Audio playback stuttering/skipping iOS11.4

iPhone 6s and the same issue. On a 11.3.1 it was rare and doesn’t very annoying. But after 11.4 it happened every time. Every audio app stutters after one second of screen dim. Clearly it has some connection to sleep mode energy efficieny. No matter which output- headphones, dock station, bt headset. It stutters on everything connected. In every app that produce sound - music and even on a phonecalls and that is really pain in the lower back. Main functions of a device which is a phone calls and a music are working disgracefully bad. I really thinking of buying some android after what those unprofessional Apple programmers are doing

Hi, I've had the same problem since 11.3. Infuriating, as I listen to music every day.

Anyway, a workaround, which has worked for me ... for the last couple of weeks, at least: Download the Radsone Hi-Res music player app (I have no affiliation, BTW), and play your music via that, not the Apple Music app.

(Downside, you need to download the music to your phone. You cannot use the app on music in the cloud.)

As a previous user of an iPhone 6 and now a new iPhone 8, and using the latest iOS updates, I have had various stuttering issues with audio when my device is running CarPlay. Granted, 99% of the time I use CarPlay, so I can't confirm if this also happens when using BlueTooth headphones. When the audio starts stuttering (rapid fire style) the only way I can fix it is disconnecting/reconnect the USB cable. Most of the time I may hear a random skip in the music. You can glance down and look at the time the skip happened, then restart the same song and you may never hear it again. The behavior is totally random and unpredictable. Apple needs to step up to the plate and either declare the bug as a known issue or get their act together and get back into the quality mode they once had. Tim are you listening? ;-)

I've been having this issue since approximately April 11 of this year. I use an iPhone 7. I've notice the audio drop-out/distortion/skipping when listening to music (both streaming and downloaded), podcasts, Instagram/YouTube videos, etc. It doesn't matter if I'm connected to wi-fi or using data, or whether I'm streaming or listening to downloaded content. I did notice that it only seems to happen when something is plugged into the lightning port-- my headphones, or an adapter to a speaker hook-up, etc. It doesn't seem to happen to be when connected to a Bluetooth device. The update to iOS 11.4 didn't seem to help. It still happens pretty regularly. I chatted with Apple Support and even took it to the Genius Bar and no one was able to diagnose the problem. Their suggestion was for me to get a new phone, which seems stupid. In a way I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem. It's just crazy to me that Apple Support made it sound like it was the first time they were hearing about it.

Same here I can get through 2 tracks then it starts to skip and stutter. All music not just the native app.

What EVERYONE needs to do is call or message Apple then they will have to act. They don’t read these forums as much as you think, if they don’t here from us directly, then it’s not a big problem

I called today. They said they would look into it and I was the first that had made this complaint to him

After this problem driving me crazy for a couple of months from IOS11.3 mainly during phonecalls when using headphones via lightning connector, I've downloaded IOS 12 beta, early days but currently no repetition.

I'm in the same boat. I am so appalled that they have dropped the ball on this.

The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is that the CPU gets too busy with other tasks and can't update the output buffer in time, so it repeats the data that's already in the output queue, causing the skipping sound. It sounds *just like* when I used to deal with DSP output for a control system and couldn't keep up. In fact I used music in my testing (system was not for music) so that I could hear this buffer skipping and know that my loop was too slow occasionally.

This also happens to me randomly. it started with my iPhone 5s running on ios 9.3.3

When listening to music not Apple Music my music would randomly skip or get bad static. This happened randomly so

I wasn't really bothered, now it also happens to my iPhone 7+ on 11.4.1 what I did to resolve this is I forced shut down my phone.

It seemed to work so far the issue did not occur again.

Good Luck.

Updated to 11.14.1 on iPhone X: the issue is still present but less annoyng (it happens every 10-12 songs, instead of 4-5 time each songs).

Using the phone on charge or with maps opened seem to work as a workaround: i strongly suspect this is a powermanagement issue...

Although i don’t actually think it’s the phone. It only happens when I have my headphones in (and I’ve tried multiple headphones so it’s not my headphones) so I actually think it’s the Apple adaptor, the lightning to 3.5mm aux port. Is everyone who’s having the problem using ‘non apple’ headphones?

I just upgraded to 11.4.1 and it started almost immediately for me using mp3's in the native audio playback app.

They worked fine before the update but now randomly in a song playback stops for 2-3 secs and about 10 seconds after audio resumes digital distortion and stutering begin.

I have to "kill" the audio playback app and restart to get the stuttering to stop.

Happens on both new (I loaded a new CD last night) and older mp3's (ones that have been on my phone for years).

Happens while connected to USB and without being connected.

Happens about 1 in every 10-20 plays.

I'm primarily having this problem when I have non-Apple headphones plugged into the lightning port adapter... but I bought a new adapter and that didn't solve the problem. I also tried different headphones to no avail.

This morning the audio cut out while I was playing music over a Bluetooth speaker. (Prior to that the audio issues have mainly been confined to headphones.) But there was no skipping or audio distortion-- it just dropped out for a few seconds.

I did have the phone charging at the time, so something was plugged into my lighting port. I'm feeling like the actual port may be the problem. It's just crazy to me that so many other people are having this same problem, on all different models of the iPhone. Like it can't possibly be a hardware issue.

I have the same stuttering audio issue with iPhone 7, IOS 11.4.1, and I see that 1,009 other people have the same issue.

Happens with both wired headphones, and with bluetooth headphones.

Stuttering audio with the iPhone music app and Audible. Have not noticed with video.

After I reboot the phone it seems to clear up for a while, but then audio stuttering comes back.

iPhone re-boot clears up the stuttering for a few hours, sometimes a whole day.

I took it to the Apple store, they ran all sorts of diagnostics and said there was no problem.

The in-store Apple tech support guy said he had never heard of this.

Of course the problem could not be reproduced in the store.

They said it might be the lightning to 3.5mm dongle adapter so they gave me a new one at no charge since I paid full price for Apple Care.

Stuttering audio does not occur as often now, but I still have to re-boot my iPhone 7 every day.

Not good.

No I haven't and don't know if/when I will, seeing as I saw another post saying that it did nothing.

Try my charge tip when you get home from your appointment and see how you go. Working perfectly for me as long as I stay over 90% charge. Not a permanent fix, I know, but better than the frustration of listening to bad quality audio.

It wipes the phone, but if you log in and select iCloud or iTunes backup, it will restore it back to what it was... just without music or WiFi passwords or anything else that wasn’t saved in backup... luckily for me though my iPad was able to sync with my phone and connect me with the WiFi passwords lol