the Delete/Backspace key

The following occurs frequently, is immensely detractful from user experience, and has persisted through all updates starting from the original iPhone.

When using the delete/backspace key, I often hold it down for no more than 2-3 seconds. This is to delete usually only one word. What happens is the delete key becomes stuck, and deletes an entire sentence or paragraph. I am helpless to stop it. Several rapid taps can also trigger th.....there it went.

PPC G5 Quad, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 23, 2009 7:44 AM

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12 replies

Feb 23, 2009 9:37 AM in response to OS Lucinity

No and No. I've never seen a software keyboard get stuck but it sounds as if yours is. First I'd try a reset by pressing the home and sleep buttons until you see the Apple logo, ignoring the slider. Takes about 5-10 secs of button holding and you won't lose any data or settings. If that doesn't work, try a restore... see page 141 of the manual... http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/iPhone_UserGuide.pdf

Feb 23, 2009 10:38 AM in response to OS Lucinity

i think i may have experienced this before...def. not frequently.

what i think is happening is when you go to delete, there may be some sort of delay or lag. and so you're tapping delete. it doesnt seem to be deleting so you tape a bunch of times. the phone actually registers all those taps and deletes as many characters as taps, or similarly, continues to delete for the duration of how long you've held the delete button.

unfortunately my only advice at this moment is to delete slowly...and patiently.

Feb 23, 2009 11:21 AM in response to locondcoco

It's odd, because sometimes 3-5 rapid taps will result in an entire sentence being deleted, and there seems to be no way to stop it.

And when I'm holding the button (instead of tapping) I expect the delete/backspace key to delete while pressed, and to stop when released. But instead it will often continue motoring backwards for 4-6 seconds after release.

I suppose it could be lag, as the keyboard is usually always lagging behind.

Mar 11, 2009 12:14 PM in response to OS Lucinity

I assume you know that the backspace key has a built-in function of deleting entire words if you hold it down and doing so faster the longer you hold it (not 100% sure about that last part, but that's how it appears to work). This can indeed "run away" if there is lag in the system because a regular press gets delayed, then the next one gets caught in the pipe and it "thinks" you're holding it down.

-dan

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the Delete/Backspace key

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