4S - Weird Noise When Tapping It

[cababah]

Not every single person has it but I would say it is present in at least 90% of the phones I have seen. My first iPhone 4S did it, my second one does it a little bit more audibly than the first. Every iPhone in the Apple store I tapped on the back near the camera made a rattle noise. Of course I had to put my ear up to it to hear because of the ambient noise but I would say it is "normal."

Once again, not everyone has it but the chances of your replacement having it (should you choose to do that) are probably 90% or higher. Eventually, you just have to cut your losses and realize that even when you might find one that doesn't rattle, what is the chance it will have a worse screen? Or a worse battery? The list goes on... Know when to call it quits and be happy with the phone.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Don't tap it...

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

"It needs to be a solid brick. No rattles, no weird sounds. Period. If there's ANY sound when I set it down, it suggests it's cheap. However, I still want the 4S, AND I want it to sound and feel completely solid."

There's your answer.

 

[miggitymac]

Eventually, you just have to cut your losses and realize that even when you might find one that doesn't rattle, what is the chance it will have a worse screen? Or a worse battery? The list goes on... Know when to call it quits and be happy with the phone.

WWSJD (what would Steve Jobs do)? Settle for imperfection!? Settle for a phone that rattles like a cheap $0.25 toy!? NO!! He would throw the POS at the closest genius and keep demanding new ones until he gets one that "just works"!!!!

 

[Stealthipad]

"It needs to be a solid brick. No rattles, no weird sounds. Period. If there's ANY sound when I set it down, it suggests it's cheap. However, I still want the 4S, AND I want it to sound and feel completely solid."

There's your answer.

The get rid of the iPhone and get a "brick"!

 

[cababah]

WWSJD (what would Steve Jobs do)? Settle for imperfection!? Settle for a phone that rattles like a cheap $0.25 toy!? NO!! He would throw the POS at the closest genius and keep demanding new ones until he gets one that "just works"!!!!

Well have fun with your 10 replacement phones then and good luck finding an Apple store willing to keep accommodating that request. These new iPhones are like a box of chocolates...

 

[applefan289]

Same here. Even when I hardly set the phone down, it rattles. This is normal?

Apparently it is normal if everyone has it. It may not have been intended, but it's normal as far as the production line.

 

[jsvanaulen]

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.

Haha, I can just picture being at the Apple Store and seeing someone going to each phone, holding the back close to their ear and tapping it.

 

[JRoDDz]

When I smash my hand with this hammer, I make a weird noise. What should I do?

 

[jamesryanbell]

Haha, I can just picture being at the Apple Store and seeing someone going to each phone, holding the back close to their ear and tapping it.

Not weird. It would make someone think something is loose inside, and that it might be broken.

 

[csjo00]

Here I was about to make a post on it, and I find one just snooping around..

Mine does it too, but seeing as multiple people are having the same issue. It's not so much a concern.

Edit: I don't have to have the phone up to my ear.. I can just barely tap and hear something "rattling" around when I have it in my hand.

 

[jsvanaulen]

Not weird. It would make someone think something is loose inside, and that it might be broken.

I never said it was weird

 

[jamesryanbell]

I never said it was weird

The thought conveyed is that it would be funny to see that. All I was saying is that I would understand if I saw someone doing that, and wouldn't think twice about it.

 

[AndrewR23]

Here I was about to make a post on it, and I find one just snooping around..

Mine does it too, but seeing as multiple people are having the same issue. It's not so much a concern.

Edit: I don't have to have the phone up to my ear.. I can just barely tap and hear something "rattling" around when I have it in my hand.

Yeah same here. Super annoying. Makes the phone sound like plastic.

Aside from that, the 4S is a great upgrade.

 

[cababah]

Haha, I can just picture being at the Apple Store and seeing someone going to each phone, holding the back close to their ear and tapping it.

Yeah, I was getting some puzzled looks from mainly the employees because I bet they have never seen that before but I had to test it myself. I just got back from another Apple store this morning to drop off my MBP for some issues it was having and I went and "tapped" about 10 more iPhones and guess what? They all made the rattle. Some were louder than others but it was still present in all of them.

 

[Fissure]

You do have to admit though, this isn't typical of an Apple device much less an iPhone. It may very well be a design related phenomenon but I'm a bit surprised that it was let through Design/QA at Apple. A brand new iPhone that sounds as though it's worn (loose buttons etc.) is not how Apple rolls. It's not a big deal for me I'm just a bit surprised it wasn't a big deal for Apple knowing their painfull attention to detail in the stuff they sell.

 

[AndrewR23]

You do have to admit though, this isn't typical of an Apple device much less an iPhone. It may very well be a design related phenomenon but I'm a bit surprised that it was let through Design/QA at Apple. A brand new iPhone that sounds as though it's worn (loose buttons etc.) is not how Apple rolls. It's not a big deal for me I'm just a bit surprised it wasn't a big deal for Apple knowing their painfull attention to detail in the stuff they sell.

Ive found out its the camera. Tapping the camera results in an annoying rattle. Even hardly setting the phone down on carpet and you can hear the rattle. My pictures are perfect though.

Not risking a replacement because my screen is perfect. No yellow.

 

[nomad01]

My iPhone 4 did this for 18 months. I dropped it several times and never stopped working or rattled more than it did when it came out of the box.

It doesn't affect the use of the phone in any way. It's like complaining that your jeans make a noise when you fasten the zip.

It's not an issue.

 

[iBlue]

Mine has the little rattle too, right near the camera. It works fine so whatever.

I'm a lot more concerned about the terrible battery life I have than a little rattle that only happens when I tap it.

 

[AndrewR23]

My iPhone 4 did this for 18 months. I dropped it several times and never stopped working or rattled more than it did when it came out of the box.

It doesn't affect the use of the phone in any way. It's like complaining that your jeans make a noise when you fasten the zip.

It's not an issue.

So is it perfectly normal to even hear it after setting the phone down softly on carpet?

 

[nomad01]

So is it perfectly normal to even hear it after setting the phone down softly on carpet?

I'd say not.

Everyone else seems to be complaining that it makes a noise when tapping it or shaking it.

In your situation... I wouldn't expect to hear much noise if I put my keys down softly on carpet so I wouldn't expect to hear it from my phone.

If it's truly that noticeable then maybe it's worth returning.

 

[AndrewR23]

I'd say not.

Everyone else seems to be complaining that it makes a noise when tapping it or shaking it.

In your situation... I wouldn't expect to hear much noise if I put my keys down softly on carpet so I wouldn't expect to hear it from my phone.

If it's truly that noticeable then maybe it's worth returning.

It's not very loud, but you can still hear it rattle. Ive noticed 2 iPhone 4 do it too but nowhere as loud as mine..because the lens are bigger in the 4S I guess.


on Apples forums, people say they all have it...over 200 ppl now. Guess it's pretty common. Some louder than others.