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Some iPhone 12 cases are shipping without speaker holes

Credit: zarnold16

Last updated

Some of Apple's iPhone 12 cases appear to be shipping out to customers without speaker holes on the bottom, according to user reports.

The defect seems to affect the new MagSafe-compatible cases for Apple's new handset. Although the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro officially drop on Oct. 23, accessory orders have been arriving throughout the week.

At least two separate users have received defective cases, per two different Reddit threads.

One Reddit user said that an Apple advisor told them the case wasn't meant to have speaker holes, but that isn't true. Without them, the sound from the device will be muffled. Other cases received by customers also feature the speaker holes.

It appears that this is a fairly uncommon issue, and anyone who receives a defective speaker case should be able to get a replacement by contacting Apple Support.



17 Comments

sebnolan11 6 Years · 15 comments

In the manufacturing process, errors could occur. For every brands. But geeze don’t tell me that a case without holes could exist 😂. 

ro_ro_ur_boat 4 Years · 51 comments

QA lapse... but that’s like skipping a step in the production process. 

M68000 7 Years · 887 comments

Wow,  that’s amazing.  I’ve actually preferred cases without the bottom covered for a long time.  Recently have moved to pouch case anyway.  Now I really prefer using phone without any case and putting back in pouch.  Yes,  it’s more “work” but the best of both worlds - protection when not using and holding phone without case when using.

sflocal 16 Years · 6138 comments

It's not like I have a clue, but I'm assuming after the cases are molded, the speaker holes are either drilled, or punched-through in an assembly line.  Given that the manufacturer is making hundreds of thousands of these (if not millions), I would think it possible that some slipped through the conveyor improperly, bypassing this step.

People will get outraged over anything in this era of instant-information.  I don't see an issue.  Take it back to Apple and get a replacement. Jeez.

williamh 13 Years · 1048 comments

sflocal said:

People will get outraged over anything in this era of instant-information.  I don't see an issue.  Take it back to Apple and get a replacement. Jeez.

Class action countdown engines on . . .

Somebody patented a case that muffles the sound. They approached Apple and Apple refused to license it, saying that it’s a stupid idea.  And here they are ripping off the non-practicing entity . . .

If Apple sticks to its guns and insists it’s intentional, Samsung will start selling one soon.