S3 screen flicker?

**green_android** · 08-31-2012, 09:09 PM

I noticed screen flicker couple days ago while texting, at first I thought it wasn't anything serious, then I started noticing few more times, so I started searching online regarding this issue and ended up on this thread. Based on the comments posted here I did following tests:

Note that I had tried changing every setting there was in the phone, I'm pretty sure its not related to auto- brightness, auto-adjust screen tone, nor any other setting in developer settings, etc.

1) Thought it was due to stock messaging app, so I downloaded go sms pro and played around with it, noticed flickering again.
2) Then I thought it might have something to do with the sending of sms altogether? So I tried typing on Gmail app, still same flickering, tried on stock email app, flickering again.
3) I thought it might have something to do with the stock samsung keyboard after all, so I downloaded go keyboard, and tried typing long sentences in stock email app, gmail and stock messaging app, still same flickering.
4) Then I uninstalled everything I had installed and just typed in S Memo using default samsung keyboard, no flickering. I tested for straight 10 minutes, didn't notice any flickering. If I type somewhere else, screen flickers..

So I searched more on the internet and came to know that lot of people with different android phones also have this problem, now I'm guessing that the problem might be due to the sending of key press signals to the OS keyboard event handler, not sure I could be wrong, it can be something else as well. But it still does not explain why it does not flicker while typing in SMemo, or may be I missed screen flicker during that 10 minute test? I tied typing in Smemo many times though, I didnt notice any flicker but it did on any other app.

Sigh, my first smart phone and I get this problem. So try performing above or similar test guys and let us know your results, also try testing in SMemo.

tl;dr :

Smemo = no flickering - tested 5 times.
Gmail = flicker
Messaging = flicker
Email = flicker
Go SMS Pro = flicker
Go Keyboard = flicker

Conclusion : software issue, not hardware(for sure)

**green_android** · 09-13-2012, 11:20 PM

any comments, thoughts, suggestions, result?

**pinkcamaro17** · 09-13-2012, 11:47 PM

I've had the same thing only happens during texting. It doesn't really bother me too bad though because it's so quick but I would be interested to find a fix.

Garnet Red Sgs3

**green_android** · 09-17-2012, 01:31 PM

I sent it for repair just in case, but they couldn't reproduce the problem so they re-installed the firmware and sent it back to me. sigh!

**rjkool3** · 09-22-2012, 09:28 PM

I have just started to have a similar issue on my S3. I have had it for nearly 2 months now without any issues. The screen flicker that I have seen never happened until my brother installed City Island (sort of like sim city) and he played it for a couple of hours and the thing got really hot. The day after it started doing it every 15 minutes or so in the game and in the messaging app and the browser. Its definitely not the brightness. Its more of the screen turning off completely and it quickly shrinking down like when a monitor dies and it collapses into the center of the screen and then comes back after flickering 2-3 times.

**green_android** · 09-23-2012, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by rjkool3

I have just started to have a similar issue on my S3. I have had it for nearly 2 months now without any issues. The screen flicker that I have seen never happened until my brother installed City Island (sort of like sim city) and he played it for a couple of hours and the thing got really hot. The day after it started doing it every 15 minutes or so in the game and in the messaging app and the browser. Its definitely not the brightness. Its more of the screen turning off completely and it quickly shrinking down like when a monitor dies and it collapses into the center of the screen and then comes back after flickering 2-3 times.

whoa, that definitely seems like a serious problem,
I would start of with basic questions: (though these steps never helped me, but ive heard it fixed for some)
1) Have you tried uninstalling the City Island ? If this didnt fix it then keep on reading..
2) Have you tried resetting your phone to factory settings? (If not make sure you backup all your data before resetting)
3) Does the screen flickers only when you type? if it does, then perform the tests I mentioned before in my other posts above.

**Elementalize** · 10-12-2012, 11:35 AM

I'm having a similar where anytime I'm using the keyboard it flickers and drops the keyboard, needing me to re-engage it. It's becoming very irritating when writing lengthy emails for work or text messaging. I attempted a factory reset to no avail and have also attempted to uninstall all current apps to make sure it wasn't a conflict. Each one of these attempts have warranted a temporary fix, but it always starts to flicker again. I saw a couple people saying they haven't found it happening in SMemo, but after testing that theory today it did also happen for me in SMemo. It seems to be related to the keyboard.

What is now confusing me is that my screen has started to flicker as well. I don't use Auto-rotation on my phone, and a lot of the time I notice when I pick up my phone it flickers to a side view for an instant and back to normal view. I was starting to think that this actually may have something to do with the rotation on the S3 , but it flickers on both auto-rotation and regular rotation.

I've just downloaded Swiftkey 3 but from reading the previous replies there seems to be similar issues with this keyboard as well...

I'm tempted to go in and talk to a rep at my local store but worried they'll do something similar with it as a couple other replies, just reinstall the firmware. I can do that by myself.

Any fixes yet?

**aura89** · 10-16-2012, 01:40 PM

Having same problem as above, it'll randomly flicker the screen on and off, sometimes a couple times, and getting rid of the keyboard. sometimes i'll have to completely get rid of the text message for the time being and restart the phone

it also happens in many games i play, non in particular, all of them just randomly, and when it happens it'll pause the game, which is good...i guess... but not very cool when you're trying to do something that requires fast action and all of the sudden the screen flickers and you're no longer playing the game

**acuratly87** · 10-22-2012, 03:17 PM

I have a hunch this is caused by the Galaxy's display timeout being set and an application causing it to stay awake. Meaning, if you have your device set to turn off the screen after 2 minutes it will "flicker" every time it attempts to go to sleep but is forced to stay awake either with the smart stay enabled or an app that forces the phone to stay awake. Unfortunately, it seems the only way to fix it at this time, is to set the phone to not turn off after a specific time (but the Galaxy S3 doesn't offer this), the longest amount of time is 10 minutes, or disable "smart stay" and any other apps that would prevent the phone from timing off.

**funkylogik** · 10-22-2012, 03:30 PM

ive always had mine set to 10mins and find it perfect.
its rare for me to forget to turn the screen off and i have an app that turns it off when i put phone face down, put it in pocket or close a flip case

global s3, UK. Ask me anything and ill reply even if its just an intelligent (or stupid) guess

**acuratly87** · 10-22-2012, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by funkylogik

ive always had mine set to 10mins and find it perfect.
its rare for me to forget to turn the screen off and i have an app that turns it off when i put phone face down, put it in pocket or close a flip case

global s3, UK. Ask me anything and ill reply even if its just an intelligent (or stupid) guess

What's the name of the app you use?

**mz.brightside** · 10-22-2012, 04:14 PM

OMG same problem here. I ordered a new SG3 from Rogers... and since the second day after using apps and stuff I got the strange flickering. Downloaded another SMS and keyboard still same thing. I factory reset it and the same thing. I finally sent it back to Rogers. The model is made in China if that helps. They sent me a brand new one from Korea. It was fine and then the second day it started doing it again. I'm convinced it's software and not hardware related because I really find it hard to believe that they just sent me out 2 new defective models in a row...

**acuratly87** · 10-22-2012, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by mz.brightside

I'm convinced it's software and not hardware related because I really find it hard to believe that they just sent me out 2 new defective models in a row...

I agree, it's definitely a software issue Verizon or Samsung needs to be aware of!

**smooth4lyfe** · 10-22-2012, 05:44 PM

Does it happen to everyone using SwiftKey? It only happens to me when I am typing on my keyboard and I use Swiftkey

**acuratly87** · 10-22-2012, 05:55 PM

No it happens to me without typing anything. The phone can just be sitting there and...wait for it...SCREEN FLASH (twice while typing this).

**funkylogik** · 10-22-2012, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by acuratly87

What's the name of the app you use?

Wave Control mate. its a payed app if you want it to turn the screen off.
give me a shout if u buy it and il tell u how to set it up to use the least battery. ive chatted with the dev' a lot n he's a good guy and the s3 is his developer unit

global s3, UK. Ask me anything and ill reply even if its just an intelligent (or stupid) guess

**acuratly87** · 10-23-2012, 11:12 AM

So, after trying a few different things it seems to have stopped for me (*knock on wood*). The first thing I did was I held down the home button to show open apps and removed them all. Once the screen flickered, I looked to see what apps had re-opened. For me it was Modern War. I deleted that app, then I increased the time it takes for the screen to turn off to 10 mins. I also turned off "Smartstay". It's been almost a day without any screen flashes, so I'm optimistic at this point.

**mz.brightside** · 10-23-2012, 04:29 PM

oh really.

**green_android** · 10-24-2012, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by acuratly87

So, after trying a few different things it seems to have stopped for me (*knock on wood*). The first thing I did was I held down the home button to show open apps and removed them all. Once the screen flickered, I looked to see what apps had re-opened. For me it was Modern War. I deleted that app, then I increased the time it takes for the screen to turn off to 10 mins. I also turned off "Smartstay". It's been almost a day without any screen flashes, so I'm optimistic at this point.

I never had Modern war and I always had smartstay turned off, also I had the screen brightness to the lowest setting, basically I changed every setting in my phone to conserve battery, try typing a text message, you'll see flickers, I've done lot of testing with every setting on or off, deleted bunch of apps, so on, none of those things helped.
At this point I totally gave up on this, I'm just waiting for jelly bean and hopefully it'll fix it.

**rcsrich** · 10-25-2012, 09:23 AM

It's happened to me only while the keyboard (Swiftkey 3) is up, regardless of the app. I have screen timeout set to 1 minute & I guess "smartstay" is on since I've never tried to disable it. Seems like a relatively minor issue to me, especially after coming from a Motorola Triumph with awful GPS, poor touch response & wonky proximity sensor...

**klgh07** · 11-06-2012, 11:01 AM

I just joined, I got my Galaxy last week...this is happening to me too, and I have started to see it happens in other apps/in the home screen as well.
I use swift key 3, and I just turned off all motion control settings and have not been using auto rotate or auto brightness..maybe that will help.
If it does it again I'll try using a different keyboard. Very annoying.

**Generalgr147** · 11-26-2012, 03:27 PM

Just got my join last week, and I have to say the screen flicker got worse or more noticeable when I used SwiftKey3.... Starting to think that is the issue. I have turned off all the features that have been mentioned. Like others, I don't use the stock messaging app, and the flicker does appear with other apps. How many people are seeing this with the stock keyboard?

I am rooted, but still running stock.

**juliechou819** · 11-27-2012, 08:27 PM

I have to same exact issue.
it only flick when I'm texting
and I only got this phone for like 4 days

**Jonathan R Lee** · 12-01-2012, 11:18 PM

Here is my variant of the problem:

Screen flicker is really bad with Swiftkey.
Screen flicker is just as bad with Jelly Bean Keyboard, and there is horrible lag on long messages.
Stock Samsung keyboard has no flicker problem but occasional lag. And the lack off auto correct makes it more or less unusable.

At&t: jelly bean now. Please!!!