Overheating at the Beach?

[anon(829886)]

I had a really weird experience with my Moto X over this past summer and I've been meaning to post about it ever since.

So I went to Italy in July for 3 weeks and spent the entire time at a hotel by the beach. Every day I enjoyed long walks morning and afternoon on the beach. I brought my unlocked Moto X to use with a local SIM.

Okay, so everything was fine until I began walking daily. Basically my issue was that the phone would not work properly when I had it tucked away in my swim trunks. I walked listening to music or podcasts using Google Music or Pocket Casts. Whenever I had the X tucked in my pocket it would act erratically. Jump forward in what I was listening to (sometimes a minute, minutes, an hour), randomly open apps, general erratic behavior.

This obviously was a big problem for me. Thankfully I was able to remedy this by simply carrying the X in my hand during my walks. This wasn't an ideal solution but at least this option allowed me to enjoy my daily walks without giving up using my phone in conjunction.

So I think it's clear the issue was some sort of overheating going on with the X as it was tucked away. In some instances the X was in my front pocket. In other it was sitting in my back pocket. (Entirely dependent on the style of swim trunks I was wearing that day. Some simply didn't have side pockets.)

This erratic X behavior did not occur before my trip or afterwards.

I'd like to know if any other Moto X owners have had a similar experience. I'd also like to know why this happened. In 2011 I took my iPhone 4 to Italy and used it in a similar fashion on the beach with no problems. Ditto the Galaxy S4 Active in summer of 2013.

 

[SpookDroid]

I somehow don't think this has anything to do with overheating, as when you took it out your pocket the behavior should be just the same, at least for a while, on the time it takes the device to cool down if that was the case.

I'm thinking either a strange case of '**** dialing' or maybe there was moisture in your trunks? I know water and humidity can cause the touch screen to react and that might have caused the random skips or app launches.

 

[anon(829886)]

I somehow don't think this has anything to do with overheating, as when you took it out your pocket the behavior should be just the same, at least for a while, on the time it takes the device to cool down if that was the case.

I'm thinking either a strange case of '**** dialing' or maybe there was moisture in your trunks? I know water and humidity can cause the touch screen to react and that might have caused the random skips or app launches.

Not a chance. Like I said, I used previous smartphones in a similar manner. Never had this issue. My trunks were always dry when I went for my walks.

 

[SpookDroid]

Mmm... What about your headset? Is it a simple earphone one or is it one of those that have music/volume controls? It could be a false contact with the connector causing stray signals to be sent to your phone and mistaking those with actual commands (I've had this happen before with an iPod, and it would only happen when the pressure from the pocket would bend the connector a little bit...it actually snapped eventually haha).

Or maybe the altitude? I haven't seen that happen on the phone's I've owned, mind you, but I have had a computer or two that would act all wonky when I took them to the mountains.

 

[anon(829886)]

Mmm... What about your headset? Is it a simple earphone one or is it one of those that have music/volume controls? It could be a false contact with the connector causing stray signals to be sent to your phone and mistaking those with actual commands (I've had this happen before with an iPod, and it would only happen when the pressure from the pocket would bend the connector a little bit...it actually snapped eventually haha).

Or maybe the altitude? I haven't seen that happen on the phone's I've owned, mind you, but I have had a computer or two that would act all wonky when I took them to the mountains.

Unlike the two previous summer's where I used a wired headphone I was using bluetooth headphones. (Bluebuds X's.) I don't think that's the issue. I use my Bluebuds all the time in different scenarios and the X has not been a problem with them.

I truly believe it's a heat issue. When my X was in my trunks it was probably subjected to a level of temperature that created all these issues. In the time that I have used my X since my return I have never once had this issue.

 

[SpookDroid]

Was it too warm to the touch when you took it out of your pocket? It's just I've seen phones be subject to hotter temps at the beach when OUT of a pocket or not covered by a towel or shirt.

It's so weird, though. And you say it hasn't happened again after the trip, which adds "Italy" as an ingredient for the issue. So odd. I suppose you could try to replicate it by leaving your phone out on the sun for a bit... but then again, do you really want to chance damaging it just to test out a theory?

 

[itic]

Ive had the same problem. I think i it was due to the phones screen being close to or in contact with the skin b/c if i turned the phone around so the back was against my shirt pocket or i held the phone it worked great as usual.

 

[anon(829886)]

Was it too warm to the touch when you took it out of your pocket? It's just I've seen phones be subject to hotter temps at the beach when OUT of a pocket or not covered by a towel or shirt.

It's so weird, though. And you say it hasn't happened again after the trip, which adds "Italy" as an ingredient for the issue. So odd. I suppose you could try to replicate it by leaving your phone out on the sun for a bit... but then again, do you really want to chance damaging it just to test out a theory?

It was never overly hot to the touch. I really don't think 'Italy' had anything to do with it. I think it got very warm being in my swim trunks in addition to the already warm temperatures I was walking through. I haven't been to the beach since my return from Italy so I can't compare in a similar situation. I definitely have no desire to 'retest' this. It's also cooler now where I live so I'd have to wait until next summer as I'm not going anywhere warm until then. For now I'm leaning towards having a new phone by next summer in part to avoid this issue again. Having to carry my phone in hand during my long walks wasn't the end of the world but I much prefer keeping it tucked away in a pocket as I had in previous summers.

 

[Nodnerb]

Ive had the same problem. I think i it was due to the phones screen being close to or in contact with the skin b/c if i turned the phone around so the back was against my shirt pocket or i held the phone it worked great as usual.

I agree. I don't know about your guys trunks, but the inside of the pockets are usually a mesh exposing the skin. Unless you wear gotch under your swim trunks? Lol I dont. Either way, swim trunk material is very thin. I can fully control my phone through my t shirt and it's not a mesh with holes. Yes, I did just try using my phone through my shirt for this post. Lol.
That would be my guess. I would expect turning the screen out would have fixed the problem for the op.
Honestly, the real issue is the active display in combination with the trunks causing the problem because it is probably displaying in your pocket as you move, senses input from the thin mesh trunks to your skin and random things happen. Just turning off active display likely would have solved the issue.

Which explains why this would never happen with any other phone.

Mystery solved?

 

[Photo_Drew]

I agree. I don't know about your guys trunks, but the inside of the pockets are usually a mesh exposing the skin. Unless you wear gotch under your swim trunks? Lol I dont. Either way, swim trunk material is very thin. I can fully control my phone through my t shirt and it's not a mesh with holes. Yes, I did just try using my phone through my shirt for this post. Lol.
That would be my guess. I would expect turning the screen out would have fixed the problem for the op.
Honestly, the real issue is the active display in combination with the trunks causing the problem because it is probably displaying in your pocket as you move, senses input from the thin mesh trunks to your skin and random things happen. Just turning off active display likely would have solved the issue.

Which explains why this would never happen with any other phone.

Mystery solved?

I think we're onto something here.

It would have to be very noticeably hot taking out of pocket, we're talking running 120 degrees F and even then it would have been more likely to crash/reboot than skip audio tracks.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[anon(829886)]

I agree. I don't know about your guys trunks, but the inside of the pockets are usually a mesh exposing the skin. Unless you wear gotch under your swim trunks? Lol I dont. Either way, swim trunk material is very thin. I can fully control my phone through my t shirt and it's not a mesh with holes. Yes, I did just try using my phone through my shirt for this post. Lol.
That would be my guess. I would expect turning the screen out would have fixed the problem for the op.
Honestly, the real issue is the active display in combination with the trunks causing the problem because it is probably displaying in your pocket as you move, senses input from the thin mesh trunks to your skin and random things happen. Just turning off active display likely would have solved the issue.

Which explains why this would never happen with any other phone.

Mystery solved?

But the behavior of the X wasn't one of actions being inadvertently inputed. I'm talking very random behaviors. Podcasts jumping at random intervals. (Say 37 minutes forward, 22 minutes back.) Apps in my app drawer activating. Phone calls being placed. That's just off the top of my head. There were more I can't remember now. My impression was that the phone is simply acting erratically, not being activated in any way in my pocket.

 

[Nodnerb]

But the behavior of the X wasn't one of actions being inadvertently inputed. I'm talking very random behaviors. Podcasts jumping at random intervals. (Say 37 minutes forward, 22 minutes back.) Apps in my app drawer activating. Phone calls being placed. That's just off the top of my head. There were more I can't remember now. My impression was that the phone is simply acting erratically, not being activated in any way in my pocket.

Right, but when active display is "pulsing" the screen is also active and able to be unlocked by a pretty minimal swipe, so it likely gets unlocked in your pocket and then pretty much any random thing can happen. App drawer opening up, calls placed.....anything.

 

[anon(829886)]

Right, but when active display is "pulsing" the screen is also active and able to be unlocked by a pretty minimal swipe, so it likely gets unlocked in your pocket and then pretty much any random thing can happen. App drawer opening up, calls placed.....anything.

But I'm very active in everyday life, and this never happens. It's not like my swim trunks force my Moto X to be closer to my leg physical, bringing about these actions.

 

[Nodnerb]

Okey doke. Well I can't come up with a more plausible explanation than that. I'd be willing to bet though that my explanation is far more likely the cause than it overheating but immediately working fine the second you take it out of your pocket.

 

[jasoraso]

I've experienced something similar with my running shorts. I typically put my phone in a pocket when I go for runs, listening to Google Music and using the "Runkeeper". I have one particular pair of running shorts that last year I never had a problem with my phone (Droid DNA). This summer, my Moto X would act erratically in those shorts - runkeeper pausing, music skipping etc. I believe it is a combination of Active Display turning the screen on, and then the shorts unlocking the phone, and triggering weird inputs. I began putting the phone in the pocket of those shorts with the screen out instead of in, and quit having problems (ran 1/2 marathon 2 weeks ago - no problem).

Some way it rubs in those shorts, or the inner lining of the pocket causes problems. Other shorts I have no problems. Other phones, I have no problems.

 

[edgar]

happened to me with my shorts during a walk.
snap chat awakes my screen and there goes my short pockets activating all sorts of silly stuff as I walk
I've also had my camera take creepy looking photos. Light bleeds through my shorts and distorts everything. Looks like I had a drunken night lol

 

[hisense]

Sounds like it was a Bluetooth issue. Some Bluetooth connections are effected by open spaces or if there is an obstacle (hand) over the attenae. What model headset was it?

 

[pdaniel219]

Do you have the twist to open camera option on? Mine would always do exactly what you're describing before I put a pattern lock on it. It will still open the camera, but you have to swipe your pattern to get to any other apps. I would pull it out of my pocket and it would have gone through a ton of apps that I had previously opened. My phone would be hot as well. Maybe this isn't your issue, but a lot of folks have had the same problem and solved it with a pattern or PIN lock on the screen.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[benhaube]

Mmm... What about your headset? Is it a simple earphone one or is it one of those that have music/volume controls? It could be a false contact with the connector causing stray signals to be sent to your phone and mistaking those with actual commands (I've had this happen before with an iPod, and it would only happen when the pressure from the pocket would bend the connector a little bit...it actually snapped eventually haha).

Or maybe the altitude? I haven't seen that happen on the phone's I've owned, mind you, but I have had a computer or two that would act all wonky when I took them to the mountains.

If he's on the beach in Italy then he's at sea level.