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Apple Fixes the iPhone X 'Unresponsive When It's Cold' Bug (arstechnica.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the ready-for-winter dept.

An anonymous reader quotes Ars Technica: Apple released iOS 11.1.2 for iPhones and iPads Thursday afternoon. It's a minor, bug-fix update that benefits iPhone X users who encountered issues after acquiring the new phone just under two weeks ago... The update fixes just two problems. The first is "an issue where the iPhone X screen becomes temporarily unresponsive to touch after a rapid temperature drop." Last week, some iPhone X owners began reporting on Reddit and elsewhere that their touchscreens became temporarily unresponsive when going outside into the cold... The update also "addresses an issue that could cause distortion in Live Photos and videos captured with iPhone X."
The article notes that the previous update "fixed a strange and widely mocked autocorrect bug that turned the letter 'i' into strange characters."

"To date, iOS 11's updates have largely been bug fixes."

42 comments

  1. To date, iOS 11's updates have largely been bugfix by Pieroxy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't that what minor patches are supposed to be ?

    --
    Write boring code, not shiny code!
  2. And Apple said by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let there be LIGHT! And there was. And is was...OK. If you have a spare $1200 US.

  3. Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Lisandro · · Score: 3, Interesting

    And how they managed to fix it via software.

    1. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Sounds like calibration issues to me.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Sounds like calibration issues to me.

      Sing it: Caaalibration time, come on!...

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    3. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by lucm · · Score: -1, Troll

      Sounds like calibration issues to me.

      Sounds more like perception calibration to me. Now that "it's fixed", every individual case will be either discarded or treated as an exception, and you can bet that the fanboi patrol will make sure to bury them in internet forums and social media.

      --
      lucm, indeed.
    4. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by guruevi · · Score: 5, Informative

      The iPhone screen system includes a false touch detection system. That way, if your phone is in your pocket and you brush a body part against it, it doesn't detect it as a touch or swipe. The problem with a sudden temperature differential (please note, differential, the phone would probably do the same at really hot temperatures) is that it is a similar read to the hardware as "holding an entire body part on the screen".

      Many people working in hardware development have had to deal with similar issues at one point. Temperature differentials are very hard to distinguish on these type of hardware from a touch, hence why a lot of 'extreme environment' tools (eg. GPS units etc) still use resistive or infrared touch detection even though it's more expensive and less precise.

      With capacitive touch screens, especially multi-touch and pressure-sensitive ones we're talking about plates that are micrometers apart. Temperature still has a physical impact (contraction/expansion) which causes your touch screen to require temperature calibration in software.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    5. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unlike those Android phones that receive patches for severe security flaws.

      Oh wait, that never happens. Unless you pay the Google tax.

    6. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Right, because there is a history of similar behavior from Apple of course.

      Which you'll be able to cite for us. Thx.

    7. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      And I'm betting the iPhone now runs a temperature calibration routine when it detects a temperature differential bigger than X since the last calibration.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    8. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unlike it mostly because it's completely and totally irrelevant and has nothing fucking whatsoever to do with anyone that anyone here is talking about. The adults are talking. Shut your stupid face.

    9. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Many people working in hardware development have had to deal with similar issues at one point.

      That's true. And many people working in hardware development worked that shit out before they put their product to market for a thousand fucking dollars.

    10. Re:Wondering what the root cause of that issue was by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

      Well, when the screen is cold oled doesn't like that. So they just added a `while (1);` loop in the background that makes the CPU gently warm the screen up.

      --
      Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
  4. Obligatory by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    Steve Jobs: "You are dethawing it wrong."

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re: Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thaw - to heat above freezing
      Dethaw - ?

    2. Re: Obligatory by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      "You are thawing it wrong" sounds like a lisp.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  5. Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    I can barely pay my $600 rent at the roach motel. I honestly spend more on dog food than I do on my own food.

    1. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by TimSSG · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I can barely pay my $600 rent at the roach motel. I honestly spend more on dog food than I do on my own food.

      I suggest getting rid of the dog or stop feeding the roaches dog food. Tim S.

    2. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not getting rid of my dogs.

    3. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then get rid of the roaches.

    4. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well im pretty sure you are not the kind of customer apple wants then; but im sure one of the members of their cult will be here to confirm that soon.

    5. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 4, Funny

      With gene doubling you could have a dog sized roach. You wouldn't need to buy food. It would feed itself from birds and small mammals.

      I'd have achieved it if it weren't for those FOOLS AND LUDDITES at the University Ethics Board forcing me out of my lab and making me work in primitive conditions down in the sewers.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    6. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are stupid. Your priorities are screwed up and you need to make sacrifices in your life in order to better your financial situation.

    7. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd suggest getting a better job, or taking on some contract work in your spare time.You're on slashdot, do you know programming? There's lots of work out there if you do! Also, a lot of people with iPhones can't afford them, they add the $100+ monthly cellphone bill to their credit card bills, 'slapping' some money to make the minimum payments when they can. Helped along only when their cc card provider ups their credit limit, then it's party time!

    8. Re: Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The same people that can afford a $45k car. People that make a decent living.

    9. Re: Who can afford a $1100 phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Master Splinter is that you? The turtles need you.

    10. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1
      I am the dog, you insensitive clod

      (In the internet no one knows you are a dog)

      --
      sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    11. Re:Who can afford a $1100 phone? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1
      Lots of people can afford it, including me.

      But do I want to? That is a different issue.

      --
      sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  6. And millions of Android devices r still vulnerable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    to the Broadcom wifi hack

  7. Re: To date, iOS 11's updates have largely been bu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So the new update tries to heat up the phone when it's cold? Can't wait to start seeing news of explosions.

  8. Re: Wondering what the root cause of that issue wa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We you just bump up the processing and start burning through the battery juice.... most batts run out faster when it's cold so no one will notice..... until one day it goes boom! Like Samsung.

  9. The iHeater by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    The iHeater. Only $199!

    (Ca residents add sales tax)

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  10. Re: To date, iOS 11's updates have largely been bu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And the magical battery drain!

  11. IOS 11 has slowed my phone down to a crawl by magzteel · · Score: 1

    Sure, I'm on an older Iphone 6. But it was fine before, and now it's dreadful. Is there some hidden "ps" command to show what the hell it's doing?

    1. Re:IOS 11 has slowed my phone down to a crawl by donstenk · · Score: 1

      A full reset did the job for me. iCloud also slows it down.

      --
      Dennis Onstenk
  12. Re: Wondering what the root cause of that issue wa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Lies! Trying to make up shit to defend Apple? I see through your ploy!

    Android rulez u fucking Apple Fanboi!

  13. Fixing 'Unresponsive When It's Cold' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see another market for that somewhere.

  14. can Apple fix the bug with my spouse? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    She's often unresponsive when cold ... Should I take her to the 'genius' bar?

    1. Re: can Apple fix the bug with my spouse? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      She's dead Jim.

  15. 'Unresponsive When It's Cold' by SeaFox · · Score: 1

    Maybe they're touching it wrong.
    Owners should focus on foreplay a bit more and meeting the phone's emotional needs.

  16. Calculator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When are they going to fix the calculator? Stupid ios11 calculator app cant even add 1+2+3 correctly. Try it.

  17. Re:To date, iOS 11's updates have largely been bug by antdude · · Score: 1

    Did Apple not test severe temperature scenarios?

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).