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Siri is completely turned off. And so is raise to speak. And it's still there. I am not convinced that I should be able to see it in low light conditions.

So you've asked the question, and people have told you it's normal.... why argue? If you're not going to accept the answers then why ask?

Do what you want....
 
How can I put this into words? I have an iPhone 4 right now next to the iPhone 5. When I scroll on a web page a red dot shines next to the speaker. The iPhone 4 is pitchblack. Again, it is very difficult to notice in bright light but in the dark it is very very noticeable and quite annoying as it changes as you interact with the device. I don't have this issue at all on my iPhone 4.

its already been explained to you that it only happened on the iPhone 4 on 4.0.2.
 
In a dark room, there seems to be a very visible red dot next to the speaker. Its intensity actually changes (increases when I touch the screen) and dims when not. Turns off completely when screen is off. Anyone experiencing this problem? It seems like a light leak into the infra red sensor? Anyone else seeing this?

Same issue like here http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/9/24/3385654/iphone-5-red-light

It's the proximity sensor
It's not a defect
Some people can see it
Some people can't see it
/thread
 
This topic is so ridiculous I'm surprised that the OP didn't add 'GATE!!1' in the title. Try harder OP this is full on apple bashing season, get with the program!
 
If you have Siri enabled, Raise to Speak will keep the proximity sensor on, thus the red dot will be on. The iPhone 4 doesn't have Siri, so it's only on during phone calls.

It may be that the manufacturer Apple chose for the proximity sensor gives off more red light than the one in the iPhone 4. Either way, it's completely normal. Your iPhone is fine.

Its normal. Check others at the Apple store, they should do the same thing.
 
Do you have a film screen protector on? Or a defender? I noticed this with mine when i put one on. Seems it is causing some kind of interference partern with the IR that allows it to be seen in visible spectrum. Kind of interesting. Maybe one of our resident physics gurus can explain
 
In a dark room, there seems to be a very visible red dot next to the speaker. Its intensity actually changes (increases when I touch the screen) and dims when not. Turns off completely when screen is off. Anyone experiencing this problem? It seems like a light leak into the infra red sensor? Anyone else seeing this?

Same issue like here http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/9/24/3385654/iphone-5-red-light

I see the same thing as well. I don't think it's light leak even though it does go off when the screen goes black (I tested it via phone call/proximity use). For me it is not any brighter when screen brightness is way up vs low. Additionally, on mine it fades out if I don't touch the screen. When I touch the screen it comes on and fades out slowly over a 2 second period which wouldn't happen if it were light leaking from the LCD through the ir sensor hole (I'm guessing that's what you mean by light leak into the sensor).

Ultimately the answer on whether its defective or not depends on how bright yours is relative to normal. As mentioned by others, people's ability to see different colors (any color, whether this is light leak through the ir filter or the ir illumination itself) differ from person to person. This is one of those cases where you need to look at other iPhone 5s and see if others are better or not. If they're all the same, then either live with it or get a different model/brand phone if it is a distraction.
 
Siri is completely turned off. And so is raise to speak. And it's still there. I am not convinced that I should be able to see it in low light conditions.

Then you have something else going on, because for my iPhone 5 that sensor is not on unless I'm on a phone call. I verified this before I posted last night.
 
mine has the same thing and I think it's normal, too. My roommates Galaxy S3 also has the same same little red dot in low light...
 
Hello? Is anyone listening? Is it happening to anyone without some kind of prtector in front of the glass screen? As soon as i took it off the light disapeared
 
Is is my second iPhone 5, I got my first one replaced due to wifi issues. Both iPhones had a visible IR light, your phone is completely normal.
 
Hello? Is anyone listening? Is it happening to anyone without some kind of prtector in front of the glass screen? As soon as i took it off the light disapeared

My phones are completely naked and I can see the IR light on both of them. Hope this helps.
 
Ok, I got a replacement today and it seems the light is still there. I still believe this light isn't normal but whatever. I give up. iPhones since 2007 had proximity sensors and not once did I see this light (I owned the 1st gen, 3Gs, 4, and now the 5). So while according to you guys it is normal to be able to see it on this phone, it isn't normal in general.

The replacement though has a wobbly (kinda loose) power button. Is this also normal? :p (Serious question)
 
Ok, I got a replacement today and it seems the light is still there. I still believe this light isn't normal but whatever. I give up. iPhones since 2007 had proximity sensors and not once did I see this light (I owned the 1st gen, 3Gs, 4, and now the 5). So while according to you guys it is normal to be able to see it on this phone, it isn't normal in general.

The replacement though has a wobbly (kinda loose) power button. Is this also normal? :p (Serious question)

As Intell said, this is normal. The genius will also say it's normal. If you by chance do get a replacement phone, it's likely to have an aesthetic defect.

Should have taken the advice you asked for.
 
You're wasting your time. The same thing happens on all iPhones.

mqdefault.jpg



*edit* just saw OP reply

The replacement though has a wobbly (kinda loose) power button. Is this also normal? :p (Serious question)

YDI imo. People were telling you that it is normal. Now you got an inferior device to what you had.
Anyways, I've noticed that between all the devices I've had, some felt wobbly and others weren't.
 
You're wasting your time. The same thing happens on all iPhones.

Image


*edit* just saw OP reply



YDI imo. People were telling you that it is normal. Now you got an inferior device to what you had.
Anyways, I've noticed that between all the devices I've had, some felt wobbly and others weren't.

On the plus side, the new replacement doesn't have a single scratch, which is a good thing. You gain some you lose some.
 
Should have taken the advice you asked for.

I love it when I'm right.

I got my iPhone 5 replaced today too, and it also has a slightly loose power button. The one it replaced had a tight power button.


OP: My first gen iPhone did this. The light was very, very noticeable in a dark environment during a phone call.
 
Ok, I got a replacement today and it seems the light is still there. I still believe this light isn't normal but whatever. I give up. iPhones since 2007 had proximity sensors and not once did I see this light (I owned the 1st gen, 3Gs, 4, and now the 5). So while according to you guys it is normal to be able to see it on this phone, it isn't normal in general.

The replacement though has a wobbly (kinda loose) power button. Is this also normal? :p (Serious question)

As someone else asked, how did your ability to see the proximity sensor cause a problem? You wasted your time worrying about it and exchanging it.
 
Just to inject some scientific approach, I've used my spectrophotometer to measure the light coming from the proximity sensor emmited by iPhones 4, 4S and 5. The peak for the iPhone 4 and 4S are almost identical at 871nm and 867nm respectively, while for the iPhone 5 is 842nm, so it's shifted 25nm down. So there seems to be a difference in the iPhone 5 towards shorter wavelengths. I don't know if this shift is enough to bring at least part of the spectrum into the range of some people's vision, though. At least the shift is in the right direction to make it plausible.


These are the spectra for the 4S vs 5:

iPhone4s_vs_5_proximity_sensor.jpg
 
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