[Swordmaker]

A "ton" is an exaggeration of the number of iPhones being seen. This "flaw" is affecting a very small percentage (far less than 1% of the total number of iPhone 6/6plus models sold from what I can see of the numbers they are talking about here) of a two year old model iPhone. It is still too many and Apple should handle it under an extended warranty program.

However, if you are experiencing this problem, make an appointment with your nearest Apple Store's Genius Bar and insist on either a replacement iPhone or a repair. Cite the fact that other Genius Bars have replaced iPhone 6 pluses both in and out of warranty that showed these same symptoms and that it is a known problem. If all they will offer is the $99 exchange, go with that. It is a minority problem.

If this IS a resurrection of the old "endgate" problem, which I highly doubt, stop carrying your iPhone 6/6plus in a rear pocket. I am more suspicious that this problem is caused by a poor original soldering job when the iPhone logic board was made due to insufficient fluxing. Over time, just mere vibration could cause these poorly soldered joins to break the way these are described to have broken.

[Swordmaker]

Is your Apple iPhone 6 or 6 Plus suddenly intermittently showing a flickering grayish bar at the top of the screen and not responding to touches? This might be the problem. A very small percentage of these iPhones are exhibiting these symptoms of failure as solder joints on the logic board are breaking. iFixIt suggests that this can be fixed by specialized repair shops who can do micro soldering replacement of the two ICs involved for less than the cost of replacing the phone or the logic board. Apple's only suggestion is for you to buy a new iPhone, although some users have been able to convince them to replace their iPhones with this symptom for free, or for a nominal charge, either in or out of warranty! — PING!

Apple
Ping!

The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me

[eyeamok]

And when AUTOMAKERS have a SMALL PROBLEM like this, they are FORCED BY THE Government to RECALL ALL OF THEM and REPAIR FOR FREE!!!

[wbill]

stop carrying your iPhone 6/6plus in a rear pocket.

Yeah, I saw that too. What idiot would intentionally, and routinely, sit on their IPhone? Or any electronic device? Then, wonder why it's broken?

[al_c]

I assume this goes for the 6S and 6S Plus as well? Or is it just the 6 and 6 Plus?

[PAR35]

They won’t fix problems for the proles (remember when they told folks they just had to hold their iphones differently), but they’ll re-write their software to make Barb(a)ra Streizand happy. http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/22/technology/barbra-streisand-siri-name/

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Not quite ready for prime time?

Generally if electronics die in the first 90 days(crib death) you can call it random manufacturing tolerances. After that it is a design/testing defect.

What is the failure rate?

[glasseye]

Loved loved loved my iphone 4, but Verizon was too expensive.
Went with a cheap android phone and a different carrier and cut my monthly bill from $92 to $36...and no contract.
In the end it is just a phone.

[onyx]

B T T T ! ! ! ©

[edh]

It could also be a batch of crap solder used on the solder balls of the ICs in question.

If the failure rate is as low as you say & a new IC is ‘solving’ the problem while a reflow isn’t doing much of anything, I’d suspect that.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

My iPhone 6s had to be replaced (at approx 5 mos) because I developed the “Crackle of Death.”

So loud was my “Crackle” I had to keep my phone on mute. I could basically only text, because anything that used sound (even phone calls) were crackled. Along with random fits of crackling just about anytime.

When I took the phone back to the Verizon store, during the very young associate’s “investigation” of MY problem, she noted that I had the phone on mute, so she proudly takes the phone off mute (because obviously I’m a Luddite,) and in about 3 seconds ALL heads in the store were looking our way, as I shouted OVER the crackle, “yep, that’s what it’s been doing.”

The manager joined us then, and by they discussed how they NEVER heard an iPhone make “such a sound” but of course on line there are about a gazillion hits on “Crackle of Death.”

:)

[Bobalu]

I could fix those boards at a BGA workstation.

I'd choose 60/40 Tin/Lead solder balls though... lead-free solder is a bit stiffer and prone to crack.

Lead free solder is a nightmare in critical devices as the solder promotes tin-whisker formation that can short out components.

[Bobalu]

[upchuck]

Steven Jobs, you are missed.

[SW6906]

Happened to my 6 Plus six months ago. I carry it in my front pocket in loose pants. I was told my only option was to replace the phone with a new 6S Plus, NOT at $99 exchange (whatever that is).

I look forward to the class action lawsuit. I was told (after two hours sitting at Apple WITH a Genius Bar appointment) the phone was un-repairable.

[SkyPilot]

Great advice - thanks.

[Buffalo Head]

Thanks for the post.

[publius911]

I always scratch my head when I read this sort of article, where there is delicate highly specialized repair, it is common enough to get worldwide attention, yet there is no clue as to the cost of the fix!

Obviously it must be less than the cost of a new phone, but anything over 25% would be a game changer for me!

I try to imagine a $1500 desktop PC needing a $350 repair after a few months regardless of the cause

[MomwithHope]

Btt

[TheBattman]

As someone who IS experiencing the intermittent unresponsive touch on my iphone 6+ (started after Apple Store replaced the screen for a defective microphone - covered under warranty that is now expired) - and I cannot get it to consistently demonstrate the touch issue for an Apple tech - so no help there...

And the Apple user forum is on fire with folks chiming in with identical symptoms (the grey bands on the upper part of screen apparently may or may not be directly related.... many of the reports do not include the display issue - just the intermittent touch problem).

Then I just read this: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-lawsuit-touchscreens-idUSKCN1141OJ

And this: http://www.macrumors.com/2016/08/29/iphone-6-touch-disease-class-action-lawsuit/

Further - it is not 100% limited to iPhone 6+, as there are more than a few iPhone 6 users posting with the same issue (though it does appear to be mostly 6+ owners).

I do believe this rises to a case of legitimate concern - Apple SHOULD do something constructive - as a class action lawsuit will likely best-case get an iTunes store credit of $5 or 10.... while the attorneys will rake in $millions.

Come on Apple -

(Swordmaker - I would have sent you a freepmail - but I’m still apparently still “account too new”....)