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Touch Recognition Issue on iPhone 5, 5th Generation iPod Touch with Rapid Diagonal Swipes

Friday November 9, 2012 8:08 am PST by Eric Slivka
Recombu follows up on a Tweet from UK developer CMA Megacorp addressing an issue with recognition of rapid diagonal swipes on the iPhone 5, posting a video comparison showing the issue on devices running both iOS 6 and iOS 6.0.1.
The glitch which as far as we’re aware hasn’t previously been spotted by anyone, manifests itself as a dropout of touch input when quickly scrolling diagonally across the screen. [...]

Using the Mail app to clearly demonstrate the quick scrolling action, we dragged our finger back and forth diagonally from bottom right to top left on each phone’s display. Sure enough, whilst both iPhone 4S’s handled the fast paced scrolling to aplomb, one iPhone 5 struggled to hold its concentration, dropping and picking back up touch input whilst the other stopped registering input altogether.

The report notes cause of the issue is unknown, but iMore has confirmed that it also affects the fifth-generation iPod touch, suggesting that it may be related to the technology behind the new 4-inch display with in-cell touch technology being used in both devices.

Given the unusual rapid diagonal swiping motion required for the issue to appear, most users will notice it rarely, if at all, although certain apps such as Fruit Ninja and Infinity Blade that rely on such swiping motions could be affected by the issue. But given that it has taken two months since the launch of the iPhone 5 to even be noticed, it seems that the glitch generally does not have a significant effect on real-world usage.

Related Roundup: iPod touch
Buyer's Guide: iPod Touch (Buy Now)
[ 355 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Simplicated
89 months ago

Typical, post Jobs, quality control issues.


Where's the downvote button when you need it :rolleyes:
Rating: 124 Votes
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gmanist1000
89 months ago

Typical, post Jobs, quality control issues.


Jobs gave the okay on the iPhone 4's antenna. Talk about quality control...
Rating: 69 Votes
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Futurix
89 months ago
You are scrolling it wrong!
Rating: 58 Votes
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MultiMediaWill
89 months ago
Typical, post Jobs, quality control issues.

EDIT: Tried it on my iPhone 5 and I have the same issue. Scrollgate
Rating: 52 Votes
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MN7119
89 months ago
Fruit Ninja Gate!!!! On my way to the Apple Store to return my iPhone 5. Play Fruit Ninja was the only reason I got this phone!!!! :eek:
Rating: 51 Votes
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TheRainKing
89 months ago

You are scrolling it wrong!


Some jokes will never get old.
Rating: 22 Votes
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schizbomb
89 months ago
Holy ****

I've encountered this glitch in Temple Run and Infinity Blade and I thought I was going insane hahaah
Rating: 15 Votes
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brayhite
89 months ago
So the iPhone 5 can't keep up the scroll motion when you move your finger incredibly fast?

Okay.
Rating: 14 Votes
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thormarketing
89 months ago
This video was actually faked by Microsoft developers irate about the Windows 8 phone flop.
Rating: 13 Votes
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MsQueen
89 months ago
Accidental Touch

What if it's the accidental touch feature activating when you touch the edges as you scroll up and down/diagonally?
Rating: 12 Votes

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