Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I believe it was on this forum that I read to reset/erase iphone and resync but use the set up as a new iphone option. I guess the assumption is that when you sync from a back up of the old software there is some gremlin that get carried over to the new iOS and causes this.
My girlfreind had the issue and I made a call with her phone and did a basic field test with my palm covering the sensor, it seemed to work fine, but she was hanging up on me and muting herself during our calls, so she did in fact have an issue.
I did the above reset and she hasnt had an issue since. I am not implying that it is a fix, but she had the issue and now she doesn't. It is an easy task, so therefore may be worth a try.
 
I've had multiple issues with the iPhone 4. (On my 4th phone now) but the sensor hasn't been an issue for me.

Are you holding it up to your ears with your hand or using your shoulder? I'm just trying to see if I can replicate this problem.
 
4th phone? Lord hammercy...I highly doubt you needed new phones each of those times, just how picky are you?
 
While I have minor signal issues, the proximity issue was much much more of a problem. It was embarrassing for people hearing the number tones as my face hit them. Unacceptable on this class of device. Had it replaced today. Will see if it continues.
 
If it helps at all, I had the issue happen about 3 times yesterday.

Took my 4 to my local Apple Store last night, and they replaced it on the spot after seeing me replicate the incident.
 
I keep hitting the red END button with my face during calls. Another way I've been getting dropped calls with AT&T, I guess.
 
sooooooooooo glad I don't have this issue, tested it in the mirror the screen blanks within about 2-3 inches of my face
 
Did you reset network settings?



Did you reset network settings?

I've done that and it worked for the rest of that night. The next day, the problem returned. It really is annoying and both my girlfriend and myself have that issue.

I love the iPhone but the designers of the iPhone 4 should be pumping gas because the whole phone was engineered poorly. First the poor antenna design then a sensor that is too high up the phone.

Also, is anyone having volume issues? I'll set my volume when on a call and when the person I'm talking to slightly raises their voice, I nearly go deaf...
 
I've done that and it worked for the rest of that night. The next day, the problem returned. It really is annoying and both my girlfriend and myself have that issue.

I love the iPhone but the designers of the iPhone 4 should be pumping gas because the whole phone was engineered poorly. First the poor antenna design then a sensor that is too high up the phone.

Also, is anyone having volume issues? I'll set my volume when on a call and when the person I'm talking to slightly raises their voice, I nearly go deaf...
Ok, good to know.

Just to give a heads up to people posting on here with problems, please have all your data? Some random one sentence complaint doesn't help the rest of us correlate anything.

At least post: hey, I tried the common fix and it didn't work. A lot of people are just going to assume you're an idiot and don't know how to read otherwise.
 
A lot of people have been told by higher-up Apple reps that it's due to the higher location of the sensor and light bouncing into it from your face/ears, and that it isn't considered an issue.

I hope this is not true. It's impossible to have a normal conversation with anyone

I tried a reset and it seemed to help but not for too long. I've read people with 3GS phones who updated to 4.0 started experiencing this problem. Sounds like software to me
 
Cool story here:

I never had sensor issue as I press the phone against my ear. My friend with curly hair borrowed my phone and held slightly away from his ear outside in the sun. I WAS AMAZED WHEN I SAW THE SCREEN FLICKERING AND FACETIME BEING ACTIVATED.

I took the phone from him, made a call and it was ok for me. Could be light getting through the hair and disturbing the sensor. With the higher placement I think the problem is more apparent thN my 3GS.
 
I've had multiple issues with the iPhone 4. (On my 4th phone now) but the sensor hasn't been an issue for me.

Are you holding it up to your ears with your hand or using your shoulder? I'm just trying to see if I can replicate this problem.

What the "h - e - double hockey sticks"??? I'm not knocking you man....but 4 phones?? What could possibly warrant that?
 
Does this affect ALL iPhone 4s or is this just a defect in some of them?

Unlike the reception issues, this one really seems to be hit or miss. We have two IP4s in our family, one from launch day, one from a week ago. Neither has had a single instance of proximity sensor issue.

I don't know if it matters, but both of ours were restored using iTunes backups saved off of 3GS phones that were running iOS4
 
Cool story here:

I never had sensor issue as I press the phone against my ear. My friend with curly hair borrowed my phone and held slightly away from his ear outside in the sun. I WAS AMAZED WHEN I SAW THE SCREEN FLICKERING AND FACETIME BEING ACTIVATED.

I took the phone from him, made a call and it was ok for me. Could be light getting through the hair and disturbing the sensor. With the higher placement I think the problem is more apparent thN my 3GS.

Mine only has the issue if i press the phone against my ear. If I hold it in my hand, it works fine. But if i try to hold it with my shoulder instead of my hand, bad things happen.
 
Does this affect ALL iPhone 4s or is this just a defect in some of them?

It is only a problem for people with small cold ears. The Apple solution will be an ear warmer that the iTunes store sells for $29.95. Colors include passionate pink, perky purple and forest green. ;)
 
Mine was replaced on Tuesday and the new one seems to be working fine. I now have a problem with the new one not recognizing the sim card on occasion.
 
Well I'd say a very large amount of users. Check the Apple support forum..... 89 pages and 1292 posts. Read it and you will get a sense of how bad it really is. http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2475509&tstart=0

1292 posts...even if thats only 10% of the people with the problem...its still only affecting .7% of people who bought iPhone 4s in the FIRST THREE DAYS

thats not a "very large amount" relatively speaking. This is how things get blown way out of proportion
 
Is it possible having a screen protector is helping cause the issue? I am just trying to figure out why some are having the issue and some aren't. I have the issue and I do have a screen protector. Since I know what causes it to happen for me I have found ways to work around it. It only does it when I try and hold the phone with my shoulder.

One thing I have noticed. I am not sure if this is an Ip4 or a 4.0 software issue. I used to be able to hit the sleep button while in a call and it would turn the screen off completely. In order to do anything with the phone while in a call you had to press home/sleep and slide to unlock. Now if I press the sleep button while in a call. It hangs up. Can someone verify, so I don't think I am crazy.
 
Sooo that's it. I'm having a problem sensor and antenna and bot problem are non issue WTFFF
 
1292 posts...even if thats only 10% of the people with the problem...its still only affecting .7% of people who bought iPhone 4s in the FIRST THREE DAYS

thats not a "very large amount" relatively speaking. This is how things get blown way out of proportion

i know this may come as a shock to you here on this forum, but most buyers of iphones do not visit apple-related message boards, much less post comments.

The signal attenuation I can live with. It does not affect me by and large, and I don't even own a case yet. I live in an area with strong signals I guess.. on occasion i can hear voice clarity deteriorate, but not often.

But THIS is a huge problem. I never ever, not once EVER unintentionally muted, held or speakerphoned a call with my 3G or 3GS. It's happening on every call with my 4. Today on a 30 minute call i did it 3 times. I am ******** sick of this.

***** you apple for not responding to this. A simple, "we're working on it" would be more than sufficient.

Hey Steve - i bet you're pretty embarrassed having to constantly ask people to repeat the last 30 seconds of what they said. That is, if they haven't already hung up on you.
 
I'm on my second ip4 and it still has the prox issue. I think some of it has to do with the way one person places it on there face as opposed to another. This could be fixed with software I'm assuming though. Make the prox sensor less sensitive to light, that way if you move it around a little bit it won't just come on if it sees a little. My 3GS never had a problem nommatfef how I held it to my face, or when I pinched it between my shoulder and my ear.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.