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Touch ID weird buzzing noise

J

Jordanlolss

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 14, 2014
28
0
Just got my iPhone 6 today, and everything seems great! Except when I hold my finger on the Touch ID ring, there's a quiet buzzing noise.. Like something is connected wrong or something
Is this normal? (I've never had Touch ID before)

Thanks
 
I pressed my ear right up against phone and heard nothing when I pressed thumb on the Touch ID ring.
 
Jordanlolss said:
Just got my iPhone 6 today, and everything seems great! Except when I hold my finger on the Touch ID ring, there's a quiet buzzing noise.. Like something is connected wrong or something
Is this normal? (I've never had Touch ID before)

Thanks
Click to expand...

I hear this. Now that you point it out haha
 
This behavior might suggest that you are in fact, an alien. That's often the first sign.
 
It has to be DEAD silent and you have to put it 1/2 way into your ear canal and touch the touch sensor ring at the same time (just touch to it, don't press) and you hear a series of faint clicks and such.

EDIT: and it only does it when the screen is ON... if the phone is "asleep" you don't hear it.
 
I hear it, if I touch it while unlocking with it pressed up against my *right* ear, but no my left :eek: As one ages, the ability to hear high frequencies diminishes. Guess I have unequal aging my left side vs the right lol. I had a camera several years ago that had a very very faint high pitched whine. I personally knew the engineer that tests cameras at the manufacturer, so I showed it to him. None of the um, let's just say middle aged lol, guys could hear it. Then he grabbed the intern, yep he heard it right away. He swapped mine with a new sample he had. Same thing.

Electronics will make some noises. Don't worry about it ;)
 
It's not that it bothers me, I just want to make sure this isn't a sign that it's gonna stop working down the line due to some faulty wiring or something
 
Jordanlolss said:
It's not that it bothers me, I just want to make sure this isn't a sign that it's gonna stop working down the line due to some faulty wiring or something
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's understandable. I kinda wonder too but I think only time will tell. If it bugs you, call apple and swap it out. My wife's 5s makes no noticeable noise when touching the touch sensor. The home button has a crunchy double-click feel sometimes. Doesn't bother her and it still works going on a year.

I've played the whole "exchange for some minor non-issue" game before and it's unnecessary work in my opinion. I sent a 4s back for a camera lens that rattled like marbles when you sat the phone down. No noticeable impact on the camera, but it SOUNDED bad to me. Idiot. The next one was much more quiet and I was happy. Then the phone was given to my wife and promptly stolen.

Now, I carry my phones without cases and have applecare plus. I had 3 iPhone 5 models for various issues. I can't be sweating the small stuff. There's a good chance this will not be the same physical iPhone 6 that I have in my possession in a year.... things happen.

Do post back and let us know what you decide to do! I'd like to know how common this trait is.
 
Leonard1818 said:
Yeah, that's understandable. I kinda wonder too but I think only time will tell. If it bugs you, call apple and swap it out. My wife's 5s makes no noticeable noise when touching the touch sensor. The home button has a crunchy double-click feel sometimes. Doesn't bother her and it still works going on a year.

I've played the whole "exchange for some minor non-issue" game before and it's unnecessary work in my opinion. I sent a 4s back for a camera lens that rattled like marbles when you sat the phone down. No noticeable impact on the camera, but it SOUNDED bad to me. Idiot. The next one was much more quiet and I was happy. Then the phone was given to my wife and promptly stolen.

Now, I carry my phones without cases and have applecare plus. I had 3 iPhone 5 models for various issues. I can't be sweating the small stuff. There's a good chance this will not be the same physical iPhone 6 that I have in my possession in a year.... things happen.

Do post back and let us know what you decide to do! I'd like to know how common this trait is.
Click to expand...

I have an appointment at the Apple Store next Friday.. I may or may not cancel before then.. Haven't made up my mind yet
Might just go to see what they have to say about it
 
I think iphone owners are the new revolution of human. We suddenly all have much better eyes/ ears/ fingers
 
I hear it too, on my 6. I'm not worried about it, just astonished that you were able to hear it during regular use...
 
The only reason I noticed it was because I was laying in bed at night before going to sleep, and was playing with my phone. It was pretty quiet around, and I just happened to notice it. I guess I had it held up relatively close to my face, idk
 
Jordanlolss said:
The only reason I noticed it was because I was laying in bed at night before going to sleep, and was playing with my phone. It was pretty quiet around, and I just happened to notice it. I guess I had it held up relatively close to my face, idk
Click to expand...

Yea I use it in bed a lot too. I may have noticed that way. Doesn't seem to be causing a problem so far!
 
hahah wow, I had to stick my ear way in there. iPhone users are hilarious at times with the stuff they find. Good job! My guess its just an AC signal being routed through the ring to detect if a finger is present.
 
kiantech said:
hahah wow, I had to stick my ear way in there. iPhone users are hilarious at times with the stuff they find. Good job! My guess its just an AC signal being routed through the ring to detect if a finger is present.
Click to expand...

Wife's 5s doesn't do it. I'm laying in bed right now and it's silent and I still have to put it touching my ear to hear this. Would have NEVER heard
 
My iPhone 6 does it but it's not bothering me.

If the Touch ID isn't responding properly then definitely go to Apple.
 
youknome said:
My iPhone 6 does it but it's not bothering me.

If the Touch ID isn't responding properly then definitely go to Apple.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if a lot of them actually do it but it's just SO SILENT that nobody hears it (unless you're looking for it in a very quiet room).
 
Just finished at the Apple Store.. The employee had to go to the back to hear it, but shortly after he came out with a new phone.. The new one doesn't do it, so if yours does it, there's no reason not to just get it replaced for free
 
Jordanlolss said:
Just finished at the Apple Store.. The employee had to go to the back to hear it, but shortly after he came out with a new phone.. The new one doesn't do it, so if yours does it, there's no reason not to just get it replaced for free
Click to expand...

I may as well get mine replaced as well then lol. So I assume it's not normal then? Did they have any idea why it was happening?

I'm just worried the replacement phone may have dead pixels or whatever. My one is perfect.
 
Last edited:
Jordanlolss said:
Just finished at the Apple Store.. The employee had to go to the back to hear it, but shortly after he came out with a new phone.. The new one doesn't do it, so if yours does it, there's no reason not to just get it replaced for free
Click to expand...

If it's working fine and this is so hard to detect, then I beg to differ. There IS a reason not to replace it.

It's called waste.

Everyone wants Apple to be green and not use child labor and quit raping the earth and blah blah, but iPhone users will replace phones over non issues in a heartbeat. Some people have had half a dozen replacements over things that they only THINKS are wrong with the phone.

It's utterly disgusting if you ask me. Do you think these things grow on trees? No! Most of the materials have to be mined from the earth and processed.

Jesus.
 
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