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Tempermental iPhone 4 home button 4.1
- Thread starter applefanDrew
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once every so often I press mine and it clicks but nothing happens. 4.01. not anything I am bothered about as its a rarity for it to happen and when it does it isnt a scary thing. just need to do it again. I just figured that however the microswitch or whatever else they used under that button was built, it was in need of a slightly firmer push to be sure it connected properly.
for me it 'feels' like a hardware issue, but isnt anything that concerns me
for me it 'feels' like a hardware issue, but isnt anything that concerns me
Add me to this list. Thought it was just me, but decided to do a search here and found this thread.
I'm on 4.1 and haven't had this issue or at least can't remember it being this bad. Now it's constantly not working correctly.
Was thinking about bringing it into Apple to check it out. Has anyone else brought theirs in and gotten a replacement?
I'm on 4.1 and haven't had this issue or at least can't remember it being this bad. Now it's constantly not working correctly.
Was thinking about bringing it into Apple to check it out. Has anyone else brought theirs in and gotten a replacement?
Last week I finally went to the genious bar with this problem. Obviously the genius couldn't reproduce the issue. After plugging in the phone and running some tests, his conclusion: I don't quit background apps often enough. His suggestion was to keep only about 8 or so apps in the background max. He said "even if you don't see the gps icon, maps is still running and getting maps in the background, and so are all these other apps".
But didn't Steve say something like, "if you have to use a task program, they blew it"?
Still having this home button issue however.
But didn't Steve say something like, "if you have to use a task program, they blew it"?
Still having this home button issue however.
Good home buttons are responsive on all sides! That's what I realized with my replacement: no matter how or where I press it, it registers perfectly.
What I meant is that if I press it too softly it dont work, like all other buttons. Sometimes I press its boarder too softly, and give The impression its problematic. But if its was a hardware issue, it would be more frequent and noticiable. Maybe its your pressing...
I know what you mean. I had my previous phone replaced due to the issues with the home button (I was experiencing the same problems as you). The truth is, no matter how soft or hard you press it, good home buttons always register clicks. The home button on my current phone never fails to register a click even if I press it too softly.
It's a coincidence. The software has nothing to do with that. My current phone is flawless on 4.1 in terms of using the home button, while my previous one didn't register every other time.
I'm having the exact same issue as most of you guys! I noticed it when I updated my phone to 4.1. At first I thought it was a software glitch so I just dealt with it. Now my home button isn't working the way it did with my older iPhones. I have an appointment with the Genius Bar soon, I'll let you guys know what the outcome was. I really hope they exchange the phone out with a good one, Im tired of having to exchange my phone out, this would be my fourth exchange if I do get another one. 
I'm having the exact same issue as most of you guys! I noticed it when I updated my phone to 4.1. At first I thought it was a software glitch so I just dealt with it. Now my home button isn't working the way it did with my older iPhones. I have an appointment with the Genius Bar soon, I'll let you guys know what the outcome was. I really hope they exchange the phone out with a good one, Im tired of having to exchange my phone out, this would be my fourth exchange if I do get another one.
Hello, mini-me
))I've exchanged my phone 4 times and last one was swapped for the very same problem with the home button.
As for your appointment, make sure you can replicate the issue, otherwise they will ask you to record a video and come back with this evidence of your iPhone malfunctioning.
Alright so I just got back from the Apple Store and I got a replacement! At first the genius wasn't able to replicate the issue so I showed him what was going on! The home button on the new phone works great so far, no matter how I push the button, it responds! I hope this is the last exchange, I'm tired of the little issues I've been having!
happens occasionally on 4.01 as well though. sometimes it is fine, once every so often it cant decide if a press is enough, or it doesnt register a double press and chooses to think it was two singles. but as it is the only issue I have from the amount of other potential downside problems others suffer I can live with it
i found a decent solution for the time being, saves life of the buttons too.
i use activator and set slide down at the status bar to show the task switcher, slide right to simulate home button click, and hold status bar to sleep the phone.
it works better than the real buttons. the only time when i can't use the status bar is when i'm on games.
i use activator and set slide down at the status bar to show the task switcher, slide right to simulate home button click, and hold status bar to sleep the phone.
it works better than the real buttons. the only time when i can't use the status bar is when i'm on games.
I'm glad I found this thread. I also found a couple of others on Apple's own forum. Here are my observations:
- On 4.0 and 4.0.1 I noticed it a couple of times. It was so infrequent (maybe once every week or two), it just didn't concern me.
- Ever since upgrading to 4.1 it happens 10-20 times a day (and by "it" I mean pushing the home button either does nothing, or it opens the task switcher).
Based on my own observations, my assumption was that the problem is software related. However, after reading that people swapped out their phones and the problem was solved, I'm starting to think that I may do the same thing. However, I can already envision the conversation:
Genius: I don't see the problem
Me: Trust me, it's a problem. I know I can reproduce it if I keep trying.
Genius: <tapping fingers as 15 minutes go by>
Me: There! After 15 minutes and 300 attempts, the home button screwed up!
Genius: I'm sorry, but I can't give you a new phone based on a 0.03% fail rate.
Also, my iPhone is JB, so I'll need to restore as new before visiting the Genius. And even if I'm given a new phone, I'll have the hassle of reinstalling everything on the new iPhone. What a PIA.
- On 4.0 and 4.0.1 I noticed it a couple of times. It was so infrequent (maybe once every week or two), it just didn't concern me.
- Ever since upgrading to 4.1 it happens 10-20 times a day (and by "it" I mean pushing the home button either does nothing, or it opens the task switcher).
Based on my own observations, my assumption was that the problem is software related. However, after reading that people swapped out their phones and the problem was solved, I'm starting to think that I may do the same thing. However, I can already envision the conversation:
Genius: I don't see the problem
Me: Trust me, it's a problem. I know I can reproduce it if I keep trying.
Genius: <tapping fingers as 15 minutes go by>
Me: There! After 15 minutes and 300 attempts, the home button screwed up!
Genius: I'm sorry, but I can't give you a new phone based on a 0.03% fail rate.
Also, my iPhone is JB, so I'll need to restore as new before visiting the Genius. And even if I'm given a new phone, I'll have the hassle of reinstalling everything on the new iPhone. What a PIA.
No, they are on faulty phones. I had one like this replaced (with a freaky home button).
And Apple employees know about it! I replicated the issue for a couple of times in front of a manager of the Fifth Ave Store, but he pretended not to see it.
Thanks God, there's such a thing as AppleCare!
So it's been a 3 or 4 weeks for you with the new phone, right? And you're still having no problems?
I think I'm going to visit the Genius Bar today.
Exactly! Not a single problem! That's why I know what I'm talking about when I say it's not a software issue.