iPhone SE 2 128 GB (MP862DN/A): Unresponsive Touchscreen (Touch Disease)

[Mirascael]

Got a brand new iPhone SE 2 128 GB (MP862DN/A) from my German provider 10 days ago.

This week, the touchscreen became unresponsive. After rebooting, things seemed to be fine, several hours later the phenomenon occurred again. I reseted the device without loading the backup from my former 6s.

Today (i. e. 2 days later), the touchscreen became unresponsive again multiple times. About half a dozen reboots later, the touchscreen right now while I am writing this seems to be working fine again.

The iPhone hasn't dropped once or suffered from any concussions.

I suspect either a loose connector or maybe a dust particle between connecter and FPCB (connecting foil), as, while malfunctioning, I could occasionally force the touchscreen to become responsive (albeit not reliably) by applying significant pressure on the screen (slightly more than 3D-touch requires).

 

[Defender2010]

So bring it to an Apple store, contact Apple support or bring it straight back to your provider. It will certainly be more help than posting about it here. No offence. I doubt that anyone can give you better advice than that specifically regarding this. You've already set it up as new and the problem still occurs so it seems very likely it's a hardware issue. Good luck.

 

[Mirascael]

So bring it to an Apple store, contact Apple support or bring it straight back to your provider. It will certainly be more help than posting about it here. No offence. I doubt that anyone can give you better advice than that specifically regarding this. You've already set it up as new and the problem still occurs so it seems very likely it's a hardware issue. Good luck.

I am perfectly aware of that.

Posting about here could become relevant if this isn't just a freak incident but a problem affecting more units, though.

The less people would post such issues, the more systemic quality problems would go undetected and/or solved later as would have been feasible otherwise (part of my job description is quality assurance of electronic devices, therefore I can tell you how important it is to track and report failures timely in order to be able to conduct appropriate corrective actions). On top of that, the SE 128 GB is a rather new product, so it's not unreasonable to assume that more units could be affected due to a failure root cause at the assembly line.

 

[I7guy]

So basically you decided it was some systemic design issue and not a one-off hardware problem.

 

[trifid]

So basically you decided it was some systemic design issue and not a one-off hardware problem.

He isn't deciding anything, he is sharing his experience and has a hypothesis of touch disease but wants to share and get feedback from others to see if there is a pattern. Perfectly commendable and scientific.

 

[I7guy]

He isn't deciding anything, he is sharing his experience and has a hypothesis of touch disease but wants to share and get feedback from others to see if there is a pattern. Perfectly commendable and scientific.

The hypothesis is a systemic design issue. That it was posted like that is a decision already been made. Scientific and anonymous Internet forum do not go hand in hand.

It's no different than posting something like: "I'm having issues with Touch ID, and want to get everybody's input to see if it's a systemic design issue."

 

[trifid]

The hypothesis is a systemic design issue. That it was posted like that is a decision already been made. Scientific and anonymous Internet forum do not go hand in hand.

It's no different than posting something like: "I'm having issues with Touch ID, and want to get everybody's input to see if it's a systemic design issue."

Please read the OP again, do you find the verb "suspect" ? Look it up, it's not a decision, it's a suspicion. Get it? Now the thread exists to discuss the topic and find out if someone else has experienced the same thing. It could be a one off issue, or could be systematic design issue.

 

[Defender2010]

Please read the OP again, do you find the verb "suspect" ? Look it up, it's not a decision, it's a suspicion. Get it? Now the thread exists to discuss the topic and find out if someone else has experienced the same thing. It could be a one off issue, or could be systematic design issue.

Given the rate of complaints from members here, I think if it was a systematic design issue we would have heard about it since the SE has been out a while. I still think the best solution is to get help from the sources I suggested.

 

[I7guy]

Given the rate of complaints from members here, I think if it was a systematic design issue we would have heard about it since the SE has been out a while. I still think the best solution is to get help from the sources I suggested.

An issue 10 day old device would seem to be one off hardware issue vs some symptoms of a design glitch.

 

[trifid]

Given the rate of complaints from members here, I think if it was a systematic design issue we would have heard about it since the SE has been out a while. I still think the best solution is to get help from the sources I suggested.

Not necessarily, it took about 2 years since the iPhone 6 came out and iFixit's report on touch disease. The symptoms may take a while to show up, and particularly for it to show show up in significant enough numbers.

iPhone SE has only been out for a year and the 128gb version in OP for a month.

 

[Defender2010]

Not necessarily, it took about 2 years since the iPhone 6 came out and iFixit's report on touch disease. The symptoms may take a while to show up, and particularly for it to show show up in significant enough numbers.

iPhone SE has only been out for a year and the 128gb version in OP for a month.

Good point actually. Hope OP gets it replaced regardless, the SE is a great iPhone.

 

[thadoggfather]

Is it cnsisntely reproducible easy to fix?

Wit my 7+ sometimes it stops working but it's 100 percent software and on 10.1.1

I can tell as soon as unlocking the phone it stops works but worked on lock screen

Not touch disease. Probably fixed by now but won't update until there's a new jb

Just curious if it's software but yeah sounds faulty my 9.3.3 and 10.2 64 SE never exhitibted what you're describing

 

[Defender2010]

I've only noticed the title says SE 2 - have i missed something?

 

[snow755]

I've only noticed the title says SE 2 - have i missed something?

there is no iphone SE 2 the only thing that new is the 128GB and thats its every thing is is still the same and still called the iphone SE

 

[Defender2010]

there is no iphone SE 2 the only thing that new is the 128GB and thats its every thing is is still the same and still called the iphone SE

Yes, I know. Hence the wink

 

[ASUgrad1999]

I had this happen to me with my 64GB SE that I purchased 2-3 months after they were released (took that long to get my hands on one). The touchscreen just became completely unresponsive and nothing worked. Took it back to Apple the same day I purchased and luckily they still had a few in stock to swap me out. Haven't had an issue since.

 

[Oubadah]

Had the screen on my iPhone SE 128GB (MP862X/A) go completely unresponsive today. This is the first incident since I bought it just under a month ago, but I haven't been using the phone much.

Was listening to a podcast (Apple app). Took the phone out of my pocket, unlocked with fingerprint and couldn't interact with screen at all. audio continued to play, and all physical button input was registered (including bluetooth headset play/pause). Couldn't slide to shut down phone, so I put it back in my pocket for a couple of minutes to finish what I was doing (because I couldn't remember how to force a restart). Then I heard the bluetooth headset disconnect, and when I pulled out the phone the touchscreen was working again.

 

[maxjohnson2]

I've only noticed the title says SE 2 - have i missed something?

Well there is a rumor/leak that Apple is working on a SE 2. I would love a 5" bezeless display, would be about the same size as the current SE. But I'm just dreaming.

 

[Defender2010]

Well there is a rumor/leak that Apple is working on a SE 2. I would love a 5" bezeless display, would be about the same size as the current SE. But I'm just dreaming.

That's not what the thread is about. There's no SE "2" right now. I have no idea why the OP put that in the title.

 

[bufffilm]

That's not what the thread is about. There's no SE "2" right now. I have no idea why the OP put that in the title.

There's a couple of inaccuracies with this thread posted by the OP.

Touch disease never afflicted the SE or the ip5/5s anyway. Trying to link the two is just wrong.

If his SE is acting up, return it or if beyond the return period, then engage Apple support.

 

[drewsktech]

I have the iPhone SE, and I am experiencing similar issues. Touch is not resonding. My phone has been dropped several times, and the issue seems to be related to the physical damage. Restoring iOS did not help.

I have gotten it to work temporarily be twisting the phone a certain way (similar to iPhone 6 plus touch disease), and also have wedged some material under the logic board, putting pressure where the Touch IC is located - this worked for 3-4 months, but now the problem is getting worse. I have tried multiple replacement screens, same issue, which leads me to believe this is related to the Touch IC in my case.

I have the equipment necessary to reflow the touch IC, but cannot find any insight on wether or not someone has attempted this repair, or if i'm leading myself into a rabbit hole. I'd say it would be worth a shot, otherwise, phone is out of warranty and will need logic board work regardless. Wondering if anyone has recommendations before I attempt.