nexus 4 touch responsiveness

[Omran Terro]

Hi. I heard that the touch responsiveness of the nexus 4 is lower than other smartphones. Is that true? Thanks

 

[return_0]

I have no problems with the N4's touch screen. The people complaining about lower touch responsiveness probably have defective units.

 

[mr_nobody]

Or crappy screen protectors...

 

[yubeie]

Nope as others mentioned it has to do with screen protectors.. Else everything works fine!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Fairclough]

Sorry to add to the comments works perfect. Only had an issue once with super wet hands. Usually if their wet it works fine, most phones I find come very unresponsive to wet hands

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[jdbii]

Not a big deal but thought I'd chime in. I don't use a screen protector. I sometimes have a hard time getting the cursor to activate (or recognize the field I am trying to push) when I am trying to populate a username or password field in a zoomed in screen. By "zoomed in" I mean when only part of the screen enlarges automatically on its own, and it usually happens when I am signing in somewhere. (Can that feature be disabled?). The only other problem I encounter with responsiveness is selecting text and copying. I have never been able to hold my finger down and initiate the "select text" feature with total ease. If the webpage is just text than no problem, but if the webpage contains headings and graphics and different fonts it sometimes feels a bit unresponsive and it takes a few tries.

 

[Omran Terro]

Please can you give me the PRS value of your nexus 4

 

[mitc5502]

If anything, I feel like mine is overly sensitive...I constantly find it being triggered by indirect contact. For instance, today I was changing in the locker room and one of my sweaty pieces of clothing brushed the screen and pulled down the notifications drawer. Also, my screen seems to work even while wearing my full-fingered cycling gloves. I'm using a Zagg screen protector...

 

[Tronstar]

Not a big deal but thought I'd chime in. I don't use a screen protector. I sometimes have a hard time getting the cursor to activate (or recognize the field I am trying to push) when I am trying to populate a username or password field in a zoomed in screen. By "zoomed in" I mean when only part of the screen enlarges automatically on its own, and it usually happens when I am signing in somewhere. (Can that feature be disabled?). The only other problem I encounter with responsiveness is selecting text and copying. I have never been able to hold my finger down and initiate the "select text" feature with total ease. If the webpage is just text than no problem, but if the webpage contains headings and graphics and different fonts it sometimes feels a bit unresponsive and it takes a few tries.

I have noticed this as well. It is like the phone is unsure of which you were trying to select. It might be registering a touch at both selection points. If you zoom in a bit before trying to select it won't happen. As for the copy paste problem, I have the same compliant and have heard it numerous times. Heard it is a software issue though. Hopefully fixed for the next update?

 

[pjc123]

I was having random problems with getting things to register my touches when I first bought the phone. Since then I did a re-install of the stock ROM and updated to 4.2.2 (unplanned) and it has been like night and day, no issues anymore.

 

[jdbii]

I was having random problems with getting things to register my touches when I first bought the phone. Since then I did a re-install of the stock ROM and updated to 4.2.2 (unplanned) and it has been like night and day, no issues anymore.

Awesome. Nice to know that it was software related.

 

[Omran Terro]

I hope that too

 

[shahali]

I have no problems with the N4's touch screen. The people complaining about lower touch responsiveness probably have defective units.

NOT TRUE. I have ordered several Nexus 4 and here is the real Deal. You can search on the internet, but the above statement is not true at all. People can feel free to flame me, but it grates on me when people start defending the undefendable.... but hey, if i say something and some one disagree's who is right...? We would both be speaking from experience... but i want to give context to my experiences. Also for all those who read one negative comment i make about the Nexus 4 and start flaming.. please read the whole paragraph..!

My genuine experience with 4 Nexus 4's. Ordered at different intervals for 3 people - All post Feb devices (I had 2, sold one and kept the other)

1) Nexus 4 screen sensitivity IS LOW. Search Google and you will see. Compared to iphone OR some other good touch devices like HTC, S3, the nexus 4 needs slightly more pressure for the screen to recognised the touch. I was disappointed as with single fused layer i thought it would be more sensitive. The best example would be - TOUCH an icon lightly. I mean very lightly, and you will see the nexus not respond. Do the same pressure on iphone and BAM... instant response. *** HOWEVER this can be fixed via software hack...google more to find out. I was hoping Google would fix this on the 4.22 update but they did not.

So Why are the above people saying only defective units have lower touch sensitivity and their ones do not have an issue? Simple, they are used to less sensitive devices OR press a little more harder than i do. Having had it for several months i have now become used to it, so not a problem as i first felt for several weeks.

2) CHROME and other PINCH TO ZOOM apps: Again use chrome and use firefox and see what i mean. Chrome detects pinch to zoom after 1.5cm apart. This makes it really cluncky. I thought this was a no seller, but then when i used firefox, it recognises pinch to zoom instantly like iphone and s3 etc. So again this is software implementation. Funny thing is GOOGLE updated chrome and says pinch to zoom and response increased BUT THEY DID JACK as it remains the same.

So there you have it. Not from one Nexus, but from 4 Nexus from different times. With time you get used to it , but was a really issue when i first had it and would not recognise my finger touch! Again i would say none of the devices i bought are / were defective and i did not return any of them.

As an example, the one i bought for my friend, he says he has no issues whatsoever on the touch sensitivity... so i played with it and its the same as mine, there is a difference, its just that he never had a touch phone so could not appreciate the fine difference.

MAJOR HOPE IN KEY LIME PIE is that they make it more sensitive PLUS they make chrome pinch to zoom more responsive. Thankfully its all software based, so it can be done. There is a developer thread on android asking google to investigate this issue.

Thanks.

 

[return_0]

NOT TRUE. I have ordered several Nexus 4 and here is the real Deal. You can search on the internet, but the above statement is not true at all. People can feel free to flame me, but it grates on me when people start defending the undefendable.... but hey, if i say something and some one disagree's who is right...? We would both be speaking from experience... but i want to give context to my experiences. Also for all those who read one negative comment i make about the Nexus 4 and start flaming.. please read the whole paragraph..!

My genuine experience with 4 Nexus 4's. Ordered at different intervals for 3 people - All post Feb devices (I had 2, sold one and kept the other)

1) Nexus 4 screen sensitivity IS LOW. Search Google and you will see. Compared to iphone OR some other good touch devices like HTC, S3, the nexus 4 needs slightly more pressure for the screen to recognised the touch. I was disappointed as with single fused layer i thought it would be more sensitive. The best example would be - TOUCH an icon lightly. I mean very lightly, and you will see the nexus not respond. Do the same pressure on iphone and BAM... instant response. *** HOWEVER this can be fixed via software hack...google more to find out. I was hoping Google would fix this on the 4.22 update but they did not.

So Why are the above people saying only defective units have lower touch sensitivity and their ones do not have an issue? Simple, they are used to less sensitive devices OR press a little more harder than i do. Having had it for several months i have now become used to it, so not a problem as i first felt for several weeks.

2) CHROME and other PINCH TO ZOOM apps: Again use chrome and use firefox and see what i mean. Chrome detects pinch to zoom after 1.5cm apart. This makes it really cluncky. I thought this was a no seller, but then when i used firefox, it recognises pinch to zoom instantly like iphone and s3 etc. So again this is software implementation. Funny thing is GOOGLE updated chrome and says pinch to zoom and response increased BUT THEY DID JACK as it remains the same.

So there you have it. Not from one Nexus, but from 4 Nexus from different times. With time you get used to it , but was a really issue when i first had it and would not recognise my finger touch! Again i would say none of the devices i bought are / were defective and i did not return any of them.

As an example, the one i bought for my friend, he says he has no issues whatsoever on the touch sensitivity... so i played with it and its the same as mine, there is a difference, its just that he never had a touch phone so could not appreciate the fine difference.

MAJOR HOPE IN KEY LIME PIE is that they make it more sensitive PLUS they make chrome pinch to zoom more responsive. Thankfully its all software based, so it can be done. There is a developer thread on android asking google to investigate this issue.

Thanks.

I don't doubt the validity of your statement, but it looks like you got really unlucky considering at 19 (at the time of writing) other people have reported no problems.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

The three Nexus 4s I've used have all been as responsive to touch as my iPhone.

 

[greydarrah]

Both of my N4s are just as sensitive as the other 7 or 8 Android phones I've owned. If some of you think that yours is less sensitive, more power to you, but both of mine work exactly as I expect them to.

 

[shahali]

I don't doubt the validity of your statement, but it looks like you got really unlucky considering at 19 (at the time of writing) other people have reported no problems.

Thanks. I don't think i have a faulty unit. I still think sensitiveness is low. It seems highly unlikely i have been in contact with 4 faulty units. I got the 1st nexus in Jan, 2 more in Feb and the last one in March. All are the same as my original post. In fact see this:

Touch Screen Sensitivity - xda-developers
It shows that if you install the old driver than the sensitivity is much improved! Problem is the old driver gets reverted when you update your phone!

Also see this:
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=40445

Now i am willing to bet most of you touch harder than me! I don't have any issues at the moment as i am used to it, BUT if i thouvh lightly as i used to on my old iphone then it does not register.

There is a lot of hoo haa about PRS values. I don't think you can compare one PRS on one device to another, so will leave that out of my argument. In any case IF you guys are getting"normal" touch sensitivity can you give me your PRS values (via developer option)... if its much much lower than mine, then i will concede that i have indeed had 4 faulty nexus 4's..!

Shah

 

[return_0]

There is a lot of hoo haa about PRS values. I don't think you can compare one PRS on one device to another, so will leave that out of my argument. In any case IF you guys are getting"normal" touch sensitivity can you give me your PRS values (via developer option)... if its much much lower than mine, then i will concede that i have indeed had 4 faulty nexus 4's..!

If I tap lightly (as suggested in a different xda thread I found) I get about .52 to .58.

 

[mset]

Thanks. I don't think i have a faulty unit. I still think sensitiveness is low.

with the vote at 26-2, I think it's pretty clear that it's not a sensitivity issue. I had 2 faulty units before getting the current one, which is perfect. 4 seems very high, but maybe there's some subjectivity involved.

 

[RavenSword]

I notice some missed swipes and presses sometimes, but nothing too big. I do notice that typing messages I'll miss the space bar press. But that could be my typing style because that happened on my iPhone 5 as well.