Nexus One multi-touch issues coming to light

Is it just me or is the Nexus One becoming more problem prone? The latest issue surrounding the uber Android device has to do with multi-touch, more specifically when two screen inputs are extremely close together the points are flipped. Such occurrences obviously happen quite frequently as the only way to type on the N1 is via the on-screen keyboard. So how do we fix it? Well, we may not be able to outside of a large scale recall.

According to Google engineer Diane Hackborn, it’s not the OS any individual software on the device meaning she’s pegging the problem on the sensor. Mind you, this same sensor is also in a slew of other Android handsets such as the G1 and MyTouch 3G just to name a couple. The DROID looks to be exempt (if it is in fact a hardware issue) because it uses a multi-touch sensor from a different manufacturer and supposedly, a “better quality touchscreen” than the affected units previously mentioned. Good for me, bad for N1/G1/MyTouch owners.

Let’s hope that whatever the real problem is — of course if it’s more than just a simple matter of screen quality — Google can fix it relatively quickly and painlessly. Having to issue a recall spanning multiple countries, carriers, and handsets would be a nightmare of epic proportions.

Anyone with a Nexus One, G1, MyTouch can check for any multi-touch issues themselves by downloading “Multitouch Visible Test” from the Android Market and giving it a shot. Leave your results below.

PhoneArena > AndroidandMe

   
  • http://twitter.com/hapticsl/status/9923781930 Robles-De-La-Torre

    Haptics-L:Nexus One multi-touch issues coming to light – Gadgetsteria (blog) http://bit.ly/9yUUCr More news: http://isfh.org/t

  • rofl

    Type your message here…

  • John K

    The screen inputs do not need to be “extremely close” for issues to arise. They frequently occur whenever the two inputs cross the same axis. When that happens, over 50% of the time the Nexus One incorrectly registers the inputs.

    There are plenty YouTube videos and forum postings on these issues.

    It is “good” to note that many HTC phones use this same touch screen technology. Maybe this is why Google initially did not enable multitouch on the Nexus.

    This is really sad, however, because a slightly more expensive touch screen technology would have made a world of difference.

    ****

    Now for the kicker… not only does the Nexus One have these “multitouch” issues (that most users will never notice), but some Nexus One owners (including myself) have noticed that the screen completely misregisters SINGLE TOUCHES as well. This is usually described that the phone responds as if the screen registers 1-3 cm below where the user is actually touching the screen. This even happens when the phone is placed flat on a desk and the only one finger is touching the phone. Locking and unlocking the phone “corrects” the issue.

    Overall, the Nexus One is one AMAZING phone… but it does have some core underlying design issues.