No more speakerphone, FaceTime, and video?

[trtmazda3]

Anyone know what would make a year-and-a-half old iPhone 4 no longer have any audio when using FaceTime, recording a video, and using speakerphone? Normal phone calls are fine. It also rings fine when people call. Using headphones is normal, as well. I just hear silence when I record a video. And when on speakerphone, I can hear the other person but they can't hear me.

I've never had a problem with it until literally today. Tried to use speakerphone while talking to my grandma and she couldn't hear me.

 

[Massie]

See if the microphone on TOP of the phone is covered or filled with dust or debris at all. It's the little hole next to the headphone jack. Clear it out and try again.

 

[trtmazda3]

What should I use to clear it out?

 

[Massie]

Try blowing into it, or carefully using the tip of a pin/needle. Don't go too deep if using that though.

 

[Massie]

Apple forum link with more info:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2554427?start=15&tstart=0

 

[Massie]

Or try a toothbrush, which solved the same problem for another forum user: http://forums.imore.com/showthread.php?t=228490

 

[trtmazda3]

I'm going to go find a small(ish) needle today and see if I can fix this. I don't to go another year without these features.

 

[trtmazda3]

Well, I've tried everything to no avail. Tried a restore, blowing canned air into the noise-cancelling mic, and sticking a tiny needle into the hole at the top. No dirt came out.

If I blow air into the mic hole while recording a video, it will hear that...but nothing else.

 

[Massie]

One other question...when you're actually IN your videos, have you tried turning up the volume? I know that if I have my phone set to full volume, I can still turn it way down inside of my Messages app while watching an MMS video and it won't affect the rest of the system volume--but the next time I go to watch an MMS the volume will still be super quiet.

 

[trtmazda3]

Yeah, it's all the way up all the way around. I even went back into my messages and watched a video sent to me through MMS and made sure of it.

Looks like I'm stuck with no speakerphone until the new iPhone comes out. I'm eligible for an upgrade with AT&T now, but I don't want a 4S. And with my phone being a year-and-a-half old with no AppleCare, there's no hope of a replacement.

 

[trtmazda3]

Thinking of putting this thing on eBay and seeing what I can get out of it. I wonder what anyone would pay for an otherwise well functioning iPhone 4 with a flawless screen but a dead noise-canceling mic?

 

[Massie]

Not sure, but if you have an Apple store anywhere near by, definitely drop in and explain what's going on before you give up. Warranty or not they can be very helpful and (sometimes) very generous.

 

[trtmazda3]

The Apple store is an hour away, so not too bad. I visited them on Tuesday night when the problem first arrived. They told me a couple of things to try, including a restore and plugging headphones in and unplugging them. Obviously, neither has helped.

So, Apple told my fiance today (while she was at the store and I was at work) that they would give me a new iPhone 4 16gb for $149 without doing an upgrade or affecting my AT&T contract at all. However, in return for that, I would have to give them my old iPhone 4 so they can determine what caused the mic failure and send it off to Apple.

Not sure about what to do, honestly.