New S21 Ultra - Strange Behavior going on

[supertamal2000]

I just got my new S21 a few days ago and I started to notice some weird stuff.

It's like it decides to click on "return" by itself. Like the command is triggered around every 4-5 minutes consistently.

For example. I'm watching a NETFLIX show.. then after around 4-5 minutes.. the video will close and I get returned to NETFLIX's main screen ( just like If I had just pressed the return key).

Or I'm recording a video using the default camera app and on the 4-5 minute mark, the video stops recording and goes back to the main photo camera screen. And If I leave it there, the app will close and return to the main screen 5 minutes later.

I tried to check the diagnostics of the digitalizer to see if there is an issue with it. Thus wrongly detecting the "return" key being pressed when I'm not.

Note that I have tried leaving the phone using standalone plastic holders, with my hands, with my wallet-style case and even a tripod. The behavior still maintains itself.

I have tried to disable every single gesture, or addition and still does it.

I noticed that a few other people also reported this behavior on the S21 series in Samsung's forum, with no real comment other than the classic bot telling you to wipe your phone clean and start again.

In another question, is there a way to remove BIXBY? I hate that the power button is tied to it and I cannot get the power menu when I'm holding the power menu like It used to happen in my Note 9.

Device info:

Model: S21 Ultra 5G
Model Number: SM-G998B/DS
UI version: 3.1
Android Version 11
Kernel Version: 5.4.61-22520315
Knotx 3.7
Android Patch level: November 1 2021

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Do you have a screen protector on? Does this also happen in Safe Mode? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...-plus-5g/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-s21-plus-5g

 

[supertamal2000]

Welcome to Android Central! Do you have a screen protector on? Does this also happen in Safe Mode? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...-plus-5g/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-s21-plus-5g

No screen protector. The default plastic protection was still on during the safe mode test.

Just tried with the camera and Netflix.

Now there is some interesting behavior.

Camera Recording:
The camera when recording video no longer goes back to the main camera screen.

NETFLIX:
When playing Netflix videos no longer returns to the Netflix main screen, it actually minimizes the video to the corner when the "time" hits.
When pausing Netflix in the other hand... I can see a "flicker" where the screen tries to change to some other app or something else, then gets back to Netflix paused video very quickly.

Now I peeled out the plastic screen protection. But still happens. Netflix goes back to main screen.


What I found interesting is that the pattern seems to be faster on normal boot, and is twice as long in safe mode.

 

[mustang7757]

No screen protector. The default plastic protection was still on during the safe mode test.

Just tried with the camera and Netflix.

Now there is some interesting behavior.

Camera Recording:
The camera when recording video no longer goes back to the main camera screen.

NETFLIX:
When playing Netflix videos no longer returns to the Netflix main screen, it actually minimizes the video to the corner when the "time" hits.
When pausing Netflix in the other hand... I can see a "flicker" where the screen tries to change to some other app or something else, then gets back to Netflix paused video very quickly.

Now I peeled out the plastic screen protection. But still happens. Netflix goes back to main screen.


What I found interesting is that the pattern seems to be faster on normal boot, and is twice as long in safe mode.

Welcome to AC!
Can you screen record so can see it happening?

 

[B. Diddy]

Strange behavior indeed. Try a cache partition wipe: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...5g/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-s21-5g. If it still happens, the next step might be a factory reset -- I hate to sound like one of those bots, but if the problem is still happening in Safe Mode, then it's either some kind of system glitch or hardware glitch.

 

[supertamal2000]

Strange behavior indeed. Try a cache partition wipe: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...5g/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-s21-5g. If it still happens, the next step might be a factory reset -- I hate to sound like one of those bots, but if the problem is still happening in Safe Mode, then it's either some kind of system glitch or hardware glitch.

I tried the wipedown but my phone does not go into that menu the link says. It simple loads Android normally.

 

[supertamal2000]

Welcome to AC!
Can you screen record so can see it happening?

From phone : https://www.mediafire.com/file/2g0a...ng_20211205-000200_Netflix_processed.mp4/file

Video I did later on with my DSLR:

http://www.mediafire.com/folder/7guh7osvb10ykxm,w0oelg6sok9bf57/shared

 

[mustang7757]

From phone : https://www.mediafire.com/file/2g0a...ng_20211205-000200_Netflix_processed.mp4/file

Video I did later on with my DSLR:

http://www.mediafire.com/folder/7guh7osvb10ykxm,w0oelg6sok9bf57/shared

First link was just black Plaing a movie and 2nd link never opened bith files

Maybe try load it with this app
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ps/details?id=com.imgur.mobile&token=wtMRd9u2

 

[supertamal2000]

First link was just black Plaing a movie and 2nd link never opened bith files

Maybe try load it with this app
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ps/details?id=com.imgur.mobile&token=De6_iEDq

Its not an entirely blank movie, please watch entirely. You cannot record the video content of NETFLIX from withing your phone.
But keep following until the last minutes and you will see how it goes back to the main netflix screen.

Second : Not entirely sure what do you mean with "bith files".
They are Mp4 files, you might need a codec pack.


I decided to just upload the videos to Youtube.

NETFLIX : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UEqozEHITE Behavior happens at 3:09
CAMERA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAF33wafYtQ Behavior happens at 2:26

 

[mustang7757]

Its not an entirely blank movie, please watch entirely. You cannot record the video content of NETFLIX from withing your phone.
But keep following until the last minutes and you will see how it goes back to the main netflix screen.

Second : Not entirely sure what do you mean with "bith files".
They are Mp4 files, you might need a codec pack.

Ok will look over again, meant "Both "

 

[mustang7757]

For the Netflix it looks like a app glitch, i would try clear its data then force stop it and see if it returns to normal, also check any new updates for it

 

[supertamal2000]

For the Netflix it looks like a app glitch, i would try clear its data then force stop it and see if it returns to normal, also check any new updates for it

Already uninstalled, reinstalled, cleared cache, cleaned, forced stop, etc..
Behavior extends to more than just NETFLIX.

Forgot to mention. TWITTER shows a similar behavior but not identical. While browsing it will show the side menu like someone had touched the swipe function. IT does not go back to the main screen like it usually does.

https://youtu.be/Fr5R-hQGfOE

 

[mustang7757]

Already uninstalled, reinstalled, cleared cache, cleaned, forced stop, etc..
Behavior extends to more than just NETFLIX.

You can try safe mode but thats going eliminate 3rd party apps.

Did you transfer anything over from previous phone?

 

[supertamal2000]

You can try safe mode but thats going eliminate 3rd party apps.

Did you transfer anything over from previous phone?

Safe mode does the same behavior but on longer periods.

As for transfer from previous phone. Yes. I transferred from a Samsung NOTE 9

EDIT. Added Twitter info on the prior post of mine.

 

[mustang7757]

Safe mode does the same behavior but on longer periods.

As for transfer from previous phone. Yes. I transferred from a Samsung NOTE 9

EDIT. Added Twitter info on the prior post of mine.

Im wondering if something transferred over not playing well with the new phone , the Note 9 had Android 10 and s21 should be on Android 12 .
Try this , go to settings>general management>reset>reset settings

 

[supertamal2000]

Im wondering if something transferred over not playing well with the new phone , the Note 9 had Android 10 and s21 should be on Android 12 .
Try this , go to settings>general management>reset>reset settings

What I fear about resetting my phone.. AGAIN.. is that I have to reactivate all my authenticator, banks..etc..

 

[mustang7757]

What I fear about resetting my phone.. AGAIN.. is that I have to reactivate all my authenticator, banks..etc..

Reset settings doesn't factory reset

 

[supertamal2000]

Reset settings doesn't factory reset

Thanks. Just did, will be testing now.

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks. Just did, will be testing now.

Ok keep me posted

 

[supertamal2000]

Nope, still doing it with NETFLIX.

and Video as well..

*edit*
Is there a way to have some sort of command logs to see if the digitalizer is the problem or what could be sending that "return" command over and over?