Apple iPhone 14 camera bug causes ‘grinding’ and ‘vibrating’ when using Instagram and TikTok

The company’s most expensive iPhone has an issue with its optical image stabilisation - but a fix is on the way

(AFP via Getty Images)

A bug in Apple’s new iPhones is causing the camera to fail when using TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and other apps.

An issue found in the recently released iPhone 14 series – specifically the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the most expensive phone – has been causing grinding sounds and vibrating the entire phone.

Apple launched its new flagship earlier this month, featuring a new notch design known as the “Dynamic Island”, faster chips, an improved camera sensor and its most recent software update iOS 16.

Altogether, Apple claimed the new improvements were the “biggest leap ever” for the iPhone’s camera.

The new iPhone’s camera issues appear to stem from software rather than hardware – specifically via the optical image stabilisation (OIS) in the camera which uses a motor to stop the camera shaking when taking photos.

The vibration does not happen using the iPhone’s main camera app but only when using third party software – although it is unclear what is the cause of the error.

Until a fix is released, users may want to avoid opening apps that could cause lasting damage to the camera’s the optical image stabilisation.

“The OIS and closed-loop AF [autofocus] systems in iPhone are designed for durability,” the company said in a post published in January 2022.

“However, as is the case with many consumer electronics that include systems such as OIS, long-term direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges may degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos. It is recommended to avoid exposing your iPhone to extended high-amplitude vibrations.”

Fortunately, Apple said it was aware of the problem and will be releasing a software update next week.

"We’re aware of the issue and a fix will be released next week," an Apple spokesperson informed MacRumors. It is likely that the fix will be included in an iOS 16.0.2 software update.