Growing Number of iPad Pro Owners Complain of Screen Stuttering Issues

[BigBoy2018]

Details in this article are similar to two issues I have with my iPad Pro 11" (2018):
- Screen Flickering and Artifacts
- Touch Response

Since I purchased it during release week in November 2018, I've experienced issues of the 'Touch Response' type.

A day after installing the iOS 12.2 update (26th March), I experienced Screen Flickering and Artifacts for the first time. I noticed it first in Solebon Solitaire, then in Safari, Drafts, Settings and Mail. I managed to take a photo on only one occasion before the artifacts disappeared. The photo is attached to this post.

There were many other 'styles' of artifacts and a lot of screen flickering but I can't reproduce them on demand and so haven't had any luck getting a photo.

The Screen Flickering and Artifacts occur rarely but the Touch Response issue occurs regularly every day and is getting worse.

All the usual steps to resolve software issues are not helping:
- restart iPad
- reset/erase iPad, set it up as new rather than restoring from a backup

I do not use a screen (film) protector. The iPad is an a silicon skin/case (link) to protect it from drops (hasn't happened yet!) and make it less slippery, so I can hold it more securely.

I'm not noticing either of these types of issues on my iPad Pro 12.9 (Late 2015), iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) or iPad Pro 10.5 (2017).

All this post makes me think is that I wish some people would buy an actual computer once in a while rather than spend $4000 on a bunch of iPads.

 

[peterowens]

I have the same problem on iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) - stuttering and unresponsive touch screen - fixed by a reset but problem returns after a few days

 

[harriska2]

I used to have a touch disease type problem on both our 12.9 1st gens. By iOS 12.x it resolved. Used to be *super* frustrating for both of us. Now it works just fine.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Unless you have evidence or the exact number impacted or at least SOME data, these threads just perpetuate the nonsense people echo on this forum.

"Quality has declined."
"Yet more issues."
"Apple shipping flawd products."
"Hardware issue."
"Where is quality control?"

A couple of threads doesn't speak for the 45M iPads Apple shipped last year alone.

Wow.

 

[Donoban]

Early reports suggest a software update may have fixed it.

One would assume that all devices would see this if software.

 

[BigBoy2018]

One would assume that all devices would see this if software.

I didnt see if others still had the problem after the update. If so, obviously you’re right.

 

[slippery-pete]

These posts are always interesting.

 

[iZac]

I’ve had this with both 2017 models that I’ve owned. The screen just freezes for 5 seconds or so. The home button still works during these episodes.

The issue is next to impossible to replicate and sometimes goes for weeks without happening. As such I’ve never caught it on camera.

Im pretty sure it’s software because there was a point in time that it didn’t happen for months, then came back.

I know that if I ever went to the Apple store with it, they’d just tell me to reinstall the OS, and I’ve already done that when it happened initially.

 

[dsampley]

I have had this problem on all of the 12.9 iPads I have owned. It happens mostly when I use the iPad attached to the Smart Keyboard. I don’t think it is software since I have this problem on 3 different iPads running 3 different versions of iOS.

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

So far have only noticed some stuttering after installing iOS 12.2. No issues with touch screen taps. On iPad Pro 11.

 

[browser740]

I HAVE THE STUTTERING PROBLEM , MINE IS A SECOND GENERATION...

ALONG WITH THE INTERMITTENT IPAD STUTTERING, I ALSO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE BATTERY WILL DEPLETE EVEN WHEN PLUGED INTO THE CHARGER , 29W... I REBOOT AND THE CHARGE LETS SAY IS AT 91% WILL SHOW UP AT 86% AFTER THE REBOOT... IT WILL RECHARGE BACK TO 100 AND REMAIN THERE...

ALSO THE CLOCK TIME ON THE THUMB NAIL ALSO SOMETIMES HAS AN INCORRECT TIME. IF I BRING UP TIME THE THUMBNAIL GETS CORRECTED...

 

[Greymacuser]

Timmy Kook is batting 0 in the quality department lately.

 

[AstroRob]

Yes this has been a nagging problem for me on the original iPad Pr,o but only over the last ~6 months. Wasn't sure if it was tied to software updates or was a hardware thing, but positively was NOT a problem a year ago.

Specifically it seems to be intermittent on whether it sees my finger or not. Sometimes I can drag around the screen over and over and nothing happens, but if I lift the finger and put it back down then it's totally normal.

Also play controls for audio/video sometimes sometimes need to be tapped multiple times.

I was really thinking it was a hardware degradation issue until I saw this article, but now am really wondering if it is something messed up in the software.

It's all the worse given that the smart keyboard is only occasionally recognized by the ipad these days as well. It seems like contact issues, despite repeated attempts to clean them off. Sometimes a slew of keystrokes are buffered and then spew out all at once.

 

[curtvaughan]

I’ve had this issue with my new 12.9”. I find that unplugging it and plugging it back in usually resolves it - I assumed it was some sort of ground loop issue interfering with the capacitive sensing. Every once in awhile i need to reboot to resolve, though.

I'm sorry to hear this. I have the same model you have, and I use it as a musician in concerts, in place of sheet music. An issue like this would be devastating while in mid-performance. Yeah, Apple used to be known as the go to company for folks in the musical and visual arts, but ...

 

[Shirasaki]

Fear not.

Apple has determined that a small percentage of displays in certain iPad Pro models may exhibit this behavior.

Unless there are millions of users reporting the same issue... I am sorry. The number is never big enough for apple.

 

[aylk]

The one thing I love the most about Apple is consistency between platforms.

 

[curtvaughan]

I'm saving this quote for the next time a random number of, Samsung, Microsoft etc products have a slight flaw.

It isn't a slight flaw if you depend on this product being reliable as a professional musician. That's only my take.

 

[JustinM80]

It’s not just happening to the iPad pros...this also happens with the XS Max when in landscape mode.

 

[curtvaughan]

I agree with your sentiment, but they're not stupid enough to let that happen. The shift into services is such an easy way to stay afloat as a company, they can basically coast for another 30 years without really needing to do anything if their services work out.

You do realize that 30 years in technology is an epoch of time? Thirty years ago Digital Equipment Corporation, Control Data Corporation, and Kodak were blue chip corporations. Thirty years ago Apple was going into a downturn spiral, only to be saved by Steve Jobs in 1996. If Apple continues to have QC issues with their hardware, and if PC and Android manufacturers continue to improve as alternatives, Apple could be in serious trouble within 5 years. The technology industry moves along at quite a clip. Apple is not invincible, and really seems to be having hardware quality issues. They could either fix those problems, focus on other areas than hardware, or dissolve.

 

[code-m]

Had this issue after 12.2, before that never had the issue. I did a reset/restore and that fixed the issue of the screen freezing, but now certain areas of the screen no longer register my “finger flicking” in order to scroll thru apps.

Same in my 2017 iPad Pro 12.9”
[doublepost=1554255314][/doublepost]

Well, the good news is that this is likely just a software issue and can hopefully be patched to fix.

I suspect a software issue too, before the most recent iOS update I observed no issues.

 

[curtvaughan]

Is that like "better the devil you know"?
True, there's no 100% guarantee a replacement will fix the issue. There's also no 100% guarantee it won't fix it either since not every iPad is experiencing issues. You could end up with one that doesn't have the problems. But there is a 100% guarantee if you do nothing, you'll have an iPad that has the issue. Eh, if it doesn't bother you enough to get it replaced I guess it more an intermittent annoyance.

Defective products can't ultimately be fixed by replacing them with other defective products. As per Einstein, "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.", comes to mind.

 

[Tapiture]

To be fair, when they add features which apply to the display and you put something on top of that "stock" display glass, then that's your problem as a consumer for adding something additional. I know it may seem minute, but you're still applying another surface on top of the touch interface/glass that the pad was not technically designed to be used with.

That’s fair, but it’s just strange because the issue isn’t there with the 12.9 Pro as far as I know and it just would be nice if they tested the devices with screen protectors to think of the consumer.

 

[Pepe4life]

Tim Cook’s Apple: “it just doesn’t work”

 

[resonator]

I have been have the touchscreen issue with the new 12.9" 3rd generation iPad Pro 1 TB model. It was working perfectly for the first few months for me with the Apple pencil and the touch screen response. Then I started noticing it was being non-responsive to the Apple pencil very frequently and it was so aggravating that I brought it to Apple and they gave me a new Apple pencil. The new Apple pencil has been working very well, but then I noticed the then started to be non responsive to scrolling, finger swipes, tapping apps, etc. Sometimes it is non responsive for up to about 10 seconds, then will work perfectly for a while. It seems very intermittent. It is very aggravating. The touch screen responsiveness improved right after the last iOS 12.2 update but now seems to be slowly returning. It is not as bad as it was - but I am thinking of getting a replacement it it keeps occurring. I am not sure if it is a software or hardware issue. It has occurred after fresh reboots with no apps running.

 

[SYCAMOREGRAD]

I wonder if it’s an issue with ProMotion?

That has been my thought all along. Got 12.9” iPad Pro gen 2 replaced twice. Am on my second 2018 Pro. And this last time, Apple offered a replacement model almost immediately. Not sure if that’s based on my prior exchange or if they know something’s up. I am running the 12.3 beta and seems fine now. The iOS 12.2 beta exhibited the same digitizer behavior. They might have fixed the issue through software. That seems plausible. I have had decent performance lately.