What is the hole near the iPhone camera? Apple’s hidden microphone explained

Most users notice the tiny hole next to the iPhone camera but rarely realise it plays a key role in how Apple records and processes sound. It is likely that most iPhone users have seen the small hole that is placed on the side of the back camera and ignored it as a design factor but it is actually a microphone that contributes to the way the phone captures and processes sound. Because Apple has loaded faster chips, improved cameras and extended battery life over the years, it has also made modifications to the audio system, which in this case, has fitted a significant part such as this mic right in our plain view.

What that tiny hole the iPhone back camera microphone actually does

The iPhone back camera microphone is designed to capture directional audio from the scene you are recording, improving voice clarity and ambience. One of the several microphones installed in the current iPhones are located in the tiny hole next to the camera lens at the back. Since the iPhone XS and others adopting the same technology have four microphones, one is positioned near the rear camera and the other near the front camera, and another pair is located at the bottom, adjacent to the speakers. The back facing microphone is there so as to listen to whatever you are taking a video of so as to help the phone capture better sounds of the person in front of the camera.

iPhones use multiple microphones working together

Modern iPhones use multiple microphones working together to isolate voices, reduce noise and create immersive audio during video recording. These microphones do not operate independently but rather they are designed to act as a system. When Apple launched iPhone XR, it provided explanations that due to the combination of microphones, it was possible to record audio in stereo, even when recording a video. The same configuration is also used on the newer models such as the iphone 16 series and beyond to record Spatial audio, which creates a more realistic, 3D soundstage when playing back video on devices that are compatible with it. Simply put, the phone records sound in various directions and uses various mics to process this sound and make it appear more lifelike and immersive.

Better video sound, iPhone stereo audio recording, clearer calls

With iPhone stereo audio recording, sound is captured from different directions using separate microphones, creating left and right channel depth. The rear microphone is perfect due to its ability to capture voices, ambience and detail within the scene that you are capturing using the main camera as it is facing away. 

This will make your videos sound as crisp and focused as they appear and mostly when you are recording people talking or things happening in front of you. The rear microphone iPhone places near the camera lens helps capture voices and environmental sound exactly from where the lens is pointed.

Meanwhile, the additional audio feed assists the iPhone to distinguish your voice out of the background noise, which enhances noise reduction when speaking or recording. The outcome is a cleaner sound in our real life when you turn on your phone to either call or record a vlog or at a concert. Newer models extend this system to support iPhone Spatial Audio video, allowing recorded sound to feel three-dimensional during playback. This design significantly improves iPhone video sound quality, especially for vloggers, travellers and concert recordings.

The tiny hole is an Apple audio system in an iPhone

Apple’s audio system in iPhone combines hardware microphones with software processing to deliver clearer calls and richer video sound without changing design aesthetics. The minimalist design of the small hole beside the camera is thus not only a part of Apple, but also a fundamental part of the iPhone audio hardware. The secretive addition and improvement of these invisible microphones have allowed Apple to enhance the quality of video sounds, provide stereo and Spatial Audio, and the voice quality without making design too cluttered. Never again will you look at that small hole that is close to the camera without realising that it is doing much more than sitting there.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.