Help Samsung Galaxy S3 microphone problem

[Android Question]

So my S3 started acting all funny on me. The problem is that people can barely hear me when I'm talking to them through a normal call, but when I'm talking to someone over skype or on messenger they can hear me just fine. Why is that?

 

[electricpete]

I just fixed my wife's iPhone 5c with similar symptom (couldn't hear her during normal call unless she went to speakerphone). It turns out that phone has two mics (one for normal voice and one for speaker) which are very small holes... the hole for the normal phone call had junk in it. Cleaned the junk out VERY CAREFULLY with a needle and the problem went away.

I had some fun with her along the way: "Why don't you get an Android with advanced features.... like a working phone function!" For some reason she didn't find the situation as amusing as I did.

 

[jayand]

Yes this is the fix. A needle in each of the tiny holes top and bottom, and back in business.