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iPhone 16 Pro Max Touch issues with 16 Pro / Pro Max display
- Thread starter jajo.j
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I’m using a torras protector as it was the ‘best’ one (aka most expensive from a known brand) and the light touch issue is most noticeable on the sides/edges.
I’m not willing to run it without a screen protector as my last phone (iPhone 12 Pro Max) got a cracked screen by falling and hitting something on the tiny camera notch area that was not covered by the screen protector. This device is too new and expensive for me to risk that.
I’m not willing to run it without a screen protector as my last phone (iPhone 12 Pro Max) got a cracked screen by falling and hitting something on the tiny camera notch area that was not covered by the screen protector. This device is too new and expensive for me to risk that.
I had a 16 Pro (purchased directly from Apple) that was totally fine. Great phone, perfect size, but I was constantly needing to charge during the evenings.
I got a 16PM a couple of weeks ago (through my carrier) and this issue is 100% a real thing. It sucks. I'm using the exact same screen protector brand that I had on my 16 Pro so it's not the screen protector.
I booked a Genius Bar appointment at my local store yesterday, they did a diagnosis and the screen test failed when the protector was on. They removed the screen protector, tested again, and it passed.
Their suggestion was to not use a screen protector, purchase the Belkin they sell, or buy AppleCare Plus and do a swap.
Missing my 16 Pro now.
I got a 16PM a couple of weeks ago (through my carrier) and this issue is 100% a real thing. It sucks. I'm using the exact same screen protector brand that I had on my 16 Pro so it's not the screen protector.
I booked a Genius Bar appointment at my local store yesterday, they did a diagnosis and the screen test failed when the protector was on. They removed the screen protector, tested again, and it passed.
Their suggestion was to not use a screen protector, purchase the Belkin they sell, or buy AppleCare Plus and do a swap.
Missing my 16 Pro now.
My 16 Pro history:
1) Purchased a white 16 Pro Max on release day. It had the most horrible touch issues. Missed touches and big lag. At best 60% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max.
2) After about a month a bought a new black 16 Pro Max (with battery manufacture date 2 months later than 1)) that was a lot better. Together with iOS updates, it got to a point where I felt I could keep it. It was about 85-90% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max.
3) I decided to send my white 16 Pro Max for repair to Apple. Got it back and it performed just as my second unit, about 85-90% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max. I could then sell this unit with good conscience.
4) I then decided to test the smaller Pro as I found the 16 Pro Max a bit too heavy. This one was 100% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max. Perfect touch. But camera had issues (low light sensor bleed) so I returned it and decided to stay with my black 16PM.
So my conclusion based on a very limited data (three devices in total) and some playing around with demo units in stores is that the 16 Pro is absolutely not affected by this issue.
I almost want to try a 16 Pro again, hope for a good camera and use it instead...
1) Purchased a white 16 Pro Max on release day. It had the most horrible touch issues. Missed touches and big lag. At best 60% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max.
2) After about a month a bought a new black 16 Pro Max (with battery manufacture date 2 months later than 1)) that was a lot better. Together with iOS updates, it got to a point where I felt I could keep it. It was about 85-90% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max.
3) I decided to send my white 16 Pro Max for repair to Apple. Got it back and it performed just as my second unit, about 85-90% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max. I could then sell this unit with good conscience.
4) I then decided to test the smaller Pro as I found the 16 Pro Max a bit too heavy. This one was 100% as snappy as my old 15 Pro Max. Perfect touch. But camera had issues (low light sensor bleed) so I returned it and decided to stay with my black 16PM.
So my conclusion based on a very limited data (three devices in total) and some playing around with demo units in stores is that the 16 Pro is absolutely not affected by this issue.
I almost want to try a 16 Pro again, hope for a good camera and use it instead...
For anyone having issues, you could do a test with gloves on. Noticed that with gloves on (not leather) I get very similar effect to what others are describing - need to press harder for it to register. Wonder if on affected (defective?) phones it won't respond with gloves on at all. If yes then this would be very easily reproducible and a fairly fast way to test it - if using same gloves 16P is usable while 16PM is not then something is not quite right with that touchscreen.
The touch issues happens also without protection.Hi everybody, I just registerd only for one important question I have. So it would be nice to get an answer from youI want to use the phone without screen protector. Do I get it right that the problem occurs only with applied screen protectors and never happens without one?
There isn’t perfect.
But you can proof the hydrogel protection.
I remember that you started with this thread. After changing my iPhone 16 Pro Max for a 16 Pro, my life changed. My 16 Pro is perfect, the 16 Pro Max had me sick.
That's because the iPhone screen works off of electrical capaciatance from your skin and not from pressure. Putting on gloves is a bad test for anything, because most gloves won't work with an iPhone screen at all. Thats why they make special conductive gloves specifically for use with phone screens
I don’t see how this changes anything. If the sensitivity is an issue and screen protector leads to people having to press harder for it to register your skin conductivity, same will apply to gloves. Only this will exaggerate it further and potentially make it much more obvious.
Both are insulating with some give which is why pressing harder works, the fact that screen digitiser itself can’t sense pressure directly is irrelevant.
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The point is that gloves already don't work properly with phone screens, so testing with gloves will just give you a random range of bad results that can't be used in any meaningful way.
Your test would only work if you first had a guideline on the screen specs-- let's say Apple says the phone screens are supposed to keep working even at 80% of the expected capacitance value. And then you would need a set of calibrated gloves, that specify that they provide 85% of the capacitance value of a finger. Then, and only then, if the gloves didn't work, could you say that the phone screen was out of spec.
But just putting on random gloves and trying to use your phone doesn't accomplish anything at all.
Replace it if you are within the return window. Mine is not that bad.
You should also consider to test a different screen protector. I have dBrand PRISM 2.0 and it works well. Screen responds to very light touch over the entire panel.
The only issue I have with my 16 Pro Max right now is that it feels slightly less responsive (input lag) than my old 15 Pro Max. I notice it mainly when typing.
So to summarize the issues I had with my first 16 Pro Max vs the 16 Pro Max I have now:
✅ Missed touches - Happens only sometimes when buttons are placed in the very edge of the screen. Most likely the palm rejection algorithm and this is normal. Devs just need to move buttons away from the very edge. The reason why this does not happen with 16 Pro is that it has slightly wider bezels. No issue.
✅ Light touches - Screen reacts instantly when I barely touch it. Tested all over the screen with dBrand PRISM 2.0 screen protector. No issue.
✅ Keyboard missed touches - Apple must have tweaked the palm rejection algorithms. The keyboard now responds even on the very edges. No issue.
⚠️ Input lag - This is the only issue I have left. 16 Pro Max is not fully as instant in reaction speed vs 16 Pro or 15 Pro Max. Mostly noticeable with quick typing on the keyboard. It just feels a little off still, something that makes me consider going for the smaller 16 Pro instead.
My new 16 Pro Max has battery manufacture month October while my first had July.
Giving 16 Pro another try to compare it thoroughly with my 16 Pro Max.
Stay tuned...
Stay tuned...
I can confirm that the 16 Pro is a bit snappier than my 16 Pro Max. Not a night and day difference, but just slightly more snappy. Enough to swap? Maybe, but it is also hard to compare a completely new device against one that has been used for 4 months.
Will I keep 16 Pro?
H**l no.
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro at ISO 4000:
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro Max at ISO 4000:
The 16 Pro has a bad sensor... All 16 Pros that I have tried had this issue. The noise levels at Regular RAW, 1s, ISO 6000 is almost like two completely different sensors.
Just a huge shame that it is not possible to buy an iPhone 16 Pro today and expect to get a high performing unit. A true lottery.
Damn Apple.
Will I keep 16 Pro?
H**l no.
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro at ISO 4000:
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro Max at ISO 4000:
The 16 Pro has a bad sensor... All 16 Pros that I have tried had this issue. The noise levels at Regular RAW, 1s, ISO 6000 is almost like two completely different sensors.
Just a huge shame that it is not possible to buy an iPhone 16 Pro today and expect to get a high performing unit. A true lottery.
Damn Apple.
How do you set those ISO and exposure time values? Is it possible with the native camera app?I can confirm that the 16 Pro is a bit snappier than my 16 Pro Max. Not a night and day difference, but just slightly more snappy. Enough to swap? Maybe, but it is also hard to compare a completely new device against one that has been used for 4 months.
Will I keep 16 Pro?
H**l no.
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro at ISO 4000:
View attachment 2484177
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro Max at ISO 4000:
View attachment 2484178
The 16 Pro has a bad sensor... All 16 Pros that I have tried had this issue. The noise levels at Regular RAW, 1s, ISO 6000 is almost like two completely different sensors.
Just a huge shame that it is not possible to buy an iPhone 16 Pro today and expect to get a high performing unit. A true lottery.
Damn Apple.
Mmmm, I understand that they are almost professional photos. I take normal, everyday pictures, and they look wonderful on my 16 Pro, same with videos. I’ve never used ProRAW or RAW (I’m not interested). My 16 Pro, compared to my 16 Pro Max, has no touch issues and runs flawlessly. No complaints. I won’t go back to a 16 Pro Max. We’ll see later with the 17 or 18 Pro Max. I’m super happy with this device (16 Pro); I struggled a lot with the Pro Max. Cheers!I can confirm that the 16 Pro is a bit snappier than my 16 Pro Max. Not a night and day difference, but just slightly more snappy. Enough to swap? Maybe, but it is also hard to compare a completely new device against one that has been used for 4 months.
Will I keep 16 Pro?
H**l no.
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro at ISO 4000:
View attachment 2484177
30s night shot in complete darkness with 16 Pro Max at ISO 4000:
View attachment 2484178
The 16 Pro has a bad sensor... All 16 Pros that I have tried had this issue. The noise levels at Regular RAW, 1s, ISO 6000 is almost like two completely different sensors.
Just a huge shame that it is not possible to buy an iPhone 16 Pro today and expect to get a high performing unit. A true lottery.
Damn Apple.
No but if you shoot both phones with exactly the same conditions then the ISO will be the same or close. I had to repeat the shooting 4 times to get exactly the same ISO.
With a third party app like ProCamera with file format set to Regular RAW (not ProRAW) all settings including ISO can be set to fixed values.
Anyway, today my smartphone arrived at the Apple center. They sent it back around 3 pm with UPS. I must say that they were very fast. Consider that the courier picked up the package on Tuesday morning.
In the Tracking it says "smartphone repaired sent". So, no replacement of the same. I wonder if I will receive a report of what they did, since my smartphone had a lot of problems!
In the Tracking it says "smartphone repaired sent". So, no replacement of the same. I wonder if I will receive a report of what they did, since my smartphone had a lot of problems!
You know how I said over and over that I'm 100% sure I have no touch issues on my 16 Pro Max....
Well, I finally discovered a weird edge-case (pun intended) where it doesn't work properly. 🤣
In Safari on iPhone, when you scroll down a page, there's a tiny gray scrollbar that appears to the right of the screen. If you tap and HOLD your finger on the scrollbar, you get a little haptic feedback, and the scrollbar pops up and you can then drag your finger up and down to scroll the entire website super fast.
Well, on my phone, it is nearly impossible to get this to activate. The weird thing is that the only way I can get it to work is if I tap it and hold with the tiniest part of my finger possible...like just the very tip of my finger. If I try to use a normal full-finger tap, it never works. It's almost like it is seeing my full finger as an accidental touch and ignoring it
EDIT: After trying this feature on several other phones, I've decided that its just a very difficult function to activate and doesn't necessarily seem to be an actual issue with the touchscreen itself
Well, I finally discovered a weird edge-case (pun intended) where it doesn't work properly. 🤣
In Safari on iPhone, when you scroll down a page, there's a tiny gray scrollbar that appears to the right of the screen. If you tap and HOLD your finger on the scrollbar, you get a little haptic feedback, and the scrollbar pops up and you can then drag your finger up and down to scroll the entire website super fast.
Well, on my phone, it is nearly impossible to get this to activate. The weird thing is that the only way I can get it to work is if I tap it and hold with the tiniest part of my finger possible...like just the very tip of my finger. If I try to use a normal full-finger tap, it never works. It's almost like it is seeing my full finger as an accidental touch and ignoring it
EDIT: After trying this feature on several other phones, I've decided that its just a very difficult function to activate and doesn't necessarily seem to be an actual issue with the touchscreen itself
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Also wondering if 18.4 fixed anything. Is there a high sensitivity toggle like that one poster here was claiming a few weeks ago??