Apple Preparing Fix for Glitch Causing Lightning EarPods Remote to Stop Working

[MacRumors]

Apple is working on a fix for an issue that can cause the new Lightning EarPods designed for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to stop working properly, the company said in a statement given to Business Insider.

When using the EarPods, there's an occasional bug that can cause the remote portion of the accessory to become unresponsive. While audio will continue to play, the remote does not work, so there's no way to control the volume, access Siri, or answer a phone call.

The glitch doesn't happen every time. It's seemingly intermittent and random. (I thought I was going crazy until I saw some people with similar issues complaining on Twitter.) If you experience the problem, you can just unplug your EarPods and plug them in again to temporarily fix it.

An Apple spokesperson told me the problem will be fixed in a future software update.

Apple plans to issue a fix in an upcoming software update, but there's no word on when it might be released. Business Insider is not sure if third-party Lightning-based headphones are affected, but there have been reports of similar bugs with the Lightning adapter. Some headphones, such as Beats headphones with a 3.5mm connector, appear to have a non-functional remote when plugged into an iPhone with the Lightning adapter.

Because the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus do not have a headphone jack, Apple shipped the devices with a set of EarPods that feature a Lightning connector instead of a 3.5mm headphone jack. The EarPods plug into the Lightning port, making it more difficult to charge and listen to music at the same time. Apple has also included a 3.5mm to Lightning adapter for customers who want to use their own headphones.

Article Link: Apple Preparing Fix for Glitch Causing Lightning EarPods Remote to Stop Working

 

[WiiDSmoker]

My 3.55mm headphones work just fine on my 6S. Shouldn't have changed it to a proprietary port.

 

[moeafg]

Whoever is doing software testing at Apple is pretty rubbish. Tim Cook if you are reading this, hire me and I will teach you the ways of the software test.

 

[Totti]

Cue the bashing...

 

[JoEw]

As much as I support the elimination of the headphone jack, I find it amazing Apple's QA managed to drop the ball on this.

 

[developer13245]

Apple is in total software fail mode at this point.. but of course they are because Apple is a hardware company.

 

[Attirex]

gate.

 

[greytmom]

Happens on my Klipsch from time to time. Usually if I unplug and replug once or twice, it kicks back in.

 

[penajmz]

My 3.55mm headphones work just fine on my 6S. Shouldn't have changed it to a proprietary port.

Get over it or don't get an iPhone 7.

 

[920R]

Another example of Apple fixing something that's not broken and, in the process, breaking it.

 

[shaunp]

Get over it or don't get an iPhone 7.

You could work for Apple's marketing department with that attitude! Customers hate it when something useful is courageously removed in the name of 'progress'.

 

[MrGimper]

That's courage, right there.

 

[Zirel]

My 3.55mm headphones work just fine on my 6S. Shouldn't have changed it to a proprietary port.

Exactly the response I expected.

Right on the first post!

 

[jwdsail]

But .. I thought digital was... better?

Sometimes, an old standard continues to be used, not just because of inertia, or lack of "courage" (barf) but because it really is the best solution for the task at hand.

Not often, but it does indeed happen, from time to time...


apple.com/feedback

 

[Aluminum213]

Welcome to the courage era

 

[Zirel]

Apple is in total software fail mode at this point.. but of course they are because Apple is a hardware company.

Better be that than a advertising company (Google), or an expensive explosives company (Samsung)

 

[zhenya]

Welcome to the age of firmware updates for your headphones. Get ready for 'this device is not authorized' warnings as your perfectly functional headphones are made obsolete.

 

[simon lefisch]

Another example of Apple fixing something that's not broken and, in the process, breaking it.

literally LOL'd in the office when I read this and everyone looked at me all weird.

 

[555gallardo]

Remember how the 3.5mm jack used to "just work"?

 

[Gregintosh]

The remote stops working on my 6S Plus sometimes. I always thought it was my Bose headphones acting up but maybe it's the same bug. The remote works 90% of the time but the other 10% the volume or on off controls don't work and music keeps playing even if I unplug the headphones.

 

[JesterJJZ]

The 3.5mm jack will be around for another 100 years...

So far the removal of the jack has been nothing but a pain in the ass all around.

 

[mr.steevo]

My 3.55mm headphones work just fine on my 6S. Shouldn't have changed it to a proprietary port.

I had to take my 6S just last week because it was doing this exact thing. Was getting sound but no controls.

Amazing what pocket lint does to a 3.5mm port.

 

[Porco]

A shorter title could have been: 'Lightning Strikes'.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

Perhaps it would have been better if Apple had designed a 1/16" micro headphone jack rather than this.

 

[Kissaragi]

Someone's drinking the kool aid

Someone is a realist that has more important things in life to worry about.