Apple
The ever-larger lens array may not be the only bumpy thing about the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s camera. Some users report that the phone makes grinding noises and vibrates when they try to take photos with third-party apps such as SnapChat and TikTok, severely distorting the camera images and in some cases damaging the camera hardware. The problem doesn’t appear to be universal, but MacRumors has collected complaints from users on multiple social media sites and its own forums, as has The Guardian. Some YouTubers have also documented the phenomenon.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple has acknowledged the issue and plans to release a fix next week.
The distortion and judder are most likely caused by the camera’s optical image stabilization gyroscope, which, in normal use, corrects for shake and hand movement so that the camera can capture a little more light without producing blurry photos (although iPhone cameras do have some sort of “optical” image). zoom, it is achieved using several physical lenses and not one lens with mechanical parts that can physically zoom in and out).
Until Apple releases a fix, users should try not to use the camera within these apps – grinding the OIS gyroscope for an extended period of time can damage the camera, and Apple specifically warns against attaching iPhones to motorcycles or other things that vibrate excessively. If possible, taking photos or videos with the built-in camera app and then uploading or importing them to your third-party app of choice is a workaround that can save your device some stress.
If you experience hardware damage as a result of this bug, you should be able to have your phone repaired or replaced under warranty.
