Apple's iPhone 7 launches; sold-out models leave some iPhone 7 owners report hissing sounds
Apple's iPhone 7 launch generated trademark queues and brisk sales on Friday, September 16, that defied gloomy expectations, with some enthusiasts left empty-handed after lining up for hours as the company announced some models had sold out.
The new phone comes with an improved camera, no headphone jack, and a water resistant body as the US tech giant seeks to reverse declines in sales amid increased competition.
There has been much chatter among Apple fans since the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were unveiled about the groundbreaking decision to eliminate headphone jacks and embrace a wireless future. But on Friday most talk focused on supply issues.
Apple shares finished up 3.4% at $115.56 on Thursday as the firm said the iPhone 7 Plus and jet black version of the iPhone 7 had already sold out in pre-orders ahead of its debut in stores.
Analysts were divided over the cause of the shortages, with some saying the handset was more popular than expected, while others suggested the tech titan may be deliberately limiting supply or could be experiencing supply-side problems.
Some early iPhone 7 adopters are getting considerably more than they bargained for. Reports are surfacing of both the regular iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus producing hissing sounds when they're subjected to a heavy processor workload, such as a game. They continue to function, thankfully, but it's a bit disconcerting when most phones are virtually silent. It's not clear what the cause is -- some suspect coil whine or similar electromagnetic effects, but there's no guarantee that this is the case.
The issue doesn't appear for everyone. I tested an iPhone 7 using 3DMark "Ice Storm Extreme," a performance benchmark that puts the processor under serious strain, and heard no hissing at all. That suggests that the noise may stem from a manufacturing issue instead of an inherent design quirk. Not that this will make you feel any better if you're affected, of course.
It won't be pretty if you run into this issue and want a replacement iPhone, though. Supplies are already extremely tight, so you may end up waiting days to get a blissfully quiet device.
The new phone comes with an improved camera, no headphone jack, and a water resistant body as the US tech giant seeks to reverse declines in sales amid increased competition.
There has been much chatter among Apple fans since the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were unveiled about the groundbreaking decision to eliminate headphone jacks and embrace a wireless future. But on Friday most talk focused on supply issues.
Apple shares finished up 3.4% at $115.56 on Thursday as the firm said the iPhone 7 Plus and jet black version of the iPhone 7 had already sold out in pre-orders ahead of its debut in stores.
Analysts were divided over the cause of the shortages, with some saying the handset was more popular than expected, while others suggested the tech titan may be deliberately limiting supply or could be experiencing supply-side problems.
Some early iPhone 7 adopters are getting considerably more than they bargained for. Reports are surfacing of both the regular iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus producing hissing sounds when they're subjected to a heavy processor workload, such as a game. They continue to function, thankfully, but it's a bit disconcerting when most phones are virtually silent. It's not clear what the cause is -- some suspect coil whine or similar electromagnetic effects, but there's no guarantee that this is the case.
The issue doesn't appear for everyone. I tested an iPhone 7 using 3DMark "Ice Storm Extreme," a performance benchmark that puts the processor under serious strain, and heard no hissing at all. That suggests that the noise may stem from a manufacturing issue instead of an inherent design quirk. Not that this will make you feel any better if you're affected, of course.
It won't be pretty if you run into this issue and want a replacement iPhone, though. Supplies are already extremely tight, so you may end up waiting days to get a blissfully quiet device.
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