iPhone 14 Pro Max Hearing damage from headphone screech

[Scooter2226]

My iphone 14 Pro Max arrived a day ago. I noticed while using it on the first day that the Apple lightening headphones I use sometimes didn’t work properly and wouldn’t adjust the volume or change songs on Spotify.

While listening to music today, a VERY loud, high pitched screech came though my headphones for no apparent reason. The sound was so loud that I could still hear it coming from the headphones after I removed the buds from my ears and had them far from my head.

My ears are now feeling achy, muffled and full, and I’m genuinely concerned that I have hearing damage. Hopefully it’s just short term, but I have never experienced anything like this in all the years I’ve had an iphone/iPod. Is this a known bug with the 14 pros? Is it hardware or software do you think?

 

[beach bum]

My iphone 14 Pro Max arrived a day ago. I noticed while using it on the first day that the Apple lightening headphones I use sometimes didn’t work properly and wouldn’t adjust the volume or change songs on Spotify.

While listening to music today, a VERY loud, high pitched screech came though my headphones for no apparent reason. The sound was so loud that I could still hear it coming from the headphones after I removed the buds from my ears and had them far from my head.

My ears are now feeling achy, muffled and full, and I’m genuinely concerned that I have hearing damage. Hopefully it’s just short term, but I have never experienced anything like this in all the years I’ve had an iphone/iPod. Is this a known bug with the 14 pros? Is it hardware or software do you think?

Not sure what the issue is—phone/headphones, but I would suggest that you seek medical attention if symptoms persist for more than a day. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get checked out anyway just to be safe.

Were the headphones from Apple or another manufacturer? Also, you may want to report the issue to Apple and/or return the phone for a replacement.

 

[antiprotest]

My iphone 14 Pro Max arrived a day ago. I noticed while using it on the first day that the Apple lightening headphones I use sometimes didn’t work properly and wouldn’t adjust the volume or change songs on Spotify.

While listening to music today, a VERY loud, high pitched screech came though my headphones for no apparent reason. The sound was so loud that I could still hear it coming from the headphones after I removed the buds from my ears and had them far from my head.

My ears are now feeling achy, muffled and full, and I’m genuinely concerned that I have hearing damage. Hopefully it’s just short term, but I have never experienced anything like this in all the years I’ve had an iphone/iPod. Is this a known bug with the 14 pros? Is it hardware or software do you think?

Are you familiar with the emergency alerts? Could it have been one of those?

I've always thought those were very dangerous. They have perhaps harmed or killed many more people than they saved.

 

[Scooter2226]

Not sure what the issue is—phone/headphones, but I would suggest that you seek medical attention if symptoms persist for more than a day. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get checked out anyway just to be safe.

Were the headphones from Apple or another manufacturer? Also, you may want to report the issue to Apple and/or return the phone for a replacement.

The headphones were genuine apple headphones and never caused any issues on my previous phone.

I called Apple and created a case with the safety team and will be looking at getting a phone as soon as possible.

 

[Scooter2226]

Are you familiar with the emergency alerts? Could it have been one of those?

I've always thought those were very dangerous. They have perhaps harmed or killed many more people than they saved.

No, it definitely one of those. I wish I had recorded it with my apple watch for proof, but it was a terrible screeching sound, almost the old dial up modems.

 

[Scooter2226]

I just found this while looking to see if others experienced this. I’m not using Apple music, but it seems like this has happened before. https://www.phoneswiki.com/high-pitched-screeching-noise-apple-music-latest-update/

 

[DeepIn2U]

No, it definitely one of those. I wish I had recorded it with my apple watch for proof, but it was a terrible screeching sound, almost the old dial up modems.

Those baud modems were bad but maybe my ears didn’t think those were loud. Doesn’t negate what you experienced - as you stated almost like.

Definitely hope nothing permanent occurred to your hearing but yes you really should get it checked out as soon as possible. Your phone, as much as we like iPhones, is NOT for the rest of your life!

Hearing children your wife/partner or family meme bees voices, music, rushing water or rain dolphins/wale song etc is something to be heavily cherished and something you’d never want to loose the ability to hear again.

 

[Scooter2226]

Those baud modems were bad but maybe my ears didn’t think those were loud. Doesn’t negate what you experienced - as you stated almost like.

Definitely hope nothing permanent occurred to your hearing but yes you really should get it checked out as soon as possible. Your phone, as much as we like iPhones, is NOT for the rest of your life!

Hearing children your wife/partner or family meme bees voices, music, rushing water or rain dolphins/wale song etc is something to be heavily cherished and something you’d never want to loose the ability to hear again.

The sound was like an old modem, just much louder. And high pitched frequencies are much more likely to cause hearing damage than a flatter sound.

I’m not sure if this would have happened had i been using AirPods, but I don’t think I’ll be using any headphones for a while! Like you said, no iPhone or headphones are worth your health or hearing!

 

[DeepIn2U]

The sound was like an old modem, just much louder. And high pitched frequencies are much more likely to cause hearing damage than a flatter sound.

I’m not sure if this would have happened had i been using AirPods, but I don’t think I’ll be using any headphones for a while! Like you said, no iPhone or headphones are worth your health or hearing!

Well if you’ve ever cleaned AirPods Pro’s with rubbing alcohol gel and paper towels and Q-tips you’d find if you saw them as “dry” yet not waited several minutes and put them in your ears there would be a single tone high-pitch sound emitted from them instead of the mid tone were all familiar with when AirPods Pro confirms insertion in your ears. It’s not loud but you do notice it and wouldn’t want it to be consistent vs intermittent for a few short seconds.