iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro: gap at top in between speaker and chassis?

[dstew201]

I guess it goes without saying you don’t own any black colored vehicles?

Lol… no, can’t stand black cars!! I usually go for crazy colors (hence my obsession over switching from graphite to SB).
I backed out of picking cool individual color “dravit gray” because the thought of rock chips and paint matching …. Ugh! I’m planning on seeing a therapist!! ?? But,
I currently have one rock chip on my car, which surprisingly I have ignored for 3 months!

 

[alyssap22]

Is the consensus that the gap for the OP is not normal but other small gaps around the edging between glass and steel that a piece of paper could slide in is normal?

 

[Wackery]

GapGate, all iPhone 13 Pros have manufacturing flaws that result in the speakers falling out from poor assembly and quality.

Tim Cook “it’s fine, we still made lots of money, hehehe”

 

[richard13]

Just to update on my previous posts on this thread... I am not OCD and was ok ignoring the "metal bits" in the gap if the Genius Bar guy or the Apple Support rep said it was just a cosmetic issue. But since they couldn't confirm it wasn't more than that I decided to return. I still LOVE the way the Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro looks and will likely reorder soon. I'm hoping that my next one will be "normal" but in the meantime I'm happy with my trusty old iPhone X.

 

[Taz Mangus]

GapGate, all iPhone 13 Pros have manufacturing flaws that result in the speakers falling out from poor assembly and quality.

Exaggerate much.

 

[leebroath]

I did the same thing you did and got rid of almost 100% of it. BARELY see it now. Each one of these units meet apples tolerances. I’m not too worried seeing as it was that easy to fix.

There may be something to this! I did the same thing before going into the apple store, and it made enough of a difference for me to question if I should keep the genius appt. ?

Finally !!! I have some believers

All it takes is a little push down with your fingers at the top, OCD gone!

Then enjoy the beauty

Time to change the title of this thread 'iPhone 13 Pro: gap at top in between speaker and chassis? With Fix!'

 

[Superrenz]

Finally !!! I have some believers

All it takes is a little push down with your fingers at the top, OCD gone!

Then enjoy the beauty

Time to change the title of this thread 'iPhone 13 Pro: gap at top in between speaker and chassis? With Fix!'

So you just press it top down? How hard do you press? You push on the steel band right?

 

[leebroath]

The way mine was fixed was pressing down at the top, while the phone was in a Spigen jelly case.

I push my phone down at the top to slip into a leg side pocket, it's a snug fit, so I need to push a little harder

As other has mentioned, just put the phone in your hand and give the top a push down.

I'll try take a photo of how I push mine into my pocket tonight, I'm just glade the tiny gap is gone and really enjoying my Pro Max

 

[absolutkev]

Two brandnew iPhone 13 Pro from the Apple Store in Germany, out of the box. Minimal, but you can see the metal. It is very difficult to see in photos. But immediately if there is direct incidence of light. So I think 9/10 people don't see it at all.

 

[richard13]

The way mine was fixed was pressing down at the top, while the phone was in a Spigen jelly case.

I push my phone down at the top to slip into a leg side pocket, it's a snug fit, so I need to push a little harder

As other has mentioned, just put the phone in your hand and give the top a push down.

I'll try take a photo of how I push mine into my pocket tonight, I'm just glade the tiny gap is gone and really enjoying my Pro Max

You are either incredibly strong or I'm incredibly weak. That stainless steel band did not budge. And if it did, I would think there'd be a bend in it now. Metal bits in gap still showed.

 

[leebroath]

Nope not strong, I just press down to push the phone down into my pocket

I've taken a photo with the works camera to let you see,

see how its very snug, I have to push down pretty hard so it slides down

 

[Superrenz]

You are either incredibly strong or I'm incredibly weak. That stainless steel band did not budge. And if it did, I would think there'd be a bend in it now. Metal bits in gap still showed.

Same over here.... didn't work....

 

[Zaft]

Hey guys, just a quick question to any new iPhone 13 Pro owners like me:

Do you guys have what appears to be like the tiniest gap in between the top speaker and the steel band? It’s only visible at certain angles in the right light, but i’m worried that I may have received a dud with a broken waterproof seal that will need replacing. Check attached photos to see what I mean.

I appreciate any help, Thanks in advance

If you have to look for it it’s not an issue. Don’t go crazy over small insignificant tolerances. You will go crazy.

 

[alyssap22]

If you have to look for it it’s not an issue. Don’t go crazy over small insignificant tolerances. You will go crazy.

Is the consensus that the gap for the OP is not normal but other small gaps around the edging between glass and steel that a piece of paper could slide in is normal? I have a small gap on the bottom by lightening port that a piece of paper slid in there but I can’t really see it to the eyes. This type of gap between glass and the metal frame is normal?

 

[Phone Junky]

If you have to look for it it’s not an issue. Don’t go crazy over small insignificant tolerances. You will go crazy.

But that's exactly what the unicorn hunters do. In there never-ending quest for perfection, they come up with all kinds of "problems".

 

[Wh1teSult4n]

13 PM 256 SB

 

[IconIc215]

View attachment 1863143
13 PM 256 SB

You might have it but can't tell from the photo. If your really curious, go shine a flashlight in that area at different angles. I would suggest not doing it though because its insignificant either way.

 

[Wh1teSult4n]

I stumbled upon this thread as well as a couple of others, before buying the iPhone, serching for "defects" to look for while I am in the return period. I know, I'm not sane.
I've already checked and come to a conclusion, which I've already posted here:

iPhone 13 Pro Max gap above earpiece…

The water tight seal is actually stuck to the glass underneath the display so the small gap you see is not a weak spot for water ingress. You can see this by looking at tare down videos. There is probably a gap on most either at the top or bottom some might be more noticeable than others but...

forums.macrumors.com

Here is my 2 cents:
If you shine a flashlight or look closely at a certain angle in the sunlight, you can see the metal piece above the speaker. It's a construction tolerance. Some units are more affected than others (0.1mm more could make the difference given how tiny the gap is), some units may also have the metal touch the glass and honestly I would be more scared about that, should the phone fall on the ground...
If you ask me, it's not a defect by any means, it's just how it is.
Accept it or exchange it until you find a unit that you can tolerate.
Personally I care more about the display uniformity.

 

[Fred Zed]

I see both sides of the argument here...For the prices Apple charges, one expects perfection. However perfection and Apple do not go together. Generally when you start swapping phones you return one issue or another (or even two new issues). What one views theirs as pristine someone would find something wrong with it whether it be something with the screen or cosmetic. But I get it as I have been there before opening up a brand new phone on launch day to find it scratched or some other cosmetic defect. On the flipside, I feel like people go above and beyond looking for issues. These forums are a gift and a curse at the same time. While its a fun place for Apple enthusiasts to come chat about products, it also nitpicks every little flaw possible on a "mass produced" device. Its sort of ridiculous to sit there examining the device under a light over and over....just use the damn thing for what it is. You can spend months worrying about ticky tack crap instead of just enjoying the new phone. This thread is completely overblown in my opinion. Just because you don't have a slight gap near the ear piece that doesn't mean there isn't one somewhere else in the frame (which were common in the 12's) you just don't see it or there wasn't a thread yet to let you know where to go look for it with your flashlight. I would take this issue any day over screen defects or scratches or chips on the stainless. When you go to sell it or trade it in this would have absolutely zero impact on anything.

Yeah those dreaded frame gouges out of the box. Had on the 13pm and 12pm. How lucky am I ? 🤣

 

[IconIc215]

I stumbled upon this page thread as well as a couple of others, before buying the iPhone, serching for "defects" to look for while I am in the return period. I know, I'm not sane.
I've already checked and come to a conclusion, which I've already posted here:

iPhone 13 Pro Max gap above earpiece…

The water tight seal is actually stuck to the glass underneath the display so the small gap you see is not a weak spot for water ingress. You can see this by looking at tare down videos. There is probably a gap on most either at the top or bottom some might be more noticeable than others but...

forums.macrumors.com

Here is my 2 cents:
If you shine a flashlight or look closely at a certain angle in the sunlight, you can see the metal piece above the speaker. It's a construction tolerance. Some units are more affected than others (0.1mm more could make the difference given how tiny the gap is), some units may also have the metal touch the glass and honestly I would be more scared about that, should the phone fall on the ground...
If you ask me, it's not a defect by any means, it's just how it is.
Accept it or exchange it until you find a unit that you can tolerate.
Personally I care more about the display uniformity.

I'd be more worried (as you mentioned) about the display as a whole and about noticeable chips/scratches on the chassis. This are things people not going above and beyond looking for issues would possibly notice. If you need a flashlight and for it to be only noticeable at certain angles, only MacRumors members would know that! Screen is number 1 for me because that is the full function of the phone itself. I have been through two different phones already because of a screen issues. My last one was so dull/washed and had zero crispness to the app icons. At times before I returned it I questioned if I had an IPhone 13 PM. Pick your battles wisely. Every frame has a gap in it whether it be at the earpiece or around the border somewhere simply to allow for expansion and contraction of the materials used. Just so are more noticeable than others. Bottom line....Enjoy your phone!

 

[IconIc215]

Yeah those dreaded frame gouges out of the box. Had on the 13pm and 12pm. How lucky am I ? 🤣

Very lucky! I assume you swapped that one out no?

 

[levels]

You might have it but can't tell from the photo. If your really curious, go shine a flashlight in that area at different angles. I would suggest not doing it though because its insignificant either way.

That’s the funny part- I’m willing to bet a lot of people have this gap and just don’t have the right level of OCD to notice it haha. Like somebody mentioned, I can guarantee from this angle you wouldn’t see it. I could probably take 100 pictures of my phone, and you may only see the gap on 1 or 2 photos. It’s not easy to catch- but yet many people do notice these things.

 

[Wh1teSult4n]

Exactly

 

[Fred Zed]

Very lucky! I assume you swapped that one out no?

I swapped the gold pro 12 max out yes. But returned the 13 pro max. Currently iPhone less.

 

[IconIc215]

I swapped the gold pro 12 max out yes. But returned the 13 pro max. Currently iPhone less.

Are you going to repurchase the 13 PM or going with something else? Was it the chips in the stainless you returned it for?