A strange issue causing the rear camera to vibrate on some iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models does not necessitate a repair, according to Apple.
When asked if customers who already experienced the issue on their new iPhone should visit an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, Apple said users simply need to update their iPhone once a software update with a fix is released next week, suggesting that the issue does not cause permanent hardware damage to the device.
"We're aware of the issue and a fix will be released next week," an Apple spokesperson informed MacRumors earlier today. Apple did not provide any further details, but it's likely that the fix will be included in an iOS 16.0.2 software update.
Following the launch of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, some users have noticed that the rear camera's main/bottom lens vibrates uncontrollably when the camera is opened in apps such as Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, resulting in the lens making a rattling sound and shaky video appearing within the viewfinder on the device.
YouTuber Luke Miani claimed that the issue resulted in the main lens on an iPhone 14 Pro Max that he was testing being unable to focus properly in subsequent usage, even in the Camera app. Miani said that he took the iPhone to an Apple Store and was able to exchange the device for a new one, but it's unclear if there was any permanent damage.
So uh, we’re having some issues with the 14 Pro Max camera pic.twitter.com/7HH1wLFjdF — Luke Miani (@LukeMiani) September 16, 2022
Apple has not revealed the underlying cause of the issue. The main lens on both iPhone 14 Pro models features new "second-generation" sensor-shift optical image stabilization, and it is possible that the stabilizer is acting up for reasons unclear, but this is only speculation. In any case, the problem should be fixed in a matter of days.
It's unclear if next week's update will address a few other camera and AirDrop bugs that have been uncovered on iPhone 14 models since they launched on Friday.
Top Rated Comments
While a repair may not be necessary, this is like buying a "new" car that has 50,000 miles on the engine already. If this issue has happened to you, your camera's IBIS system has been stressed far beyond what it would have been, and you should go in and try to get a replacement as soon as possible.
Maybe they took some lessons from the butterfly keyboard disaster.
I noticed that a lot of YouTubers make faces like Luke Miani is making in his video thumbnail. I forget where, but I recall seeing something, somewhere basically saying that thumbnails with people making real life emoji faces increase clicks and was encouraged by YouTube.
They have an opposite affect on me, I tend to avoid videos with people making goofy faces on the thumbnails. Anyone else like that?
Also don’t take Apple’s word for it, if your device has this problem, return it as soon as possible for a refund/exchange within the 14 day window. Doesn’t take an engineer to figure out that insane amount of the camera sensor shaking will have put unnecessary wear on the hardware and shorten it’s component lifespan.
Maybe Apple figured out a way in software to "reset" whatever goes out of alignment when the problem occurs, but there has been evidence of something that looks a lot like "damage". Hopefully it's not!
Either way, this is costing Apple sales. I was on the fence about upgrading this year, and was going to make my decision in a month or so. This has pushed me squarely into "I'll upgrade next year". I kinda want USB-C anyway, and my 11PM is still excellent with good battery life. This has been a bad iPhone launch year for Apple, the first bad one in some time.
According to them, a "small percentage" of the keyboards in certain MacBooks are affected by butterfly failures.