Apple released the iPhone 7 a few weeks ago and many buyers have experienced technical problems. Some of those problems include a hissing noise coming from the devices, network disconnections after switching off Airplane Mode and Lightning EarPods malfunctions. Here are a few tips to resolve some of those issues.
Hissing Sound
Several iPhone 7 owners noticed that their devices have been making a hissing noise coming from the back. And the noise seem to get louder as the devices take on heavy loads.
According to The Verge, the hissing may be due to a "coil noise" or "coil whine" coming from the A10 fusion chip. And AppleInsider suggested that the problem could be due to the RF transmitter or interference with the speaker system.
This issue was first noticed by Stephen Hackett of 512 Pixels. Hackett's device started experiencing the hissing noise after restoring his device using iCloud:
My iPhone 7 Plus makes terrible noises when under load. https://t.co/wFM2gImpOb
— Stephen Hackett (@ismh) September 17, 2016
So far there does not really seem to be a way to fix this internal hardware problem beyond getting a replacement from the Apple Store. And it is believed that this problem happens on both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Lightning EarPods Volume Dongle Malfunction
Are you experiencing problems with the volume dongle on your Lightning EarPods? Steve Kovach of BusinessInsider said that the volume control dongle on his Lightning EarPods stopped working after being plugged into the iPhone 7 Lightning port for just a few minutes. This prevented him from being able to adjust the volume and answer calls. And this problem also affects users that have a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter.
@gruber this is legit annoying though https://t.co/OcOEVxSzJt
— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) September 21, 2016
When that issue comes up, the temporary solution is to unplug the EarPods and plug it back in. Fortunately, Apple fixed the problem in iOS 10.0.2 so you should perform a software update on your iPhone 7 shortly after taking it out of the box. You can update your software by going to the Settings app > General > Software Update.
Network Disconnects After Switch Off Airplane Mode
Whenever you hop on a flight before take off, it is expected that you switch your iPhone to Airplane Mode so that it does not transmit radio-frequency signals. Then you can switch Airplane Mode back on after landing to reactivate cellular telephony. Unfortunately, some iPhone 7 devices have not been properly reconnecting to cell networks again after turning off Airplane Mode. Here is an example of that problem:
According to MacRumors, Apple is aware of this issue and is investigating the matter. But Apple advised authorized service providers to tell affected customers to restart their devices or remove and reinsert the SIM cards. A MacRumors reader said that the Genius Bar simply replaced his device instead of checking the diagnostics when he was experiencing this problem.
In the video, the iPhone 7 device experiencing the Airplane Mode issue appears to be an AT&T model — meaning it has an Intel modem instead of a Qualcomm modem. The iPhone 7 models on Verizon and Sprint use Qualcomm modems.
Jet Black iPhone 7 And 7 Plus Scratches Easily
The jet black versions of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have been very popular with consumers. However these color models seem to scratch much easier than the other colors. This problem was actually discovered very quickly by reviewers at the iPhone 7 launch event itself.
Apple acknowledges this problem and wrote a disclaimer about it on the product website. “The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use. If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone,” says Apple.
Since this is a physical problem, it appears that buying a case is the only solution for preventing micro abrasions. Here is a scratch test CNET performed on the jet black iPhone 7:
Capacitive Touch Home Button
Another potential issue with the iPhone 7 is the Home button. The new Home button is pressure sensitive and does not press inwards. Plus the new Home button uses capacitive touch so it doesn't work if you have gloves or an armband on. Fortunately there are capacitive gloves available for purchase on websites like Amazon.com if you want to use your Home button while keeping your hands covered. It's also worth mentioning that you can change the Home button haptic feedback by going to Settings> General > Home Button> Choose Your Click.
Charging And Listening To Headphones At The Same Time
One of the biggest complaints about the iPhone 7 is that you cannot listen to wired headphones and charge at the same time. I would recommend using wireless headphones, but there are Lightning cable splitters available for purchase too. Belkin sells a Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar for $39.99.
Apple also sells a Lightning Dock product for a cost of between $39-$49 depending on the color. The Lightning Dock product lets you charge your iPhone 7 and listen to audio (via 3.5mm headphone jack) at the same time.
What are your thoughts about some of these iPhone 7 problems? Have you experienced any of these issues? Please leave a comment!
