Galaxy S20 FE 5G Touchscreen issue getting worse

[wilson_smyth]

I got my S20 FE 5G in Janurary.
About once a week the touch screen would lose sensitivity in a vertical stripe and require a reboot.
The last few software updates have caused it to become more frequent, now occurring once per day.

I have logged all these issues in the samsung members app and samsung told me to contact them via twitter but there has been no response from them.

To answer the questions i am expecting:
- I am not using a screen protector at present. I was using one, was having issues, so took it off and am experiencing the same issues. Screen protector is not the issue.

- I have tried with the touch sensitivity setting both enabled and disabled. The issue is identical regardless of this setting.

- My phone is running the most recent update. as of today  (28th April 2021) my phone is running an update from 1st April: G781BXXU2CUD1 / G871BOXM2CUC9 / G781BXXU2CUD1

- I have tried multiple keyboards (swiftkey, samsung, google) and issue is the same. besides, screen sensitivity is lost for the entire length of the screen, not just on the keyboard.

Attached are screenshots of touchscreen tests, using Touchscreen test, and the samsung members app tests. note the vertical section in each image where touch is not registered.

My questions are:
1. Is this an issue samsung are trying to fix?
2. Is it a hardware or software issue? i.e. if its software, its likely a replacement device will not resolve the issue.

3. How does the samsung repairs process work? do they require the device to be sent in for a number of days/weeks? I cannot be without a phone due to work/family so sending it in without replacement is not an option.


Thanks for any advice

[Robbie-35]

Samsung do door repairs my mum had to get her Samsung a40 fixed and they sent out a technician to the house and they took the phone down to there van and fixed it as they have all the tools etc to do so and within a couple of hours my mum had her phone back with a new motherboard in it.

[wilson_smyth]

Despite being through support previously, providing multiple error logs and screenshots via the samsung members, removing and throwing away screen protectors thus wasting my money, samsung still wont acknolwdge an S20 FE screen issue.

Instead they want to take the phone for 14 days to asses it (there is no doorstop repair in my country).
They wont provide a temporary phone but assume i can be without mine for 14 days, that i dont need it for family and work.

If samsung marketing reads this, you have lost a customer. its just 1, but hopefully your lack of response on this issue will also sway other s20FE owners to spend their money elsewhere.
Amazing how a company can waste so much of a customers time and money.

[wilson_smyth]

Update:

Im starting to think this is a hardware issue, either digitizer or screen.
The touchscreen test app shows 3 finger touch is very poor on the S20FE, registering dozens of ghost touches at any given moment, but when tested on an older HTC & a pixel 4a, no such issues exist.

Samsung cheaped out on components for the FE and its visible.
They will never admit it though.

Best resolution i can hope for is that samsung uses better components in later versions of the s20FE (mine was made in Oct 2020) and ill get a better one under warranty.

Either way, Ill be leaving the brand.

[bivitabrata]

I can confirm with the July update the touch screen problem that I had previously has been sorted out, and normal real life use is already ok. So far no accidental tapping or skipping when typing. But unfortunately I had to take off my tempered glass protector, otherwise the problem still exists.

I believe the real problem is the faulty hardware. Even with my screen protector off, app like Touch Screen Test clearly shows heavily broken and erratic lines when using more than 2 fingers swiping down. Even 2 fingers swiping diagonally from upper left to bottom right will show ghost touch like the state before any updates. Compare that with my 5 years old LG V20, even 5 fingers swiping down is perfect all the time. 

For now i'll try to make peace with this condition, since the real life use is a lot better now. After my saving is enough, definitely another phone to replace this. 

[Errol]

Help I have to keep rebooting my phone as I can't use my screen it doesn't respond if I leave it idle it's so annoying has anyone else had this issue I tried everything I read on the forum and on YouTube please help me

[Chrash]

I have the same problem. Ordered my S20 FE 5G in October 2021. 3 weeks without any issues, then the problems started: sometimes the phone recognizes a swipe as a tap, often it ignores taps completely. Typing on the keyboard is a mess!

If anyone knows a solution, I'm happy to hear about it

[Jforeman12]

Yes! I've had my phone since June 2021, never had an issue.just started a week or so ago. It happens intermittently, doesn't last forever, almost as if it is slow to process. I know I didnt drop it, and i don't think it started after an update. I do use a screen protector, but I've had the same one since I put it on after taking it out of the box.

Im less worried about it being a software issue since it doesn't make the device unusable, but I'm worried it is a hardware issue. 

[Chrash]

Hey Jforeman12, I do believe it is a hardware issue as they would have fixed it by now if it was a software issue. I solved the issue by removing my screen protector. Just as you, I didn't come across any problems when first applying the screen protector. After a couple of weeks the screen issue occured and was getting worse (as described above). Now, after removing the screen protector, the issue is completely gone. 

I used a tempered glass protector, which kind of protector do you use? I'm thinking of buying a usual screen protector film (don't know if that the correct English term) instead of a glass protector

[Jforeman12]

Thanks. I'm going to stick with the tempered glass. I'm convinced it has saved a cracked screen many times. It's also easier to install than those old film protectors.  I've had this for six months and the problem isn't that bad, so I'll just replace it when it becomes unbearable, I was just wondering if there was a software fix.