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4S - Weird Noise When Tapping It

F

Fissure

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 28, 2010
300
11
Hold the bottom of the phone with two fingers, along the side bands.
Tap the rear of the phone on or above the Apple logo with a finger on your other hand. With my 4S it sounds like something is loose. Thought maybe it was one of the 4 buttons (sleep, vols, silent) but I put pressure on those while tapping and same sound. Then bought maybe it was the internal vibe motor. I started the motor while tapping, same sound when it was running.

Any ideas? Does your 4 or 4S do this?
 
been discussed here several times. it appears to either be a component of the camera or the new vibration mechanism.
 
Yeah, I have this too. Another thing, is that in the home button, you can actually feel the spring sometimes. It's interesting
 
I noticed that in the iPhone 4. Maybe even in the 3GS, can't remember. Don't worry, it isn't a defect unless it's worse than what 99% of us hear. It used to worry me too at first. I then found it's just the way it is.
 
mcdj said:
been discussed here several times. it appears to either be a component of the camera or the new vibration mechanism.
Click to expand...

Ah, ok.. then I guess it's by design, or inadvertent by Apple at the least....
Not something I would think Apple would overlook.

Is this the same as in the iPhone 4?

----------
Captain America said:
I noticed that in the iPhone 4. Maybe even in the 3GS, can't remember. Don't worry, it isn't a defect unless it's worse than what 99% of us hear. It used to worry me too at first. I then found it's just the way it is.
Click to expand...

Ok, my 3GS did it but it was because the volume and mute buttons became loose over time.
 
Go to the Apple store and compare with those ones. I went yesterday and tapped 8-10 iPhone 4S's and they all had a rattle noise when tapped near the back by the camera module. That tells me it is normal.
 
I don't have the iPhone, but my phone doesn't really have this problem. I should know because I too tap my phone several times a day and have ever since I got the phone in May. I hope to get my meds for OCD so the tapping will end, until then I'm just tapping away.
 
Don't tap it...

Why do people constantly keep tinkering with the iPhone in unusual ways just to whine about something they find abnormal?
 
All I know is that I have 3 Apple stores close to me and I have been to each one and played with the iPhone 4S's in the stores and they all have the camera rattle. It is as normal as it gets, I don't know what more you want. NOT having the sound when you tap it is actually more of an "abnormality." That was one area where I saw almost complete consistency.

Now the screen tints...that is another story.
 
Thanks for posting this thread. I just got an iPhone 4S today and noticed the rattle and was wondering about it.
 
I have an annoying rattle too. Its the sleep wake button. Everytime I set the phone down you can hear it. When I hold down the sleep wake button, the rattle stops.
 
Pink∆Floyd;13707345 said:
Don't tap it...

Why do people constantly keep tinkering with the iPhone in unusual ways just to whine about something they find abnormal?
Click to expand...

One of my friends who doesn't have an iPhone laughs his ass off when I tell him about these types of threads where people invent things in their own mind to find a defect with their phone. He's started having me forward them to him.
 
iPhone owners ar the only ones that I know who taps on their phone to hear something loose.

You can bet that Apple will have a butt load of refurbs VERY soon, if not already!
 
Last edited:
AndrewR23 said:
I have an annoying rattle too. Its the sleep wake button. Everytime I set the phone down you can hear it. When I hold down the sleep wake button, the rattle stops.
Click to expand...



I believe this is the case. It's like that on my 4 and 4s.
 
its either the sleep wake button, or an internal ribbon slapping against something metal.

i've opened iphones for repair, and usually that is the case
 
I think you'll find the "rattle" is the focus of the camera.

To test this open up the camera app and tap to focus on something far from the phone, now tap the corner the phone and you will see the "rattle" is gone.
 
this is totally normal. I went through it with my first iPhone 4 as well. Took it the genius bar to have it looked at, etc. Moral of the story is don't worry about it. It's the focus ring of the camera lens, as mentioned, and possibly the vibrate motor inside the housing, so don't worry about it. Because if you insist on making it an issue, you will never been happy with the iPhone 4S, as they all do it.
 
Fissure said:
Hold the bottom of the phone with two fingers, along the side bands.
Tap the rear of the phone on or above the Apple logo with a finger on your other hand. With my 4S it sounds like something is loose. Thought maybe it was one of the 4 buttons (sleep, vols, silent) but I put pressure on those while tapping and same sound. Then bought maybe it was the internal vibe motor. I started the motor while tapping, same sound when it was running.

Any ideas? Does your 4 or 4S do this?
Click to expand...

Mine has this too. Could it be the vibration parts? I don't even have to tap it. I happens when I put it down.
 
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