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iPhone 4S Home Button Loose Clicking

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pk7

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
441
64
Hi all,

Just today, my 6.5-month-old iPhone 4S started having some weird behavior with the home button.

The home button makes a clicking sound when I lightly press it (while not actually pressing it fully), and also feels loose and kinda "sticky." It only does this when I let the phone sit for a while.

I saw this post at the Apple Support forums that describes exactly what I've been experiencing: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3894412?start=0&tstart=0#

I've heard conflicting opinions: some that this is normal and some that it's not.

The phone is obviously still within warranty. I could get it replaced, but I've heard that replacement phones can be even worse when it comes to the home button.

I am willing to either swap it out at the Genius Bar or just try to suck it up and keep using the phone as is. This home button quirk is a little annoying, but the iPhone itself is still perfectly functional and usable - I couldn't be happier with it.

What do you all think?

Thanks! :)
 
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Futhark

Futhark

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2011
1,237
175
Northern Ireland
If unhappy with it you are within your rights to get it repaired or replaced because it's under warranty. It's better to be safe than sorry.
 
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RocketRed

macrumors 6502a
Jan 25, 2012
507
0
I would get it replaced. It sounds like the soft "cushion" between the button and the phone has gone flat.
 
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ReliableSource

macrumors member
Nov 29, 2011
61
107
I noticed mine doing the same thing a few months ago. It didn't affect the performance of the button, so I left it alone and it went away after ~2 months. This is obviously anecdotal and I have no idea if other people are seeing the problem stop.
 
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Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
ReliableSource said:
I noticed mine doing the same thing a few months ago. It didn't affect the performance of the button, so I left it alone and it went away after ~2 months. This is obviously anecdotal and I have no idea if other people are seeing the problem stop.
Click to expand...

^This. I noticed mine doing the same thing too, but I didn't care about it and just used it normally and it went away few weeks after I noticed it.
 
P

pk7

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
441
64
Thanks for the replies,

I think I will give it a couple of months to see if it'll sort itself out before I get it changed out then - the warranty runs until December 9, 2012.

It's really weird though...for 6.5 months the home button has been working flawlessly, and I don't abuse my phone. I don't get how it happened today out of nowhere :confused:

I hear two clicks when pushing down the button - the first one is the soft, "loose" click that I've begun hearing lately and the second one is the actual functional click.

Very odd.
 
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eyespii

macrumors 6502
Mar 8, 2008
372
0
Did you end up getting the phone replaced? I have the same issue on my iPhone and it actually bothers me sufficiently that I searched for your post. I'd get it replaced in a heartbeat if I knew I wouldn't be wasting my time going to the apple store and having them tell me that it's normal.
 
M

MattMJB0188

macrumors 68020
Dec 28, 2009
2,032
583
What's funny is this is happening to iPhones over time. What about all the ones brand new out of the box that are doing this?

On some new iPhones you can take it right out of the box and put your thumb right on the home button and wiggle it left to right and it will creak and slightly move.

I actually purchased an unlocked iPhone at the Apple Store and opened it up only to find this and they refused to do anything about it, despite the floor models not having wiggly home buttons.
 
ixodes

ixodes

macrumors 601
Jan 11, 2012
4,429
3
Pacific Coast, USA
Home button problems ranging from barely noticeable, to bricking the phone, rendering it useless... are a perfectly normal characteristic of iPhones.

It's a weakness that may be built in by Apple to insure that people upgrade, or buy new or refurbished phones as theirs fails.

I had three iPhone 4's fail which Apple acknowledged (at the store) and replaced. Luckily all within warranty. I take great care with my phones, keep them extremely clean and covered completely when not in use. Senna makes a great leather pouch that covers the phone, once it rings, it's very easy to remove to answer the call.

So far I've only had one iPhone 4S, brick itself when the home button failed, again I was under warranty.

That said my greatest concern is due to the lack of a spacious display on the upcoming iPhone, I will be keeping my iPhone 4S for another year. It's a shame that Apple chooses to give us a phone that cannot be relied upon for more than a year.

Being one to prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best, if my iPhone 4S fails, at least I won't have to buy one. I've got a brand new SGS III with it's gorgeous 4.8" display and a Nexus with a 4.65" display.

Those will do quite nicely as I wait and watch to see if next years iPhone will have a modern size display.


source:http://www.senacases.com/apple/iphone-4s-cases/ultraslim/
 
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ecwhite4S

macrumors 6502
Dec 17, 2011
263
0
Los Angeles, CA
ixodes said:
Home button problems ranging from barely noticeable, to bricking the phone, rendering it useless... are a perfectly normal characteristic of iPhones.

It's a weakness that may be built in by Apple to insure that people upgrade, or buy new or refurbished phones as theirs fails.

I had three iPhone 4's fail which Apple acknowledged (at the store) and replaced. Luckily all within warranty. I take great care with my phones, keep them extremely clean and covered completely when not in use. Senna makes a great leather pouch that covers the phone, once it rings, it's very easy to remove to answer the call.

So far I've only had one iPhone 4S, brick itself when the home button failed, again I was under warranty.

That said my greatest concern is due to the lack of a spacious display on the upcoming iPhone, I will be keeping my iPhone 4S for another year. It's a shame that Apple chooses to give us a phone that cannot be relied upon for more than a year.

Being one to prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best, if my iPhone 4S fails, at least I won't have to buy one. I've got a brand new SGS III with it's gorgeous 4.8" display and a Nexus with a 4.65" display.

Those will do quite nicely as I wait and watch to see if next years iPhone will have a modern size display.


source:http://www.senacases.com/apple/iphone-4s-cases/ultraslim/
Click to expand...
Please leave. No one cares about your SGIII or Nexus. And stop spreading ******** lies about Apple purposely making the button that way. You are a fool. Go play with your iPhone wannabes with their "modern" displays.

My iPhone 4S is 9 months old and mint so don't know why you're claiming that Apple can't even make a phone that lasts a year. You are a liar, a troll, it's pathetic.
 
ixodes

ixodes

macrumors 601
Jan 11, 2012
4,429
3
Pacific Coast, USA
ecwhite4s said:
please leave. No one cares about your sgiii or nexus. And stop spreading ******** lies about apple purposely making the button that way. You are a fool. Go play with your iphone wannabes with their "modern" displays.

My iphone 4s is 9 months old and mint so don't know why you're claiming that apple can't even make a phone that lasts a year. You are a liar, a troll, it's pathetic.
Click to expand...

:) :) :)
 
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