iPhone 16 Pro Touchscreen Issues: Blame Software, Not Hardware

Apple’s latest flagship device, the iPhone 16 Pro, is facing issues as users are reporting intermittent touchscreen responsiveness problems. Owners have complained about unresponsive taps and swipes, affecting scrolling, button presses, and typing on the virtual keyboard. Not to forget camera control, which is “hard to press” and more.

The problem appears to be software-related and perhaps linked to an overly sensitive touch rejection algorithm in iOS. Users trigger the system to reject touches by making unintentional contact with the screen edges, which causes the device to ignore all new touches for a brief period, as reported by 9to5Mac.

This issue may be exacerbated by the iPhone 16 Pro’s thinner bezels, which make the device more fragile from side impacts, making it easier for users’ skin to contact the display edges accidentally. The problem is more pronounced when using the device without a case.

Affected devices include iPhone 16 Pro models running both iOS 18 and the iOS 18.1 beta. Interestingly, the issue doesn’t seem to occur when the device is on the lock screen, which proves the point that it is a software-based problem.

Apple has not yet officially addressed the concern, but users have found temporary workarounds, such as 

• restarting the device, 
• using a case (which comes with it’s own set of issues) or 
• adjusting their grip to avoid touching the screen edges.

As the issue gains more attention, it’s expected that Apple will release a software update to resolve the problem. In the meantime, iPhone 16 Pro users are advised to be aware of their grip and consider using a case to minimize accidental edge touches.