Having speaker or cellular reception issues on your GSM/AT&T iPhone 4 and want to DIY repair it? iMore has you covered. We can guide you through the process and give you advice on where to get your parts and tools. Replacing the bottom speaker assembly or cellular antenna are both pretty straight forward repairs if you've got good instructions, the right tools, and quality parts.

Disclaimer: As with any repair, iMore nor PXLFIX can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It’s also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don’t feel comfortable opening your device, don’t. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.

What issues this repair will address

• Cellular reception issues - if your iPhone 4 can't hold a cellular signal, won't connect to 3G, or constantly says "Searching.." - you may need to replace your antenna. First try replacing your SIM or speaking with your carrier.
• Bottom speaker doesn't work when using speakerphone or playing music

What you need for a DIY speaker or cellular antenna repair

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have quality parts, tools, and much more for all your repair needs.

Please note the speaker assembly is the same across all models of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S but the antenna will be different.

• GSM iPhone 4 (please note there ARE internal differences between the GSM and CDMA models)
• New GSM iPhone 4 speaker assembly or cellular antenna (whichever part you are replacing) - iPhone 4 speaker assembly, GSM iPhone 4 cellular antenna
• SIM removal tool (or a paper clip)
• #00 Phillips screwdriver
• Pry tool or spudger
• Security screwdriver (only if your iPhone has 5-point security screws in the dock connector)

Power off your iPhone 4

Before performing any repair, always power off your device before removing any screws or parts.

Remove the back

1. First remove the bottom 2 dock connector screws in your iPhone 4. Use either your #00 screwdriver or the five point depending on whether or not your iPhone 4 has security screws in the dock connector. Almost all newer devices will have security screws.

2. To remove the back simply slide the back upwards and lift it off gently.
3. Set the back and 2 dock connector screws aside.

Remove your SIM card

Use a SIM removal tool or a paperclip to remove your SIM card and tray. Set them aside.

Remove the battery

1. To remove the battery you’ll need to remove the #00 screw holding the battery clip in place. Remove this screw located to the bottom left of the battery.

2. The metal clip on the battery is what clips the battery to the logic board. You’ll need to pop this clip up with your plastic pry tool. Simply stick the end of your pry tool underneath the clip and gently pull upwards until it unfastens from the logic board.

3. To remove the battery, I do not recommend using the plastic pull tab. There is quite a bit of adhesive underneath the battery and the tab will normally just rip off or you can bend the battery. Instead, run your pry tool along the right side of the battery and break the adhesive that way. Once the battery is free from the adhesive, you can pull the battery out of the phone. There are no other connectors holding it in.

4. You will notice a tiny grounding clip sitting underneath where you unscrewed the battery. Set this aside for replacement during reassembly. This is a grounding clip for your antenna. Make sure you put it back in place before reconnecting your battery.

Remove the dock connector shield and disconnect the cable

1. There is a shield held on with two screws covering the dock connector cable. Remove the two screws holding it in place and set the shield and screws aside, remembering where they came from.

2. Next, use your pry tool to pry up the actual dock connector cable. Be careful as there is adhesive holding the cable in place as well. Peel back the adhesive gently to free the cable.

Remove the top logic board shield

1. There are 5 screws holding the logic board shield in place. Remove the 5 screws holding it in place. Just be sure to remember which holes they came out of as the screws are different sizes. I always keep them in order of how they came out.

2. Next you'll need to remove the shield. There is a tiny clip built into the shield holding it in place. (Refer to the photo above.) Pop it up with your pry tool and you should be able to slide the shield up fairly easily. Just take care not to bend it or break off a clip.

Disconnect the 6 cables from the top of the logic board

1. There is only one connector holding the camera to the logic board. Remove this cable in the picture above using your pry tool. Gently lift upwards and it will pop right off.

2. Next gently lift the camera out of the device. You'll notice there is a tiny tab that is seated underneath the LCD and digitizer cables to the right.

3. Next pop up the LCD and digitizer cables to the right of where the camera cable was connected. You pop them up in the same direction.

4. The 3 cables further to the right will need to be disconnected as well. They pop up in the opposite direction.

Remove the logic board

1. Start with the 2 screws holding the logic board down in the middle and at the bottom left. Both use your #00 Phillips screwdriver. They are the same size. The one on the right of the logic board in the middle of the device has a water sensor over it you'll need to remove.
2. The second screw is located where the logic board meets the speaker assembly towards the bottom left of the device.

3. The third and final screw holding the logic board in is located at the top of the logic board off to the right. It is the only cross-head screw in your device. Use a small flathead screwdriver to carefully remove it.

4. You should now be able to remove your logic board. Holding it at the bottom, gently pull it upwards. I use my other hand to lift up at the top where the rear facing camera used to be.
5. Take note that there is a small rubber piece that sits at the top of the logic board. You will need this for re-assembly so make sure it doesn't fall off. If you lose this, you could see reception issues.

Remove the speaker assembly

1. To remove the speaker assembly you have one more #00 screw to remove. It sits to the right of the speaker assembly in the bottom right hand corner of your device. Remove it.
2. The second screw holding the speaker assembly into your iPhone you've already removed when you removed the logic board.
3. Gently lift the speaker assembly out of your device and set it aside.

Replace the speaker assembly

If you're replacing the speaker assembly, you'll just need to unscrew the cellular antenna and peel back the adhesive holding it in place. There are only 2 screws holding it in place. Place the cellular antenna carefully on the new speaker assembly and follow the instruction video for reassembly below.

Replacing the cellular antenna

Remove the 2 screws holding the old assembly down and peel it off the speaker assembly. From here you can apply the new cellular antenna to the speaker assembly. Most will come with adhesive already on them and ready for installation. Be sure to put any folds or creases where necessary as some come flat and you'll have to work it into place.

Reassemble your iPhone

Once you've gotten your new speaker assembly or cellular antenna reassembled using the steps above, you'll just need to reassemble your iPhone 4. We've put together a reassembly video you can watch above.

And... done!

Your bottom loud speaker should now work or your cellular antenna should be back in working condition. As a side note, once replacing the cellular antenna you may have to toggle 3G on and off in certain cases.

Have you done this repair yourself? Let us know how it went! Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally.kazmucha@imore.com or leave a comment in our brand new Mod and DIY Repair Forum!

For questions or to inquire about mail-in repairs through PXLFIX, please follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or e-mail us directly! Of course, you can like us and follow us just because you think we're cool too!

As noted by GigaOM, a lot of iPhone 4S and some iPhone 4 users are continuing to experience an issue where they cannot hear anything from the recipient on an outgoing call.

The issue in question is when the iPhone 4S (and according to some reports, the iPhone 4, too) mutes all audio on the caller’s end when placing an outgoing voice call. The person on the other end of the line can hear everything just fine, but on the caller’s end, there’s no ringing sound and no audio from a recipient speaking.

The issue has pushed the Apple Support Communities discussion thread past 110 pages with users expressing their frustration and calling for Apple to do something about it. Two of our editors, Rene and Georgia, have both had their iPhone 4 devices swapped out by Apple when the earpiece stopped providing audio (only the speaker phone would work).

It has been speculated that iOS 5.1 won't address this issues -- assuming it is addressable by software -- but we'll have to wait and see.

If you've had the same or a similar problem, let us know, and let us know how it's been handled so far.

Source: Apple Support Communities via GigaOM

The other day I noticed an oddity on the Home screen of my iPad 2. One of the magazines that I'm subscribed to decided to jump out of the Newsstand folder and place itself on the Home screen.

I'm not exactly sure what caused this -- maybe it's the fact that I haven't updated this specific subscription since I first downloaded it -- but for whatever reason, after I performed a normal power cycle the magazine decided to randomly plop itself smack dab in the middle of my homescreen.

At first, I attempted to move the magazine icon back into the Newsstand folder, but that didn't work because the icon refused to enter jiggly-mode. In addition, I couldn't delete the subscription app because tap-and-hold wasn't working at all. Another aspect of the bug is that one of my favorite apps, Bloomberg TV+, had been removed from the Home screen completely (although it was still accesible via Spotlight search).

What's more, after performing a full restore of iOS 5.0.1, the same exact thing happened on my iPhone 4, removing the Settings app from my iPhone Home screen not allowing it to to enter jiggly-mode in order to delete the magazine download.

Keep in mind, this bug is not incapacitating, but it is frustrating to see a big fat rectangular icon on your Home screen.

Issue

• Magazine and newspaper subscriptions from Newsstand place themselves on the Home screen after reboot or restore
• Upon attempting to remove the magazine/newspaper download, tap-and-hold as well as app deletion no longer works
• Depending on how many subscriptions have this bug, you will lose the same amount of app icons from your Home screen once the problem arises

Possible causes

• Failure to update effected subscription(s) over a certain threshold of time (unconfirmed)

Fix

• Perform an additional power cycle after you notice the issue on your iPhone or iPad, then tap-and-hold to remove the effected subscription(s)

We've decided to cross-post this in the TiPb bugs forum to see if anyone else might be running into the same issue. If you know of a simpler fix -- or better yet, a confirmed explanation of what's going on here -- drop a comment in this post or jump into the forums to help other users who may be less fortunate if this specific fix doesn't work out for them.

Apple has issued a fix for iOS 3.1.3 App Store download bug. The bug in question removed the 'Download' button altogether when users running the older firmware attempted to acquire apps from the App Store.

Since the App Store is essentially a native wrapper around a web-based interface, Apple is able to update it without having to push out a full version of the whole OS. That can lead to things breaking out of nowhere, but also getting fixed.

It's good to know that Apple still has the backs of those running on firmware that's now going on two years old.

Source: Apple Support Communities via Engadget

Reports in Apple's Support Community suggest some users running on older iOS 3.1.3 firmware are no longer able to download apps from the App Store after Apple pushed out an update on December 16th.

Specifically, when users jump into the App Store and try to download any app, the download button is completely missing altogether. Although fragmentation within Apple's iOS ecosystem is extremely limited -- at least compared to the closest competition with Google -- some users are still running older iOS versions.

There's currently no fix outside of upgrading to a newer version of iOS, but for some users with older devices that simply don't support current iOS versions, this could become a serious problem. Hopefully Apple pushes out a fix soon.

Source: Apple Support Communities via Engadget

Shattered the glass on your iPhone 3G or 3GS, or have a touchscreen that has stopped responding, and wondering how easy a screen replacement is to DIY? Well, you're in luck -- a screen replacement is a relatively easy repair to perform. You'll just need a few tools and a new digitizer assembly to make your broken iPhone 3G or 3GS good as new! This repair can also fix an unresponsive home button as well.

Disclaimer: As with any repair, iMore nor PXLFIX can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It’s also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don’t feel comfortable opening your device, don’t. Never use any type of conductive tool to pry or lift cables. Always use a plastic pry tool or spudger. And of course, make sure your device is powered off before beginning any repair work.

What you'll need

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have the proper parts and tools for all your repair needs.

• A broken iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS
• A new digitizer assembly (while the steps for this repair are the same for both phone models, the part is different so make sure you order the correct assembly for your device) - iPhone 3GS digitizer assembly, iPhone 3G digitizer assembly
• A #00 Phillips screwdriver
• A suction cup
• A plastic pry tool or spudger
• A metal spudger/spatula or razor blade (you'll only need this if the suction cup method won't work depending on where the glass is cracked)

Power off your phone

First things first, power off your device. Hold down the power button and slide to power off. Once the device is completely off, move on to the next step.

Remove the dock connector screws

Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the 2 screws located on each side of the dock connector.

Remove the old digitizer assembly

This part can be a bit tricky so please do this with extreme care so you don't tear any cables during the process.

Suction cup method (recommended):

The easiest way to remove the old digitizer is by using a suction cup to pull up the old screen.

1. Position the suction cup on the screen directly above the home button.
2. Using your other hand, hold down the frame while gently pulling up on the suction cup.
3. The goal is to get the bottom of the digitizer loose. Do not pull directly up. There are 3 cables attached in the top right of your iPhone. You do not want to tear these. Just pull up until the bottom of the assembly pops out.
4. After you have the bottom up you can remove the suction cup.

Spudger/razor blade method (only use this method as a secondary method):

If your screen is cracked above the home button, a suction cup may not create a seal strong enough for you to pull the digitizer up. If this is the case, you'll need to use a razor blade or spudger in order to remove it.

1. Starting in the bottom left hand corner, insert a plastic spudger and gently pry up. Once the first side is starting to pop up, do the same on the bottom right side.
2. Run your pry tool along the bottom of the device in order to pop up the bottom of the assembly. Take special care around the home button area.

Remove the cables that attach the digitizer assembly to the logic board:

Once you have the bottom of your digitizer assembly popped up we can remove the cables attaching it to the logic board.

1. Gently lift up your digitizer enough to have a clear view of the 3 cables in the top right of your iPhone.

2. With your plastic spudger or pry tool, you'll need to pry up the first two cables that attach the digitizer and LCD. They should be labeled with orange stickers numbered 1 and 2. Simply pop them off the logic board gently.

3. Underneath these cables you'll see one other labeled as cable 3. This one is a bit trickier as it is clipped down. You'll need to gently pop up the clasp holding it into the fastener. It is a tiny white clip. Simply pop it upwards and the number 3 cable should then slide right out.

4. Remove the digitizer assembly and set it aside for LCD removal.

Remove the LCD from the old assembly and place it in the new assembly

1. There are 6 screws holding the LCD in place. They are all the same size. Three on the left side of the frame, 2 on the right side of the frame, and 1 on the top right holding down the induction flex. Remove all 6 screws with your #00 Phillips screwdriver and set them aside.

2. Next use your pry tool to slowly work the LCD out of the old assembly on the left and right sides. It should come out fairly easily. Just take special care not to scratch it while removing it. The LCD and back plate will remove in one piece as they are glued together.

3. Re-position the LCD and frame in the new assembly and replace all 6 screws in the new assembly. Make sure to remove any protection film on the inside of the new assembly before putting in the LCD. This is also a good time to check for dust between the LCD and new digitizer. I use air duster when necessary to make sure none gets stuck on the inside of the device.

Reassemble the digitizer

1. Begin with the number 3 cable that clips down. Getting it seated can be a bit tricky. Use a plastic spudger to guide it in the opening if needed. Then push back down the clip that holds it in place.

2. Next push down the number 1 and 2 cables onto the logic board.
3. To snap the new digitizer assembly back in place, start at the top and make sure it is lined up. Once the top is pushed down and flush, snap the bottom into place on each side of the home button.
4. Replace the two dock connector screws.

And... done!

That's it! You now have a brand new digitizer on your iPhone 3G or 3GS! Turn your iPhone back on and test the digitizer. If the touchscreen is unresponsive, remove the digitizer again and verify that the number 2 cable is pushed down all the way onto the logic board and seated correctly. Also test your proximity sensor while making a call and make sure it is functioning properly.

Have you done this repair yourself? Let us know how it went! Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally.kazmucha@tipb.com or leave a comment in our brand new Mod and DIY Repair Forum!

For questions or to inquire about mail-in repairs through PXLFIX, please follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or e-mail us directly! Of course, you can like us and follow us just because you think we're cool too!

Several of our readers (and one of our editors...) are reporting a bug where the iPhone Home Button does not always respond to single-click or double-clicks. It might be software related as most people seem to have begun noticing this problem after installing iOS 4.1. It was hoped the bug would be fixed in iOS 4.2.1 but no such luck. Other causes that have been considered include a hardware short or dust or lint getting under the button. Ally also mentions that it may be caused by the home button not being properly centred. Possible symptoms and fixes, after the break.

Is your iPhone Home Button not working properly?

Issues (intermittent)

• You single or double-click and nothing happens
• You double-click and it only registers a single click

Fixes

• Do a restore from backup
• Do a clean restore
• Have your iPhone replaced
• Hope Apple fixes it in iOS 4.3

Yes, it is as bleak as it is annoying. Have you had this bug yourself? Any other fixes you've tried?

If you hadn’t noticed, TiPb’s theme of the week is currently “Fixing the iPhone”. Rene offered you an extremely thoughtful and well-researched look into what the iPhone can learn from the competition. I reviewed a native app that added a much needed ‘Today’ Screen. And I’m back again giving you 10 Things Apple Should Fix in the iPhone. We don’t always crack jokes about Crackberry and mock iClones here do we?

Okay, to provide a quick disclaimer for this list: Understand that I’m completely ignoring the issues that are ‘mainstream problems’ with the iPhone. I’m not going to go off on the lack of a physical keyboard. I’m not worrying about 3G & GPS. Copy & Paste is a well-known pitfall of the iPhone. Natively saving images, likewise. Removable Battery? Recessed headphone jack? Push E-Mail? MMS? (Wow, that’s a lot)

As big a concern those previously mentioned issues are—many of them will likely become a moot point once the 3G iPhone comes out (Now somebody go tell Sprint that). This list suggests minor tweaks and fixes in the iPhone that may have been swept under the rug or just plain old forgotten. But fear not, I will happily remind Apple of the iPhone's shortcomings and offer a solution on how to fix them. As great as the iPhone is, it isn’t without its faults.

[Comment on this Wait-a-Thon post to qualify to win a $100 iTunes Gift Card]

Read on for the rest of the article!

10. Turn HTML E-Mail Off

Plus, not everyone uses HTML E-mail. I’ve encountered a lot of users who prefer the quick load times of basic e-mail a la Blackberry over the more data intensive, 'prettier' mail. A firmware update that adds a quick switch for HTML viewing in the Settings screen can easily solve this issue. If they add this in 2.0, power users rejoice!

9. Universal Landscape Mode

Many people would use the iPhone, soft keyboard and all, if it actually worked for them. The keyboard in landscape mode offers wider space and more room to operate under—it also utilizes a slick interface that has made the iPhone unique. Apple could potentially score more customers if they gave on-the-fence buyers the peace of mind of a larger keyboard.

8. Formatted Text

Perhaps a small digital button on the iPhone’s keyboard can allow users to access such formatted text. It’s already tough to convey emotion through technology, with formatted text we can at least try.

7. Embedded Youtube Videos in Safari

In 2.0, there are reports that this feature has already been implemented. But no, don’t get excited, it won’t be because the iPhone has flash support but rather a plugin will enable users to open the embedded Youtube clip in the iPhone’s native Youtube player. Let's hope so.

6. Calendar Weekly View

Idea: Utilizing #9 on the list (landscape mode) with the native calendar app on the iPhone—maybe Apple could develop the ability to display a weekly view horizontally. Let me explain, once you open up the Calendar app it’ll show you a List/Day/Month View but when you turn it to landscape mode, it’ll provide you with a week view. The length of the screen could effectively show your weekly day-to-day engagements and also be a nifty trick to quickly switch views.

5. Photo ID Calling

The current process of making calls to your Favorites is difficult because the buttons to access the option are on the bottom of the screen while your Favorites are on the top of the screen. This becomes a nuisance if you use your phone one-handed to make calls because there is unnecessary thumb straining to reach the desired person and sometimes an accidental tap might lead to the wrong contact being called.

(I guess these are the perils of having such a large screen. Sigh.)

4. Differentiate Outgoing/Incoming Calls

It’s not a 'life or death' 'feature’ per se, but is something so basic that being without it, seems like a huge oversight on Apple’s part. Fix it, be it by variance in color or an Apple-esque arrow, just let me know which calls fall under which category.

3. Ringer Profiles

This lack of customization is something I’ve grown used to with the iPhone, but it doesn’t make it better or even right. I remember my old Motorola RAZR had a bevy of choices to choose from and the Blackberry Curve also had some great customization in their ringer profiles, but with the iPhone I’m stuck with only Vibrate or Ring. As easy and intuitive as Apple makes things sometimes, in this case, Apple simplified things to a fault.

2. Notifications

There is no way to know you missed anything because there is no notification feature on the iPhone! One of my pet peeves about the RAZR was how annoying that missed call sound was, but it made sure I never missed anything in 5 minute intervals. And though the Blackberry had no notification sounds, its indicator light was piercing. As much as unlocking the iPhone makes me smile, it isn’t efficient to have to double-check your phone to see if you missed anything.

I would suggest Apple include an ‘invisible’ indicator light. It doesn’t have to be protruding like those in the Blackberry but rather be an inconspicuous part of the phone. I imagine Apple designing an indicator light that is only noticeable when there is something to notify the user about.

1. Improve the Phone Experience

Adding features like voice dialing would be a bonus, it'll certainly improve the one-hand capability of the iPhone. A better speaker would definitely help. The volume in incoming calls is much too quiet for my liking. In my own space, I can hear the conversation perfectly fine but then again I can also hear cars driving outside my house. In louder, more public places the iPhone isn’t as loud as it could be even at maximum volume.

It is important for Apple to be conscious of the iPhone's shortcomings because in the end, the iPhone will always be judged as a phone first. Sure it uses a slick interface and brings the web to our fingertips, heck, it even plays music and video really well but if Apple doesn't give a GREAT phone experience? For many, that's the biggest dealbreaker. 

Final Thoughts

So on June 9th, let’s hope that Steve Jobs wont announce just the 3G iPhone but also address the minor tweaks and fixes necessary. We can call it the 3G iPhone as desired by TiPb, if you wish. But to be honest, when Apple gets around to fixing some of the items on this list, we'll be happy. The iPhone is already a great device with these shortcomings, so when they fix them? Well, I wouldn’t want to own a Crackberry or iClone then..

Did I miss anything? What would you fix in the iPhone? Any tweaks necessary? Or will 3G be enough for you to upgrade? Tell us in the comments and qualify to win a $100 iTunes Gift Card in this Wait-a-Thon Post!

[Ed Note: Dieter butting in here. Folks have noticed we haven't been announcing the winners of the Wait-a-Thon. This is true and a flagrant failure on my part. We're updating the Wait-a-Thon and announcing a batch of winners tomorrow morning (and bringing back full forum action to boot!), so stay tuned...]