Hi, a blind iPhone SE user who I am helping to become proficient with VoiceOver is experiencing problems ending outgoing phone calls which I cannot replicate on my iPhone 8. She finds that her iPhone screen sometimes dims during phone calls and that, following this, double tapping with two fingers has no effect, which means that she might leave one of those interminable voice mails. On my iPhone 8 double tapping with two fingers ends calls irrespective of the state of the screen and I've not noticed problems in this area before on earlier phone models. Do others have problems ending outgoing calls? If so, what workarounds have you discovered, please?We are both running iOS 11.1.1.
Thanks, Brian
By Brian Negus, 14 November, 2017
Forum
iOS and iPadOS
Comments
i sometimes have this problem.
hello,
i sometimes have this problem when i don't give the screen enough time to wake up. I have found that counting to two after moving the phone away from my ear helps. In a pinch, i will just move my finger around until i find the button to end the call.
I hope that helps.
Used to have this problem
I occasionally had this problem when I had my iPhone 6. As mentioned, it seemed to be related to the timing when the phone switched to speaker mode. Now that I have my iPhone 8, I've not experienced this problem at all. It switches to speaker mode very quickly. This is just one of the several reasons why I'm so glad I upgraded to the iPhone 8. Using the phone as a phone is actually pleasurable now.
I've seen it...
Hello,
I’ve noticed this on different models of iPhones. Some would go dark while a person is talking and suddenly the phone is locked. Other times, the screen would go dark and VO is no longer in focus.
What I suggest is to press once on the lock/sleep button then two finger double tap.
HTH and good luck.
I have a Iphone SE aswell.
I have a Iphone SE aswell. This has occasionally happened to me too. I'm guessing sleep mode is on. I just hit the home key once or twice and keep 2 finger double tapping untill it hangs up.
It used to be easy
I don't know why they changed this, but in earlier versions of iOS, while holding the phone up to your ear, you could hit the lock button on the phone and it would end the call. Sadly, Apple seems to have done away with that option.
I think you can still do that.
If memory serves, you change the audio destination from automatic to I think either speaker or ear, and then the lock trick should work. I to, hate when you can't just, hit a button to end it. I don't like looking odd, by double tapping iwth two fingers. If there is a "sighted" way of doing this, I prefer that. Just sayin, to each their own.
Thanks for all the helpful responses re ending phone calls
All, thanks for taking time to reply. I will spend some time digesting all this and try to find a way of experimenting with my trainee that doesn't undermine her confidence in her iPhone SE. It may be a minor irritation to experienced VoiceOver users, but for someone new not only to VoiceOver but also to mobile phones, it is a real confidence killer that she can't reliably end outgoing calls. VoiceOver is a very powerful and sophisticated tool; it's a pity that Apple don't seem to give enough attention to making the core function of an iPhone, phone calls, consistent and simple. Consistency is so important for building confidence in new VoiceOver users and those of us who have learnt to tolerate inconsistency, including me, sometimes forget what a barrier to learning it can be for new users. Some of the odd VoiceOver behavious still present in iOS 11.1.1 isn't helping either! Thanks again, Brian
Power button is fine
Use the power button whenever you can to end calls. Don't know if this works with iPhone 8 but it works fine with iPhone SE. Greetings.
Another way to end a call.
Brian: I too have an SE. You can press the sleep/wake button on the top of the phone twice which will also end a call.
Please explain exact procedure
I'll admit that even I am a little confused about the exact procedure to end calls.
First of all, it's been my experience that ending a call successfully depends on whether the call is on speaker or not. Put another way, I was never able to use the 2 finger double tap to end a call if it wasn't on speaker phone. However, if the call was on the earpiece and not speaker, I never found the correct technique to terminate the call with the side button. It just seemed to lock the phone without terminating the call. Even the above responses aren't clear. One indicates a single tap of the side button is sufficient, another indicates it requires a double tap of the side button.
So, just how does one terminate a call using the side button and does it make a difference whether the call is on speaker or not? Also, does it make a difference whether the phone was locked when the call was answered? Will someone please explain exactly how and when to use the side button to terminate a call? Thanks.
voiceover with ending phone calls
I have an IPhone 8, running IOS 13. Once I am on a phone call, Voiceover often doesn not respond. It sometimes works after I tap twice. Sometimes it does not. Possibly the phone is sleeping. Also, When I'm on a call, my wireless keyboard does not work with my phone. The home button does not activate Siri.
Works here. I can double tap
Works here. I can double tap with 2 fingers and it works, I can end phone calls, have even triggered the hang up by lightly touching the phon with the fleshy part of my hand. Maybe I'm too fleshy. Lol!
VoiceOver - issue with ending phone calls
I find that if I disable the automatic sleep timer (set lock screen time to never), this problem goes away. I routinely press the power button to lock my screen anyway since I don't want the phone to be active all of the time<smile>.
Agreed. I always set my auto
Agreed. I always set my auto lock time to never like you Curtis, and this issue goes away. Any time I want to end calls, I just pull it from my ear, then phone goes on speaker and do magic double tap, and it always works.
Hi all, Thanks Kurtus, for…
Hi all,
Thanks Kurtus, for your suggestion about setting the autolock setting to Never. My iPhone 7 sometimes doesn't lock automatically on its own, anyway.
For those who want to use the sleep/wake button to hang up phone calls, go to VoiceOver settings and double tap on audio. Then, turn autoselect speaker during calls off. It worked for me.
Serena