A few owners of the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus might feel their phones don’t like them very much, with reports that some devices are making a mysterious hissing noise.
Every millimetre of the iPhone 7, and its bigger sibling the iPhone 7 Plus, is being scrutinised following the device’s recent release.
While a fake speaker grille does nothing to affect the phone’s performance, other issues do. A recently discovered hardware fault creates a noticeable hissing noise emanating from the speakers.
One of the first people to report it online was the podcaster Stephen Hackett, who posted a video of the sound being emitted from his iPhone 7. It sounds identical to when the connection between an audio device and a speaker is not correct.
My iPhone 7 Plus makes terrible noises when under load. https://t.co/wFM2gImpOb
— Stephen Hackett (@ismh) September 17, 2016
Hackett was joined by a number of other users coming forward with the problem, confirming the sound was being emitted when the phone was under heavy usage, such as when it is downloading a lot of apps at the same time.
According to The Telegraph, the issue is being linked to the phone’s new A10 Fusion processor, which was intended to make the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus twice as powerful as the iPhone 6.
iOS developer and podcaster Marco Arment described the noise as being comparable to when a laptop’s internal fans whir at a fast pace, adding that, while it could be heard on older iPhones, it appears to be louder on Apple’s latest devices.
It may not be new. But being louder and more annoying is not great.
Not a huge deal, but still a regression. https://t.co/uGfp1sqtBW
— Marco Arment (@marcoarment) September 17, 2016
It appears that Apple is now aware of the issue and advising customers who may be affected by such a defect – including Hackett – to take their phone back to an Apple store to get a replacement.
However, this might prove difficult, given that the phone is in short supply globally – many of its in-demand handsets are already sold out.
Another issue with the phone relates to its home button, and how users are finding its fingerprint scanner only works with direct skin contact.
Based on testing undertaken by The Guardian, the home button did not activate when the user was wearing touchscreen gloves, or when the device was put in a waterproof case.
Man covering ears. Image: Shutterstock
