Some owners of the just-launched device have been reporting that Apple’s latest phone makes a hissing sound when its processor is subjected to a heavy workload.
The cause and seriousness of the apparent issue isn’t clear at this stage, though considering the mess Samsung is currently in with its flagship Galaxy Note 7, no doubt Apple will be keen to learn more about it at the earliest opportunity.
It appears 512 Pixels’ Stephen Hackett was one of the first to report the issue, his tweet responded to by others claiming to be experiencing the same problem. Hackett posted a recording of the mysterious sound on YouTube:
Some users said they can hear the hissing sound coming from the back of the device when the phone’s new A10 Fusion processor was being pushed hard by certain games and other demanding apps.
Hackett said AppleCare told him to visit an Apple Store to get the phone replaced, though reports of low supplies of the new device may mean he won’t be able to pick one up immediately.
We’ve reached out to Apple for comment about the reported hissing issue and will update when we hear back.
This isn’t the first time a newly released iPhone has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. In its most damaging incident to date, the iPhone 4 was discovered to have reception problems in a story that became known as “Antennagate.” The issue began to attract so much negative publicity that the company was forced to offer free bumper cases to fix the problem.
And of course, many of you will also recall 2014’s “Bendgate” fuss, where some iPhone 6 Plus owners complained that the device bent too easily when in their pants pocket. The phone was Apple’s slimmest and largest handset at the time, though the company said it only ever received a handful of complaints about it bending unexpectedly. However, it’s believed that after the issue was brought to its attention, the tech giant made some subtle design tweaks to make the handset stronger.
Only time will tell if these latest reports are anything for Apple to worry about, and therefore whether the company will be adding “Hissgate” to its steadily growing list of iPhone launch snafus.
