Steve.gibbs5

Q: iPhone 6 Plus screen freezes after iOS 9.3.1 update

I'm usually pretty lucky with iOS updates, but as the thread title states, straight after the recent 9.3.1 upgrade on my iPhone 6 Plus, the touchscreen now freezes at random times. I'm a medium to heavy user and this annoying screen freeze happens at least twice a day, sometimes as much as 7 or 8 times with only the hard buttons (home, power, volume) that still function. This never happened before the update, and the only way out is the soft reset (home+power buttons) option. This is not just localised to a couple of apps, but seems to be anything touchscreen related.

 

This is becoming a real pain in the neck, especially when writing an email or text message with no way to save what is already written using copy and paste, as I obviously need the touchscreen to do so. Is anybody else facing the same issue after the iOS 9.3.1 upgrade, and are there any possible fixes to this, although I strongly suspect it's a software issue that only Apple can sort out with an update fix?

 

Thanks.

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Apr 23, 2016 5:59 AM

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Q: iPhone 6 Plus screen freezes after iOS 9.3.1 update

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  • by Leigh Costin,

    Leigh Costin Leigh Costin May 10, 2016 8:59 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 10, 2016 8:59 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I have the same issue.

    I have tried the factory restore option, and rebuilt the phone as per the support guidelines, no change, still the same random screen lockout.

  • by Leigh Costin,

    Leigh Costin Leigh Costin May 10, 2016 9:06 PM in response to gwinchy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 10, 2016 9:06 PM in response to gwinchy

    I have the same problem, but logging out with the side button and logging back in again seems to fix the problem temporarily - but not all the time.

    At least I don't have to reset and lose data.  Try that, it will reduce the frustration level slightly.

  • by gwinchy,

    gwinchy gwinchy May 12, 2016 1:13 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 12, 2016 1:13 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    After telling you guys about my phone. Its acting up again this morning. We're all hoping for a permanent solution to this problem and i hope the next iOS update will resolve this issue. lets cross our fingers and toes!

  • by boboskyphoto,

    boboskyphoto boboskyphoto May 12, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (8 points)
    May 12, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    It keeps happening to me too. I've had to reset my phone over a dozen times today and even after a restore, the same thing is happening. I can't live like this.

  • by e2photo,

    e2photo e2photo May 14, 2016 2:45 PM in response to Alaskanmama
    Level 2 (170 points)
    May 14, 2016 2:45 PM in response to Alaskanmama

    I have a a friend with an iPhone 6 and iOS 9.3.1 and it was freezing constantly.  I saw Alaskanmama's note about turning off the fingerprint scanner and told him about it.  He turned it off and his phone is now working fine for a full day. 

  • by SkySkier,

    SkySkier SkySkier May 15, 2016 5:39 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    May 15, 2016 5:39 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I have the same screen lock up problem beginning with the iOS9.3 release running on a 6s plus / 64Gb with about 33Gb of unused memory available.  Even today with iOS9.3.1, there is no relief from this issue.  The four buttons on the phone are the only functional items when the screen freeze occurs.  The two button reset action will allow me to gain control without waiting 2-3 minutes for the screen to begin to work again.  Three weeks ago, I performed a 'Reset All Settings' and removed about 1Gb of apps - the frequency of freezing seems to be reduced, but still occurs several times per day and I am thinking I am just not using my iPhone as much right now due to this issue.  This is such a hassle as when the screen locks up, I cannot answer phone calls since this requires the screen to function.  It feels like an operating system problem, I know mine started following the installation of iOS9.3, which seems a lot later than some on this thread - my phone has not been subjected to drops, spills or other mechanical extremes. 

  • by SkySkier,

    SkySkier SkySkier May 15, 2016 6:17 PM in response to SkySkier
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    May 15, 2016 6:17 PM in response to SkySkier

    Following the idea floated in this thread to turn off the fingerprint reader, I experienced the screen lockup within twenty minutes of disabling it.    

  • by gwinchy,

    gwinchy gwinchy May 15, 2016 7:43 PM in response to e2photo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 15, 2016 7:43 PM in response to e2photo

    i'm glad that works on his phone, mine was also off but its acting again. but if you think about it, your friend should be able to use the fingerprint scanner without having any hassle. so technically its just a temporary fix I hope apple should do something about this mess.

  • by gwinchy,

    gwinchy gwinchy May 15, 2016 7:48 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 15, 2016 7:48 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    My phone suddenly have screen freeze constantlym, AGAIN!!! FTS!!! I only have very very few apps installed now and i dont have any **** idea anymore whats causing it. I dont know what else to do with it anymore. maybe i'll just bring it to an apple store when i find some time. this is annoying and really a big hassle to us

  • by lopezdaz,

    lopezdaz lopezdaz May 15, 2016 8:22 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 15, 2016 8:22 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I have the same freezing issue as everyone else.  It was happening occasionally with 9.3 and now it happens frequently with 9.3.1.  This is an Apple issue without doubt.  I don't think that the phone is actually freezing but instead the phone stops reading screen touches for some period of time.  I've noted that the phone remains responsive to the home button.  In other words, although the screen doesn't respond, the home button functions properly.  After some arbitrary period of time (may not be but I haven't timed it), the phone just starts responding to touch once again.

     

    I recently bought a cheap Android phone just to see what's happening in that world.  I have to say, they've come a long way and I'm pleased.  I can only imagine that the higher end phones would be even more impressive.  I went away from Android years ago because it was buggy and often locked up.  I was willing to give up some freedom to have Apple's rock solid, reliable OS.  With these various issues of late, I'm just of the opinion that the days of "It Just Works!" are over as Apple tries to keep ahead of the competition (in many ways they're still ahead but perception is that they are not).

     

    Apple, I implore you to tap into the $230B of cash that you're sitting on and brute force your way back to the days when nobody wrote things like this because indeed Apple products just worked.  If you don't do this, you will be the Microsoft of the future and everyone will only remember that you used to be great.

     

    Dan L

  • by Steve.gibbs5,

    Steve.gibbs5 Steve.gibbs5 May 16, 2016 12:29 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (22 points)
    iPhone
    May 16, 2016 12:29 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I figured I'd post an update to keep everyone informed. I have tried the soft resets, hard resets, factory restore, removing apps, and even tried turning off the fingerprint scanner as mentioned in a previous post... all of which has made absolutely no difference and the phone freezes as much as it does now than when I first installed the 9.3.1 update.

     

    It has also become clear that this is beginning to become more of a wide spread issue with the people that are posting with the exact same problem. I have noticed something that a couple of members have posted here, and that is when the screen does become unresponsive, after a period of time my phone (sometimes) begins to function again. I did say "sometimes" as it does not always seem to be the case, but that could be down to my impatience which is understandable as when the stupid screen freezes, it's because I'm doing something important like writing an email of text, answering calls etc. Bottom line is that I truly do believe that THIS IS a software issue and no amount of resets and restores, or screen reseating that has been mentioned will make absolutely no difference. This screen freezing happened about 15 minutes after the 9.3.1 upgrade in which time the phone was not dropped of any new apps installed or deleted. Seems that this is too much of a coincidence.

     

    TO APPLE.

     

    I know that Apple staff monitor theses threads, as I have been told as much by your customer support team on a few occasions, so I think it's about time an Apple rep aknowledges the issue a posts a reply telling us if you are aware of the issue and it is being looked in to. To be clear, this issue started 15 minutes after the 9.3.1 update where I had not had this issue before on any iPhone I have had, and the phone was not dropped, damaged, or made wet in any way. Sometimes the soft reset (holding the home and power buttons to restart phone) has to be done twice as I cannot input the PIN code in after the first reset.

     

    Stop spending the money of making your phones thinner and thinner and spending on app R&D then stuffing these apps that people don't want or use in to our phones, and get your heads back in the game again and start concentrating on making a solid OS again, because if this issue persists where our +£600 ($800) phones become unusable, I for one will have problems dropping Apples iOS completely and grab myself a Samsung and use Android if this is not resolved quickly. Please sort this screen freezing issue out ASAP please, not just for my sake, but for everyone else ether who has a posted here, and for those who have not, who is experiencing  the same issue, Not much point owning a touchscreen phone if nobody can use the touchscreen properly... is there.

  • by Steve.gibbs5,

    Steve.gibbs5 Steve.gibbs5 May 16, 2016 12:36 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (22 points)
    iPhone
    May 16, 2016 12:36 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    OH, and FYI Apple, the post above took me three attempts to finish writing it due to the screen freezing, just so you know.

  • by boboskyphoto,

    boboskyphoto boboskyphoto May 16, 2016 4:14 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (8 points)
    May 16, 2016 4:14 AM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I too have tried everything including resets and restores with no luck. So Friday, I took the phone into Verizon and the rep tried every excuse on how I had too many apps open and he couldn't see a problem but I stood my ground silently and watched patiently as he tried all the same resets and restores that I had already. Then he declared that it was an issue with the phone and Apple is sending a replacement today since it was still under warranty.  Another sales rep told met that they've had a few people in with the same problem. That was in Hermitage, Pennsylvanina not some big city. Keeping my fingers crossed that the same thing doesn't happen with the new phone.

  • by jonatenn,

    jonatenn jonatenn May 16, 2016 6:03 AM in response to gwinchy
    Level 1 (8 points)
    May 16, 2016 6:03 AM in response to gwinchy

    next time it freezes hold it at the top and bottom with your fingers and give it a slight twist to the right or the left and see if the screen unfreezes

     

    jb

  • by mikeatthelinks,

    mikeatthelinks mikeatthelinks May 18, 2016 1:50 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 18, 2016 1:50 PM in response to Steve.gibbs5

    I've been battling with this issue since the 9.3 iOS update (as of today that includes 9.3.1 & 9.3.2). I have an iPhone 5s.

     

    I tried everything from restoring an old backup to restoring as a new iPhone multiple times, all had failed to resolve the freezing issues I was encountering. It should be noted that freezing didn't only occur with safari / mail links as some threads mention, it was throughout all apps. Messages was one of the worst culprits.

     

    From what I understand, the steps outlined below clear your phones cache/memory (not to be confused with killing your apps). I tried the following steps simply to see if I can reduce the amount of freezing, and I haven't encountered the issue in one full day. Seems promising.

     

    1. Unlock your phone to where you can see the home screen / icons
    2. Hold down the power button until you are prompted to "slide to power off" or "cancel"
    3. Release the power button
    4. Press and hold the home button until the home screen / icons come back. If siri prompts you it is because you have not unlocked your phone.


    Hopefully this trick can help someone out, even if it only turns out to be a temporary fix.

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