iPad mini Capacitive touch issues on corners of screen

[Gup]

iPad mini 6, iOS 15.0.2

Anyone else having capacitive issues tapping in the corner of the mini 6? Pencil works fine, but here's how I can reproduce it:

it's easiest to recreate in procreate, but it happens in most apps... Take a capacitive pointer and tap in the lower left or right corner to draw, or the upper right corner to open the color selector. I can draw into the corner, but I can't tap in the corner at all (with the capacitive tool, or my finger for that matter)

It wouldn't be such a problem, but while playing a game, if an ad plays, the X to close the ad is in that untouchable space. I have to use the pencil to tap the X, not a big deal, but I want to know if this is happening to others before I start the RMA process for a tablet I just got.

I've taken video of the issue, but I think I described it accurately enough for others to reproduce.

 

[LibbyLA]

I experience it occasionally with the x in the upper left corner to close a photo I’m viewing in FB. If I view the Mini Home Screen then return to the photo, I am able to close it. Haven’t tried with the pencil.

 

[Gup]

this is what I get when tapping around the edges of the screen… half way through I flip the screen so I can tap the other corners… I don’t think it’s hardware since I can draw a line into the corner… it’s got to be a bad interaction from the os hot corners and the apps. its a bit annoying

 

[Gup]

As there was an update today, I did that… still happens in 15.1

 

[Gup]

This seems like a big thing, I watched a review on YouTube and it happened to the reviewer, he glossed over it as a sensitivity issue and ignored it because the pencil worked

 

[Gup]

I was searching YouTube for info and I saw a reviewer encounter this but attribute it to sensitivity issues… then ignore it here’s a link right before it happens to him:

 

[Gup]

Well, I ended up going into an Apple Store after being contacted by @Applesupport on twitter, I tested touch on a couple iPad minis and the same thing happened there, so it's a bug, I want to believe it's software, but I'm not sure because it works fine on my 12.9" iPad Pro... talked to a tech and it was the same way on the iPad she was using as an employee, so it's bigger than just the mini 6.

She said she hadn't noticed it before, logged the issue, and said people watch the logs after new product launches so hopefully an engineer will see it and it's something that can be fixed in software. I have a pencil and it works with a pencil, so for me there's a work around, but for someone that just bought the tablet, it could be more of an issue.

Would be nice to know all the models this happens on.

 

[yogeewan]

Yep I seem to have this issue as well. Quite pronounced actually, have made a video on how many times I have to tap to make it go back.

 

[NewZealandMatt]

I have this issue too. Especially annoying when I’m watching YouTube videos in landscape and want to force a higher resolution - I have to tap 5 - 10 times before I can drop down the options menu from the top right corner. Relieved it isn’t just mine, was thinking of exchanging it but there might not be any point.

 

[Gup]

Hey Matt, what year model do you have, would love to compile a list of models that have this issue, it's surprising more people haven't been critical of this, it's widespread, but people don't seem to notice or just assume it's fine because a pencil works. (Not everyone can afford or needs a pencil)

 

[wilberforce]

I don't have this issue tapping with my finger in corners of Mini 6. I tried to replicate the issue shown/described in this thread and couldn't. Just so you know it is not universal.
I could not try with a capacitive pointer, other than an Apple Pencil (which works fine)

 

[NewZealandMatt]

Hey Matt, what year model do you have, would love to compile a list of models that have this issue, it's surprising more people haven't been critical of this, it's widespread, but people don't seem to notice or just assume it's fine because a pencil works. (Not everyone can afford or needs a pencil)

Apologies, should have said - using iPad mini 6 Purple 64GB.

 

[sparksd]

I don't have ProCreate to test this on with my Mini 6 but I don't encounter with my finger when I touch any corner selector in any app - the expected response always occurs (e.g., the video quality selector or the full screen closure selector in the YouTube app, selectors at screen edges in Safari, etc.).

 

[Gup]

It can be tested in Notes with the pen/drawing/marker tool and a finger

 

[sparksd]

It can be tested in Notes with the pen/drawing/marker tool and a finger

I tried drawing in Notes with my finger and I could draw fully edge to edge.

 

[Gup]

Same test in Notes:

 

[Gup]

this is a tapping issue, I can draw into the corner. I can't draw all the way to the bottom with my finger, but that doesn't really affect functionality badly and isn't the same issue.

Again my issue is on the mini 6, happens on other models, I just don't know which, I saw it happen on a tech's iPad, she said it was an older one. doesn't happen on my iPad Pro or the current Air, at least not on my roomate's

 

[wilberforce]

It can be tested in Notes with the pen/drawing/marker tool and a finger

I tried making dots in the corners using finger with markup tool in Notes, on Mini 6. Seems fine to me (other than a finger is very imprecise in placing dots); except the last 2 or 3 mm in the extreme corner is unresponsive, but there would be no button there.
I also tried in on my 11" iPad Pro - same behavior - can't place a dot in the last 2 or 3 mm in the extreme corner, using a finger. Not a UI problem.
If you really need to draw precisely and all the way in the corners, I can highly recommend the Apple Pencil 2.

 

[Gup]

it happens in all four corners, sometimes there are actions located in the corners, an X to close an ad for example, a menu item when the status bar isn't at the top of the screen making that buffer... I used that corner as an example as it can be drawn in in the Notes app. on my 12.9" iPad Pro I can tap all the way into the corner.

Don't make excuses for apple disabling/bugging out corners of a screen that should be tappable, not everyone has a pencil. It can and should be fixed... capacitive touch works in the corners just not for tapping, you can draw a line into the corner.

 

[sparksd]

it happens in all four corners, sometimes there are actions located in the corners, an X to close an ad for example, a menu item when the status bar isn't at the top of the screen making that buffer... I used that corner as an example as it can be drawn in in the Notes app. on my 12.9" iPad Pro I can tap all the way into the corner.

Don't make excuses for apple disabling/bugging out corners of a screen that should be tappable, not everyone has a pencil. It can and should be fixed... capacitive touch works in the corners just not for tapping, you can draw a line into the corner.

Don't go down the "excuses" rathole. His response was reasonable, yours was not.

 

[wilberforce]

it happens in all four corners, sometimes there are actions located in the corners, an X to close an ad for example, a menu item when the status bar isn't at the top of the screen making that buffer... I used that corner as an example as it can be drawn in in the Notes app. on my 12.9" iPad Pro I can tap all the way into the corner.

Don't make excuses for apple disabling/bugging out corners of a screen that should be tappable, not everyone has a pencil. It can and should be fixed... capacitive touch works in the corners just not for tapping, you can draw a line into the corner.

I am only trying to provide honest information on other devices that I own; you may find this useful in deciding if you have a defective unit, or if they are all like this. It sounds like yours is worse than most, as it actually impacts the functionality of tapping on UI buttons.
If they are all like this, I think the chances of Apple "fixing" it are slim. It may be deliberate, by design, like palm rejection. I'm not making excuses for Apple, just trying to being realistic as to what one might expect. I can understand your frustration.

 

[wilberforce]

Here is a screenshot of tapping on Mini 6 in Notes using my finger.
You can decide for yourself if this is the same as yours or not. Hope this helps

 

[Gup]

Sorry for my tone, I was out of line, I think the issue is the same size on all devices that are affected, about half a cm, which on a mini is more screen real estate and makes it more noticeable and harder to get around on buttons that barely extend out of the dead zone. it's definitely not just me and I want to make sure it's noticed and addressed by Apple in a future OS update