iPhone 4: Ringer volume really low all of sudden (with the volume at MAX).

[DavidinCT]

This is for my wife's phone, a Verizon white iPhone 4 (not a 4S). The phone is in perfect shape, it's had a thick case and screen protector on it from brand new.

The kids were playing a game on her phone (I'm assuming they did something but, I could be wrong). Now with the volume at MAX, you can bearly hear the phone ringing. Before when it rang, we could hear it ringing 2 rooms away, clear as day, Now, you could be 2-3 feet away and bearly hear it, this is with the volume all the way up. She has gone through and hard reset the phone back to factory but, still the problem is still there. The problem is, my wife's hearing is not the best, so she never hears the phone ring any more unless she is holding it. I need to resolve this problem incase something major happens.

Is this a common problem ? Is there a software fix for this ? If no software, a hardware fix for it ?

I am sure the phone is out of warranty now, so is it time to just get rid of the iPhone and move on to a newer/different phone ?

 

[Jaguarr40]

unless it is a setting in the game that is doing it to the phone or you might want to go ahead and look at getting a new iPhone 5. Might just be worth going that route.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Did you check the bottom of the phone to see if the speaker is covered?

 

[DavidinCT]

Did you check the bottom of the phone to see if the speaker is covered?

Yea, phone looks fine, nothing covering the speaker that we can see.

She is not looking at a iPhone 5 (does not seem like that much of a upgrade feature wise), she is looking at a Lumia 928...(Windows Phone 8), dont want to turn this into a this is better than that thread or flaming (I'm a pretty high poster on wpcentral). Just wondering what is going on with this phone and if it's possable to fix it for her. I know the basics of the iPhone but, dont know it too well.

What else could be causing this issue ? I can understand if she was getting NO volume at all, yea, it's speaker or system amp problem on the main board but, a volume that cut in less than 1/2 ? The main problem is the ringer.

It's coming down to an out of warranty phone, so spending $100+ on it to get it fixed here is not an option as it can be replaced for less than that but, if it's something I can pull part to fix, I might do it for her (I have fixed WM, Android and WP7 phones in the past from chaging cracked displays and system parts)

Any other ideas ? And thanks for your help

 

[Just_Me_D]

Yea, phone looks fine, nothing covering the speaker that we can see.

She is not looking at a iPhone 5 (does not seem like that much of a upgrade feature wise), she is looking at a Lumia 928...(Windows Phone 8), dont want to turn this into a this is better than that thread or flaming (I'm a pretty high poster on wpcentral). Just wondering what is going on with this phone and if it's possable to fix it for her. I know the basics of the iPhone but, dont know it too well.

What else could be causing this issue ? I can understand if she was getting NO volume at all, yea, it's speaker or system amp problem on the main board but, a volume that cut in less than 1/2 ? The main problem is the ringer.

It's coming down to an out of warranty phone, so spending $100+ on it to get it fixed here is not an option as it can be replaced for less than that but, if it's something I can pull part to fix, I might do it for her (I have fixed WM, Android and WP7 phones in the past from chaging cracked displays and system parts)

Any other ideas ? And thanks for your help

The closest possible thing to verifying whether or not the problem is hardware related is to do either an iCloud backup or an iTunes backup or both and then restore it as new via iTunes. Test the sound volume before installing any apps or anything. If the sound is fine then the problem was more than likely a faulty setting of some sort. If the sound is still the same, you can always restore the backup you just made and continue using it like you had until you decide to get a replacement device.

 

[DavidinCT]

The closest possible thing to verifying whether or not the problem is hardware related is to do either an iCloud backup or an iTunes backup or both and then restore it as new via iTunes. Test the sound volume before installing any apps or anything. If the sound is fine then the problem was more than likely a faulty setting of some sort. If the sound is still the same, you can always restore the backup you just made and continue using it like you had until you decide to get a replacement device.

Thanks, she changed her mind and just ordered a Nokia Lumia 928. It's claimed as one of the best cameras on any phone, and she uses the camera a lot because of our kids.

I asked her if she checked before restoring and no, she didn't. After she nuked it, it prompted to restore, and she selected to do it. After she gets her replacement phone, I will nuke her phone and see what I can do with it. I guess there should still be some value in the phone if I can get it running fine. The case is in flawless shape (case and screen protector from purchase)

Thanks again for your help, I'll post back to this thread if I am stuck on it after she gets her new phone.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Thanks, she changed her mind and just ordered a Nokia Lumia 928. It's claimed as one of the best cameras on any phone, and she uses the camera a lot because of our kids.

I asked her if she checked before restoring and no, she didn't. After she nuked it, it prompted to restore, and she selected to do it. After she gets her replacement phone, I will nuke her phone and see what I can do with it. I guess there should still be some value in the phone if I can get it running fine. The case is in flawless shape (case and screen protector from purchase)

Thanks again for your help, I'll post back to this thread if I am stuck on it after she gets her new phone.

I understand and thank you for the update. The Lumia is a very nice and capable device and I hope your wife enjoys it. Take care and enjoy the rest of your evening.

 

[iTelephoney]

Try the following:
1- Activate "Vibration" settings.
2- Place you iPhone inside a protective cover that has multiple small beads on it.
3- Be sure ALWAYS to put your iPhone on hard surfaces such as wooden, glassy or marble etc. tabletops.
4- Vibration will shake the beads and cause them to hit the hard surface making loud extra noise will help you to feel your iPhone ringing.