, and just playing back audio. It'd be one thing if it skipped when I was heavily multi-tasking, but the fact that it's acting like winamp on a 486 while idle makes me think this is 100% a bug, and not just the phone being over-taxed and being unable to keep up with demand.

Frustrating, since even phone calls are affected. Maybe one of these days Apple will develop a real-time OS kernel for their mobile architectures, so we can prioritize CPU usage. Seems like this kind of bug shouldn't be possible in a well-designed application framework.

@welafever - you seem to be somehow personally offended by the fact people are experiencing a problem with their iPhone software?

I'm not sure anyone posting on this thread expects volunteers to help them with suggestions to reboot their device etc, I think what they DO expect is that Apple acknowledge and fix an apparently yet-to-be-identified software problem that was introduced in IOS 11 and continues to be a problem now with 11.4 (in my case - actually worse than it was under previous releases)

Just to clarify, the issue is not related to Spotify or Pandora or any other third-party app - the stuttering occurs with audio in the native Apple Music app and even on phone calls.

If someone here can confirm that a full wipe and restore actually resolves this audio stuttering problem for them on IOS 11.4 I'll happily follow this process - as frustrating and annoying as that is. It still doesn't explain the problem or why Apple haven't acknowledged it up until now.

I have a 6Plus and been having this issue with my Playlists for more than 6+ months - almost daily but randomly.

It happens when I am listening to my playlist music or videos on YouTube / News website - with or without headphones - even when listening through phone speakers.

Invariably happens when the screen display is off. The music at times get stuck as it used to when playing vinyl on my Dad's old gramophone. At times it simply goes into rapid stutter mode and at times the music simply dies along with the phone - and when I press the Home button hard, the phone would come back to life along with the music where it stopped / died.

I have presumably a new hardware, 9 months old, that Apple replaced when they messed up my display on the old phone as they did the $29 battery replacement last year. Still on 11.4 and scared to upgrade as I don't trust Apple blindly anymore.

Looking for workable solution - if something has been tried and truly worked.

I am in the same boat. I use my phone constantly for audiobooks and music. This issue is driving me nuts and is forcing me to really begin considering a Samsung. VERY disappointed in Apple's lack of response on this!!!!

You’re not alone. Frankly, I’m surprised your reply post was allowed, as they are systematically elimating posts “that don’t contribute a positive or informative addition to the community.”

I’m currently being asked to “describe the problem” in a one on one support email. As if they never heard of this issue.

I hope you get to see this before they nuke it.

I'm having the same issue, I initially noticed it on calls - the audio skipping, or speeding up or slowing way down - making myself or my caller sound funny. Then I noticed songs in music skipping and cutting out, and audiobooks have started doing the same thing. I just updated to 11.4 but am still having this issue. I use my phone for work, so this is more than an inconvenience - it's worrisome. I'll be following to see if there are any recommendations from apple support.

I agree with all of the comments above. I use the Downcast podcast app about 2 hours per day, and the issue makes podcasts almost unlistenable. Still happening on 11.4, where I hoped it would be fixed.

Apple, are you listening? This issue is rapidly becoming one that makes this dedicated iPhone user consider other options ......

Same audio issues here, I have an iphone 6s Plus that was performing just fine until the 11.3 release. Super frustrating since the majority of use is for audio, and while I am here:

Dear Apple,

Put a real headphone jack back in future releases for the larger models please; I would gladly sacrifice whatever minor performance enhancements offered in place of a standardized jack. As one of the primary functions of use is an audio device taking the place of ipods etc I am seriously looking at other options instead of the 7,8 or X models. I am done with maintaining/charging yet another device (wireless headphones, sets, pods) to simply work with a handheld device. And no the ridiculous "fix" of the dongle adaptor is not good design, it's a major hassle.

Regards

longtime user

Same problem. First noticed it during phone calls and it now occurs regularly. This is a problem as I use the phone for work as well as home. Lately I've noticed it on iTunes playback as well. I had actually thought it was the iPhone itself. Guess not.

Same issue(s) here. This is getting close to a deal breaker with me. If they don’t get their act together soon I’ll have to have a long hard think about my 22 year relationship with Apple. Other folks in this thread have stated the things I’m unhappy with beautifully, so I’ll just add my voice of dissatisfaction to theirs.

Audio stuttering on music playback thru the native music app is also an issue for me carried over from 11.3.

Not only is the issue persistant after the recent 11.4 update, it is actually worse - more regular stuttering with each instance of stuttering/skipping going for 20-30 seconds.

Has anyone tried a complete wipe and restore to see if this resolves the issue? I really dont want to have to do this but will have to if Apple are unable to resolve it.