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stephanegelinas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 26, 2013
12
2
Hi everyone!

Just to see if it’s normal.. my iPhone X, when seen in normal light (not under full sunlight) has a grey-ish pill-shaped area in the earpiece speaker, in the right corner. I think it’s there since the beginning. It seems to be from a part of the phone behind the mesh grill, so could be normal. I tried to “clean” it in case it was dust settling there or glue from some part of the iPhone, but it’s always there. Under full sunlight, it’s not visible, looks like a normal metallic mesh earpiece.

Does yours have the same thing?

Thanks in advance!
 

stephanegelinas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 26, 2013
12
2
Here you go:
 

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raqball

macrumors 68020
Sep 11, 2016
2,323
9,573
I just looked at mine under a magnifying glass and I don't see that. Maybe I was under incorrect lighting though.
 
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saltd

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2010
760
371
I have the same grey area on mine. It’s a little bit more towards the center though. I wouldn’t worry about it unless something isn’t working correctly...
[doublepost=1518887209][/doublepost]
Looks like a piece of foam blocking.
It sure does.
[doublepost=1518887245][/doublepost]
Not on mine, probably just some mung caught in the mesh, not to worry, you might do more damage by trying to remove it.
I would agree with this.
 

stephanegelinas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 26, 2013
12
2
I really appreciate your feedbacks. It doesn’t seem to affect it’s use. I might ask someone at the Apple Store when I go there in a mall or something. Never had that with any other iPhone before. At the most for now, it’s just an esthetic thing, but still, a bit annoying when you see it.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
I really appreciate your feedbacks. It doesn’t seem to affect it’s use. I might ask someone at the Apple Store when I go there in a mall or something. Never had that with any other iPhone before. At the most for now, it’s just an esthetic thing, but still, a bit annoying when you see it.

I know this isn’t pertaining to your iPhone X, My 6s Plus had something very similar and it didn’t affect the speaker. As long as your iPhone X is functioning as normal, then I wouldn’t be concerned with it. I think it would be more hassle to try it Have replaced than anything. But once you see something like that, I can see how that would be annoying.
 

posguy99

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2004
2,282
1,531
Just to see if it’s normal.. my iPhone X, when seen in normal light (not under full sunlight) has a grey-ish pill-shaped area in the earpiece speaker, in the right corner.

Earwax. Harmless. You're not looking through the grille into the body of the phone.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491

I Disagree. If you zoom in really close on the picture on a large monitor, it’s perfectly blocked in that right corner, almost as if it’s cut off at an exact point. I had an iPhone very similar situation to the OP’s and it was not any type of dirt or grime.

For The record, the OP stated they try to clean it already as it was:

I tried to “clean” it in case it was dust settling there or glue from some part of the iPhone, but it’s always there.
 

DeepIn2U

macrumors G5
May 30, 2002
12,821
6,876
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Looks like a piece of foam blocking.

Naw ... I second earwax .... Q-Tips needed to prevent future build-up. On less expensive phones I'd use Q-Tips with rubbing alcohol but I wouldn't on an iPhone X. Would be funny to see many complaining about this and Apple to respond with AirPods or Apple EarPods as a solution - people would loose their stuffing lol.

Sucks he's going through this though.
 

Ta0jin

macrumors 65816
Nov 9, 2011
1,252
606
Maryland
Looks like dust accumulation or dead skin from rubbing against your ear clogging the mesh speaker grill.
 

stephanegelinas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 26, 2013
12
2
Thanks to all for your input, it helps to understand what it could be.

I don’t think it could be earwax since calling is probably the last thing I do with my iPhone.. Ironic, I know.. ;) If I made 5 short calls since November on it, that would be a lot.

Zooming on my picture of it, I also think it could be either glue from the assembly of the phone ( I had glue stains on several new Apple devices before probably too fresh out of the factory.. one of the problem of being an early adopter) or compressed dust because I noticed that the iPhone X, in Apple’s silicone case, attracts and traps dust much more than any other model before it.

If you have any successful yet gentle way to take it out, you’re more than welcome to tell me.. Or I’ll ask at the Apple Store or live with it.. like I do with all the little abrasion marks on the chrome around the phone ;)
[doublepost=1518922752][/doublepost]One more little thing, is it possible that the mesh is much more open and large on the X than on previous iPhones? Searching for pics of previous iPhone speakers on Google seems to reveal that the mesh was much more intricate and close on previous iPhones...
 
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