Is the iPhone 7 Plus hissing at some users?

2 months ago

The first weekend of the newest iPhone has passed, and engaged new owners are taking to social media claiming some can hear their device hissing at them when under heavy processing strain.

Among the first to point out the alleged defect, according to The Next Web, was Stephen Hackett from blog 512 Pixels. When restoring his iPhone from iCloud, Hackett claims to have noticed the low hiss and soon realised it wasn’t coming from the speakers, but deeper within the phone.

A video containing the audio has since been posted to the blog’s YouTube page.

Since then others have come forward to report a similar issue, though it remains unclear whether it’s a widespread problem with the new device or just limited to a few units.

Either way, Apple is taking no chances, with Hackett tweeting that the tech giant’s support told him to return to an Apple Store in order to have the phone replaced.

However, some experts have put forward another theory – that such is the power of the processor housed within the 7 Plus, that the mechanics have reached a stage now where at times you might be able to hear it.

Apple expert Marco Arment described the situation as “ungraceful”, but a possible reality now the iPhone 7 Plus is such a processing powerhouse. For scale, a recent benchmarking test saw the 7 Plus process JavaScript eight times faster than Samsung’s Galaxy S7.

The phrase “coil whine” also popped up in several places as a possible cause, which relates to how electronics regulate their power supply.

The apparent issue remains inconsistent, with others confirming no noise from their own iPhone 7 devices when pushing them through benchmark tests designed to work the phone at its capacity.

Apple is yet to comment officially on the claims.