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Apple Suggests Solution for 'Ghost Touch' Issue on Apple Watch Series 7 and Later
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I’d like them to fix the issue where crossing your arms, a common pose, can cause the watch to react. For example the underside of my forearm pushes down and makes my watch ultra go into the watch face selection screen, very annoying. Surely it should only detect small surface area touch from fingers, not a whole arm 
It said it affects Apple Watch 7 and higher.
I have both an Apple Watch 7 and the Ultra 2, but didn't experience the issue. I wonder if there's a common denominator as the reason why some users are affected.
The issue started in February, two months ago. It is software related. It is not a 2.5 year old problem.
My Series 9 and AWU2 are running WatchOS 10.4 and both experience the ghost touch issue.
Clearly, it's actual ghosts touching some people's Apple Watches, and Apple is never gonna fix this with a software update. Apple needs to develop a new, ghost-resistant display coating for its Watches.
Clearly, it's actual ghosts touching some people's Apple Watches, and Apple is never gonna fix this with a software update. Apple needs to develop a new, ghost-resistant display coating for its Watches.
I feel like we’re collectively very bad at learning from history. You trade configurability like this for security. It should be okay to have a product on the market that focuses on one, especially when a product focusing on the other is also available.
I’m fine with adding configurability, of course. Until it impacts security in a major way. Then I’d really rather you’d collectively picked the other product.
The effect appearing on the latest devices first (presumable running the latest software) and later also affecting earlier watches (which have probably been updated), in my eyes would support the notion of this being a software problem.
Would you want this for logging or do you expect the blood oxygen monitor to initiate some kind of alarm?
It does. If someone has not yet done the upgrade to 10.4, I recommend not to listen to the hotline and run the update first via iPhone. May save you an 8-hour waiting time due to code entered wrongly too often from ghost touches (ask me how I know ;-) ).
Do you really think other ecosystems wouldn't have their own share of problems?
If it'd be solely a hardware problem, why would older Watches only start to exhibit the issue after being updated to watchOS 10?
Across all of their products, software has become more problematic; part of what made me a big proponent of Apple was their superior reliability.
It’s not lost on me that all systems have their own problems, but glitches and bugs aren’t the only reason I’ve been looking more closely at competing systems.
Logging only so I can see any developing trends and nip them in the bud.
I’m more concerned about a small tear in the mask or hose that I don’t catch or some malfunction like that which leads to a subtle reduction in the pressure or air flow I need than I am with it outright failing.
If it did outright fail and wasn’t pushing out air at all or wasn’t pushing out much through the nasal mask I’d know it pretty quickly because I’d stop breathing through my nose, start breathing through my mouth and wake up with a super dry throat in the morning. After that I’d figure out pretty quickly that something was wrong with air flow coming through the nasal mask.
It’s a subtle reduction over time that would concern me more and that’s something that a blood-oxygen monitor can show you if you look at the trends over time.
Worth noting that if you have a second Apple watch worn only for sleep tracking then automatic overnight software updates don’t happen. Obviously, duh!
Just discovered this myself. My daytime watch is always up to date, but my sleep tracker one was stuck on 1.3 and doing the rapid-fire phantom touch when I woke up this morning. Manual update seems to have fixed it.
Just discovered this myself. My daytime watch is always up to date, but my sleep tracker one was stuck on 1.3 and doing the rapid-fire phantom touch when I woke up this morning. Manual update seems to have fixed it.
Could not understand. lolz.
man I'm tired and my watch told me to sleep an hour ago.
Latest software AND rebooted as per memo. Still happens.
Mostly when tracking a workout wearing long sleeves, workout keeps stopping. So maybe I'll only train in summer or move to Death Valley.
It's not life threatening for an old bloke tracking his cycling - but has anybody experienced this when using it as a dive computer? Might be a bit more worrying.
Mostly when tracking a workout wearing long sleeves, workout keeps stopping. So maybe I'll only train in summer or move to Death Valley.
It's not life threatening for an old bloke tracking his cycling - but has anybody experienced this when using it as a dive computer? Might be a bit more worrying.
If something is touching your screen (e.g. your sleeve) then it is not really an issue of ghost touch.
To avoid this problem when running (or when diving) activate the water lock feature.
Earthman, it is sometimes hard to follow your mode of speech. Remember I have been asleep inside this planet of Magrathea for five-million years and know little of this "water lock feature" of which you speak.
More seriously - thanks, I'll try it later today.
Dear Mr Ribee,
It is fortunate I find you well. I am about to down my second protein shake of the day.
When you say stopping... do you mean pausing?
If you press the Digital Crown and the long button together at the same time, it will pause the workout.
This has happened to me when my watch sits low on dat dere wrist of peace while riding. There may be a way to turn this shortcut off but then again, there may not be.
See you on the bike paths... Mr Ribee.
This is a timely suggestion sir!
I had seemed to have stopped the problem with the use of the water lock feature as suggested above. My seat soaked outer layer does indeed seem to cause the problem.
However, yesterday managed to come off the bike, and noticed shortly afterwards that the timer had stopped - which may well have been a double press "in extremis" as you suggest.