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iPhone 3GS 32GB touch screen randomly stops/starts working

I am a previous 3G owner, and a few days ago got the 3GS. I've noticed that the touch screen will become completely unresponsive at seemingly random intervals. At first I thought it was something with the new oleophobic screen, but I can't see any correlation between how I touch the screen and when the touch fails to work, so maybe it's software.

A great example of the problem is when I'm playing some game (Tap Tap Revenge for example). I'll be touching the screen literally hundreds of times, and then it will stop responding. Sometimes it begins working again quickly, but other times I need to lock/unlock it for it to work again (though, the lock/unlock might not have any effect-- maybe it's just the added time of doing it that allows the screen to work again).

Of note, the iPhone operates normally in all other functions (ie. the phone doesn't lockup, and applications continue running normally, I just can't tough anything).

Someone else posted something I thought was a similar problem, but they said turning off notifications would solve it, though it hasn't helped at all for me.

Anybody else having this problem?

iPhone 3GS 32GB BLACK, iPhone OS 3.0

Posted on Jun 28, 2009 8:55 PM

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64 replies

Sep 11, 2009 3:14 PM in response to NHonko

Had the Same issues. New 3GS 16g touch screen would randomly stop working.

I work in the IT department of my local school system. It's kinda ironic because there is this thing that we techie people do when someone is explaining a problem to us that we have heard a million times. Like when some teacher says, "oh my sound isn't working or my screen is so dim I can't see it." I just let them talk but I start fixing the problem and by the time they are done talking, I've fixed the issue.

....The Apple Genius (Jeff in ATL, you rock) did this to me yesterday. I told him what was going on, and he ran his test and got me a shiny new iPhone.


Folks, just take it into the store or call Apple and have them replace it. I'm sure this issue has made the rounds in the Apple tech sphere.

Sep 22, 2009 1:58 PM in response to quinty

i am on my second iphone 3GS. My first one was having the screen problems and after going through all the steps was finally sent a new one, now the replacement is only 3 days old and the same screen problem is happening again. Predominately when an incoming call is coming, i can accept the call but when i go to enter something into the keypad(a pin for job acceptances) the screen won't work, i also cannot hang up the phone. I am quite unhappy with this, and am frustrated that this is my second phone in two months.

iPhone 3GS 32GB touch screen randomly stops/starts working

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