More iPhone4 Issues: Proximity Sensor

[Ji@nBing]

Increasing numbers of iPhone 4 users are reporting the touchscreen becoming active during phone calls when the proximity sensor would normally shut it off, leading to inadvertent button-presses. The reports are coming in with enough frequency and consistency to suspect a hardware or calibration issue with at least a particular subset of iPhones. No word from Apple yet.

The iPhone's proximity sensor uses a small infrared LED and uses the reflection from nearby objects to deactivate the touchscreen when it's close to your head. If you hold it up to an iSight or other camera that can read near infrared light, you can usually just see the glow. The problem may be in how sensitive the detector is set to be on some phones or an actual problem with the detector. So far I haven't noticed it with my own phone, if I make a call and hold a finger in front of the sensor with my finger the screen deactivates out to about an inch away.

An email from a MMi member this morning reported hearing keypress tones during calls, and in one instance his phone tried to initiate a FaceTime call while he had the iPhone to his head. There's an Apple Support thread with forty-one posts as of the time of this writing, most with similar reports. One user saysthe display activates when he rocks it from side to side.

Anyone out there seeing this?

Source

Lots of reports of this now. Anyone here having this problem?

[InterceptorX]

I haven't had this problem yet.

[azz0r_wugg]

I've encountered this. I was mid call and it it went to speaker...I was on the bus and it was kinda awkward.

[Elliott]

I haven't had this problem. I just tried it out on a call to my voicemail and it went off and on like it should.

[Quillz]

Hasn't happened to me yet, though it does seem the screen gets turned off if you cover the area near the top speaker grill.

[Elliott]

I just had this happen when it was up to my face. I looked at the discussion on Apple's Discussion Boards. The contributors there have come to the conclusion that it's a software calibration issue that arises when you restore a backup from an earlier iPhone (2G, 3G, or 3GS) since the iPhone 4 has a different style of proximity sensor.

If you have the problem, try going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings (this doesn't delete any media). It fixed the problem for me.

[SMELTN]

You know we are hearing a lot more problems with the 4 than I can recall with any other version of the iPhone. Am I correct in saying that?

[L3thal Veteran]

You know we are hearing a lot more problems with the 4 than I can recall with any other version of the iPhone. Am I correct in saying that?

That is most likely because they redesigned the whole phone, while the previous 3 models had a similar design with very minor modifications.

[KoL Veteran]

Not having this one.

[NotableNebula]

The contributors there have come to the conclusion that it's a software calibration issue that arises when you restore a backup from an earlier iPhone (2G, 3G, or 3GS) since the iPhone 4 has a different style of proximity sensor.

Unfortunately I am experiencing this problem very frequently - it's rather annoying. I did not restore my phone from a previous back-up, so there is more to this issue than that I'm afraid.

[lt8480]

This appears to be happening to people holding their phone with their right hand... "Just avoid holding it that way"... this will stop it going to loudspeaker.

[NotableNebula]

This appears to be happening to people holding their phone with their right hand... "Just avoid holding it that way"... this will stop it going to loudspeaker.

You know, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the official response.

[SMELTN]

You know, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the official response.

HAHA Same.. I was just thinking we will see an email screenshot in the next day or 2 from Steve Jobs saying, stop holding your phone completely. We are now selling a Bluetooth headset so you never touch your phone ever!!

[RadishTM Veteran]

Not having this one.

Same here.

[Sn00pY]

Oddly, I was just using Facetime with a buddy in US and this was on the first things he asked me! I've not had any issues like this that I've noticed... he said he and his buddy have had it a few times! Perhaps it's only some phones.

[Ji@nBing]

I'm just glad I decided to get a new guitar amp with my money and wait a bit for the iPhone 4. I'd be so ****ed if I spent that much money (I'd buy it without a contract) and it had all these issues. Hopefully by the time I'm ready to buy, all the issues will be worked out.

[webeagle12]

you holding it wrong :whistle:

[Elliott]

Unfortunately I am experiencing this problem very frequently - it's rather annoying. I did not restore my phone from a previous back-up, so there is more to this issue than that I'm afraid.

That's odd. I did it and it completely fixed the problem for me. I haven't had it since I reset my settings.