Ghost inputs on FP4

I ended up reconnecting the display cable a day after I made this post and the problem has gone from around once every hour to zero times in 4 days, so fingers crossed it has fixed it.

I think a more permanent fix may be to pad the back of the display cable connector with foam to stop it coming loose again.

I followed this video and it was unsurprisingly easy!

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Hi bbkrs, I think meanwhile it is obvious that the issue has something to do with the connector. for me reattaching the connector was also helping for four days before ghost touch came back. however your idea is good: help avoiding the plug losening over some days! I will try that, maybe I can figure out how thick this pad has to be to touch the plug but not to squeeze.

BR, Christoph

Got a generic “DO HOURS OF STUFF TO YOUR SOFTWARE” response from the support. I does not seem like they followed the link to this thread or like they would acknowledge it as a hardware fault…

Following bbkrs inspiration I opened the phone and checked whether to put a foam pad e.g. above the plug. Probably unsuprising there’s already one. I even ensured that it is touching with a microdrop of paint. then I attached a small strip of transparent adhesive tape (Tesa film) onto the foam pad in order to increase pressure. The thickness of the tape is just 50 micron, so that should do no harm to anything. But maybe it’s to thin to have an effect, let’s see.

PS: Is there maybe anyone not having this foam pad installed, maybe on an early phone? Just a thought.

BR, Christoph

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I’m sad to say that ghost inputs are back on my phone. This time reconnecting the screen doesn’t improve the situation any more.

In the meantime the support answered my ticket, but without sending in the phone they cannot investigate the reason. But sending in and waiting for weeks is not an option for me, as long as they don’t supply me a spare phone in the meantime.

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I had ghost inputs as well and just replaced the sim card. the phone is much more stable and no more ghost inputs . Thanks for your solution


Also got those ghost inputs and could record a screenshot

Mal hier in meiner Muttersprache: Habe nun sie SIM-Karte gewechselt, das Panzerglas entfernt und Pointer Location aktiviert. Zerlegt hatte ich es auch schon, allerdings das Displaykabel nicht gelöst und wieder befestigt mit dem Ergebnis, dass es nun seltener vorkommt. Vielleicht ein- bis zweimal in der Woche. Und dann auch so wie auf dem Bild oben: Ganz schnell vertikal von oben nach unten oder umgekehrt. Was allerdings auffällig ist, dass das Verhalten immer erst dann auftritt nachdem das Handy eine Weile ohne Neustart lief, also nicht direkt danach. Auf Klopfen reagiert es auch nicht, was ebenfalls gegen einen Wackelkontakt spricht. Meines Erachtens könnte es doch die Software sein. Warten wir mal auf Android 12.
Grüße Martin V.

After doing the reconnect fix ghost input was gone for one day, then came back :confused: I´ll let fairphone support know and see what happens.

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2 weeks later after reattaching the screen cable and I’ve not had a single reoccurence thus far :crossed_fingers:

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Having the same issue. I really hope there will be a way to fix this

I’m not sure if my issue would qualify as ‘ghost inputs’ but I have the feeling that the touchscreen on my new FP4 is overly sensitive. I oftentimes need to start typing and retyping the same message on messaging apps, because the screen seems to be reacting to micro movements. I never had such a problem with other phones… At first I thought there might be an option to reduce this touch sensitivity or make it more precise, but reading this thread it seems that it might be part of a larger issue. Do you think it makes sense to follow the instructions for disassembling the phone or is it too premature?

Hello,

A message just to mention I have the same issue. It’s not blocking yet but I fear it could get worse and render the phone unusable.
From what I read and understood, all the proposed solutions aren’t effective?

4 week update: Still not a single ghost input since refitting the screen cable. The fix is holding up well for me.

For reference, before the fix I’d get ghost inputs multiple times per hour.

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Same for me, I dismantled my phone on October 26th and haven’t had a single ghost input since.

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Same issue since weeks. Happens randomly during usage.
In my case, the issue renders the phone mostly unusable.

Was there any official reply by the vendor?

I think this will be the only reply you will get, at least at the moment. Maybe when enough people sent their phones in and they were able to investigate further, they can make other statements.

At least in my and bbrks’ case, it was seemingly caused by the hardware, probably a lose connection somewhere. Since the occuring problems matched exactly the patterns you see on many screenshots here, I think it’s unlikely to be a software problem in the other cases. So if you got that problem, it’s unlikely that it will get solved on its own and you should consider to send your phone in, try to fix it on your own or maybe find a Fairphone Angel who is willing to help you.

But since last update, few days ago, it returned! I am not happy with it

Hello ghost input community,

same problem here. About 20 times per day. FP4, bought about one year ago. The phone in times stops phonecalls during a call. One time it has sent an SMS on its own, terrible.

To solve the problem: Is putting away the display and remounting it the best option for now? No further news so far from fairphone company?

nroc

For about 2 weeks, I plugged the display cable off and put it on again and pressed afterwards with a small cropped sponge something and then again put together the mobile.
two weeks long it was good. I thought already the topic would be finished.
Yesterday it appeared again. However only shortly.
I hae a feeling that it is depeding on the temperature.
One question: Has Somebody already experiences with a new display. Is it then good?

Greetings Martin