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westlawn51 Author

Level 1

6 points

iPhone 5 Touchscreen Problems

Just unboxed the iPhone 5 and for the most part it's great. But one big problem has been occurring with the touchscreen, which I've heard is new (integrated with the display itself versus a separate capacitive layer as in past iPhones). I'm curious if anyone else has been having this issue or has any suggestions on what to do...

The touchscreen acts up by "sensing" my finger even when it's not actually touching the screen, but is just very close. This happens gradually at first, then it seems to get a little worse, requiring me to use more exaggerated gestures to actually get the phone to do what I want it to do. Eventually the phone will just respond to my hand waving above it even several millimeters above the screen, and seems to go haywire. It starts missing the letter/button that I'm trying to type. Sometimes the whole screen freezes to where I can't swipe to unlock, slide between home screen pages, etc. Although the physical buttons like the home button and standby button do seem to still respond despite the touchscreen being messed up or frozen, it doesn't get rid of the problem when I go back to what I was doing.

Eventually, I end up resetting the phone by holding down both the standby and home buttons simultaneously for a few seconds. When the device powers on again, it seems to have done the trick and the touchscreen is back to normal. However, the problem reoccurs with a fairly high/annoying level of frequency. (I mean I've only had the device for a few hours total and it's already happened at least half a dozen times.)

Has anyone else experienced this? Does this sound like I have a lemon or could this be a general issue? I wonder if it can be fixed with a software patch or if I need a replacement screen/device. Pretty frustrating to deal with right out of the box, and I don't really want to go anywhere near an Apple Store today with all the craziness that's probably taking place...

iPhone 5, iOS 6

Posted on Sep 21, 2012 12:58 PM

243 replies

Sep 21, 2012 10:48 PM in response to westlawn51

Here's a pretty clear video I just took of the problem my phone is having. Is this what you guys are experiencing as well?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtvMMSx4CdY&feature=g-upl

.macSven

Level 1

4 points

Sep 21, 2012 11:12 PM in response to sidneyfromridgeland

Yes, but it's not that extreme for me. I have the exact issues but only sometimes. In most cases the screen is freezing and when it comes back to life it do the things I touched seconds before.

But yesterday evening (after unboxing) it happens more times than now.

I remember yellow parts on my iPhone 4 after launch. The problem was that the glue of the screen wasn't dried. After one or two days there weren't any yellow parts on the screen.

Maybe now we have a similar problem and it dissolves after using the iPhone 5 for a while. But that's just a guess!

Sep 22, 2012 2:06 AM in response to westlawn51

Unfortunately having pretty much exactly the same issue. Have booked in to see an Apple Genuis and if they can't fix it Orange have said they'll replace the phone (as long as I do it within 14 days). So far none of the people I have spoke nt ohave suggested anything more than "have you tried resetting it?"

Sep 22, 2012 2:54 AM in response to westlawn51

Sounds like hardware to me but im far from an expert, but I had the same problem with an HTC phone on sprint network. It ended up being the screen was not grounded properly, and phone had to be exchanged.

.macSven

Level 1

4 points

Sep 22, 2012 3:10 AM in response to .macSven

Did anyone of you noticed this issue in context with the battery life? This morning (after having the iPhone plugged in over night) everthing was fine, I was able to work with the device about an hour without any problems. But when the battery life decreased to 92%, suddenly the problems came back.

Now my iPhone is connected with my MacBook and everthing is working fine again.

It would be very weird, if the battery life has something to do with this issue but yesterday when I unboxed the iPhone the battery life was about 86% and I had much of these issues. Later the evening after restoring the device from my backup, the battery life was near 100% and the issues were gone for a while.

I will have an eye on this the next days. For monday I got a ticket for the genius bar, too.

Sep 22, 2012 3:47 AM in response to westlawn51

My sons have been trying to get me to come over to the iPhone for a while now and I have to say I am very disappointed with the change because of the screen freeze. I also found out that you could not talk and use data at the same time. That kind of turn me off to the iphone.which is something I can use now with my thunderbolt phone. My phone is useless and now I have to go back to Verizon and get my thunderbolt reactivated just so I can have a phone to use. I think I may be looking at other phones while I am in there. Apple, I am very upset at you right now.

Goretech

Level 1

10 points

Sep 22, 2012 4:23 AM in response to sidneyfromridgeland

I am having the exact same problem. Ordered mine the morning of pre-orders started at Verizon.com

MPower

Level 1

43 points

Sep 22, 2012 5:10 AM in response to westlawn51

I've had a minor problem when holding to top of the device with my finger and the bottom with my thumb (portrait) while typing in my passcode. On certain letters it would display the character enlargement at the top of the screen.

Sep 22, 2012 6:30 AM in response to westlawn51

I've the same issue too. I can't slide to unlock my iphone. Restarted countless times still the same. Such disappointment for a new iPhone 5... I hope Apple fixes this ASAP.

ronbo747

Level 1

4 points

Sep 22, 2012 6:39 AM in response to westlawn51

I had this same sort of problem with my iPhone 4s right after I updated to IOS6. It happened when I would try to send a new text. Typing in the blank field to raise the keyboard would not work. Tapping it over and over would eventually get it to work. This was intermittant off and on the rest of the day. Finally I just turned the pnone off and back on and now everything seems to work ok.

caryrae

Level 2

163 points

Sep 22, 2012 6:55 AM in response to sweetwood

sweetwood wrote:

. I also found out that you could not talk and use data at the same time.

It seems only with AT&T you can talk and use data at the same time.

Sep 22, 2012 7:17 AM in response to westlawn51

Same problem. Started to go faulty wihtin the ifrst hour. Took the case off and that worked fine for an hour and case on, case off, protective screen off, protective screen off, it doesnt make a difference. The things just goes crazy. For some reason, letter Y, number 6 and the space bar are happy typing themselves even when i am not touching the thing.

Ive had every iphone (except 4S) that has been release but normally wait a few months before getting the updated version. Thought why wait this time. Big mistake, i have a phone i cant use with no sign of getting it sorted as no one has any in stock.

Really, really dissapointed in Apple this time. I really hope this isnt a sign of things to come in Apple land!

Sep 22, 2012 7:20 AM in response to westlawn51

Had mine replaced this morning. Seems to be working fine so far. Guy at the Genius Bar said they hadn't had any others brought in for similar issues. Maybe it was just a lemon issue. I'll keep you guys posted. I know how frustrating it was last night that's for sure.

Sep 22, 2012 9:19 AM in response to westlawn51

I have a iPhone 5 Black AT&T and I have noticed sometimes the screen does not detect my finger when I am touching the screen where the space bar is, it only seems to happen there. There was also a few dings on the band of the phone. I expect the paint to come off eventually just not straight of the box.

jrs25492

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2012 9:25 AM in response to redbydefault

I have an appointment with them later this evening. Hopefully they can replace mine too. But I got mine at the verizon store, do you think they'll tell me to go back there or apple will replace it for me?

iPhone 5 Touchscreen Problems