Every new iPhone generation brings a wave of excitement, but it's often accompanied by a handful of early-adopter quirks. For owners of the latest iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, a peculiar and persistent audio glitch has emerged as a point of frustration. Multiple users are reporting an audible hissing or static noise emanating from the device's speakers specifically when the phone is connected to a charger, an issue that has lingered since the phone's launch and remains unaddressed by Apple several months later.
The Nature of the Charging-Related Speaker Hiss
The problem manifests as a faint but noticeable static or buzzing sound, likened by many to the white noise of an old radio. This noise is primarily reported to come from the bottom speaker grill of the iPhone 17 Pro models. Crucially, the issue is most apparent when the device is actively charging. Users describe hearing the sound even when audio is muted or when no media is playing at all, suggesting it is a background electronic noise rather than an audio processing bug. Some reports indicate the hiss becomes quieter when using a MagSafe wireless charger compared to a wired connection, but it does not disappear entirely. Intriguingly, a subset of users claims the faint noise can sometimes be detected even when the phone is off the charger, particularly when the battery level is high.
Reported Issue Details:
- Problem: Audible static/hissing from bottom speaker.
- Trigger Condition: Most prominent while device is charging.
- Affected Models: iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
- First Reported: User forum posts from September 2025 (around launch).
- Current Status: Unresolved; under investigation by Apple engineers.
User Reports and the Search for a Solution
Discussions about this speaker hiss began appearing on online forums, including Reddit and Apple's official Support Community, within days of the iPhone 17 series launch in September. The volume of consistent reports points to a widespread, though not universal, phenomenon. The search for a cause has led users down several dead ends. The problem is not isolated to third-party or faulty chargers, as it persists even with official Apple power adapters. Furthermore, some affected customers who pursued a device exchange found that their replacement units exhibited the exact same issue, strongly suggesting a systemic problem rather than a batch of defective hardware.
User Mitigation Observations:
- Charger Type: Occurs with both official Apple and third-party wired chargers.
- Wireless Charging: Sound is reported to be quieter with MagSafe, but still present.
- Hardware Swap: Device replacement does not guarantee a fix, with users reporting the issue persists on new units.
Apple's Response and the Path to a Potential Fix
While Apple has not made a public statement regarding the speaker hiss, there are indications that the company is aware and investigating. According to one user's account shared on Reddit, Apple Support confirmed the issue had been escalated to the company's engineering teams for review. This internal acknowledgment fuels hope that a software update may provide a remedy. The tech community speculates that if the root cause is firmware-related, a fix could be bundled with an upcoming iOS release, such as the anticipated iOS 26.3 update expected in the coming weeks. A software-based solution would be the ideal outcome, as it could resolve the issue for all affected users without requiring a hardware recall.
Potential Resolution Timeline:
- Possible Vector: Software/firmware update.
- Candidate Update: iOS 26.3.
- Expected Release: "In a few weeks" from late December 2025.
A Recurring Theme in iPhone Launches
The speaker hiss on the iPhone 17 Pro, while annoying for those who experience it, fits a familiar pattern in the smartphone industry, especially for a device with the immense scale of the iPhone. Early production runs of complex electronics can sometimes introduce minor, non-critical anomalies that affect a portion of users. Given the iPhone's sheer popularity, even an issue impacting a small percentage of units generates significant online discussion. Past iPhone launches have seen similar episodes—from "bendgate" to display tint variations—that often receive disproportionate attention before being resolved through subsequent manufacturing tweaks or software updates. For now, iPhone 17 Pro owners experiencing the charging static have little choice but to wait for an official response, hoping the solution is just a download away.
