Apparently, there are quite a few users of the Apple iPhone 12 and 12 Pro who have faced “sound issues due to a component that might fail on the receiver module”. And the problem is common enough for Apple to announce a worldwide service program to help fix it—and yes it even includes those in Malaysia.
“Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro devices may experience sound issues due to a component that might fail on the receiver module. Affected devices were manufactured between October 2020 and April 2021,” wrote Apple on their service program page.
If your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro does not emit sound from the receiver when you make or receive calls, it may be eligible for service. The iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max models, however, are not part of the program.
Apple mentions that either Apple or an Apple authorised service provider will help analyse your phone to determine whether it’s eligible for a free repair. Since there isn’t yet an official Apple store in Malaysia, you can easily look for your nearest Apple authorised service provider—which you can find through their support page.
There are some key things to note, though. Apple “may restrict or limit repair” to the original country or region of purchase. So, if you bought your iPhone in another country, it might not be eligible for service. In case you didn’t know, the iPhone 12 series sold in the US is different from the versions sold here as the US version comes with 5G mmWave support.
The service program doesn’t extend the standard warranty coverage of the iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro. It also only covers affected iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro devices for 2 years after the first retail sale of the unit. Additionally, any damage like a cracked screen would “need to be resolved prior to service” and there “may be a cost associated with the additional repair”.
Before you send your device for service, Apple advises for you to back up your iPhone to iCloud or your computer. You can also contact Apple Support if you have any other question and concerns.
As a lot of us just our phones for more than just receiving and making phone calls, we might not have noticed anything wrong with our device’s receiver. If you think your phone might have the problem, try testing out its sound and contact Apple for the free fix as soon as possible.
This is their first service program for the iPhone 12. But Apple has previously been pretty proactive with free service for several cases. The company also acknowledged an iPhone 11 issue which affects touch responsiveness, so eligible customers are able to get it fixed for free too.
