iPhone 7, 7 Plus Have a Microphone Problem

If you use an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus and have had difficulty being heard during calls, you aren't alone. Although limited, Apple acknowledged that there is a microphone problem on some iPhone 7 handsets. Weirdly, the hardware defect seems to have been triggered by iOS 11.3.

As MacRumors reports, Apple distributed a document to Apple Authorized Service providers detailing the fault present in both iPhone 7 ($288.00 at Visible) and iPhone 7 Plus ($769.99 at Verizon) and how to deal with it. The problem will present itself to users as the speaker button being grayed-out on their iPhone. When making a call or having a FaceTime chat, the person you are talking to may not hear your voice.

Apple isn't explaining what the specific fault is, but it looks to have been triggered by the upgrade to iOS 11.3. Disconnecting all Bluetooth headsets and audio accessories may solve the problem. If it doesn't, then a repair is required. Service providers will run audio diagnostics and if the message "device could not detect dock" or "accessory not supported" pops up then further work is required.

The good news is, it doesn't look as though the repair will cost anything. Apple is offering an exception for this specific problem if your iPhone warranty has expired. Be sure to check before agreeing to a repair being carried out, though.

Another thing to keep in mind is what other damage your iPhone has. Some owners have been hit with an unexpected bill recently when they took advantage of Apple's $29 battery replacement program. If any other damage is present on the handset then it needs to be repaired before Apple will agree to fit the new battery.