iPhone 17 owners complain about a new malfunction — what’s wrong

Some iPhone 17 Pro Max owners are reporting lower volume levels and unusual noises during audio playback. These appear to be isolated cases.

This was reported by CNET.

What exactly iPhone 17 Pro Max users are complaining about

The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max feature a new aluminum unibody design; however, it is the 17 Pro Max model where some users are noticing sound issues, particularly while the phone is charging. Complaints on the Apple Support page, MacRumors, and Reddit forums mention reduced overall loudness and the appearance of unwanted static or crackling noises.

CNET journalist Jeffrey Mizrahi noted that the sound on his iPhone 17 Pro Max seemed "raspier" compared to his previous iPhone 16 Pro Max, with voices in videos becoming distorted. In addition to the quieter, more "crunchy" sound, he also detected a faint static noise from the speaker when the volume was set to zero and the phone was connected via USB-C wired charging.

According to user reports on various forums, this issue does not occur when the phone is unplugged or using MagSafe wireless charging, although some Reddit users claim to hear similar noises regardless of whether the device is connected to a cable.

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