iPhone 8 Gaming Issues: Swiping Undetected & Overheating

[quaccOS]

I play a lot of FPS games on my iPhone 8 (256GB). I keep it in a UAG Monarch Series case, and I use Zagg InvisibleShield Glass+ Privacy for screen protection. I replace the tempered glass regularly enough with the warranty.

I've had to significantly lower the graphic settings on any game I play. COD Mobile will only work at 30fps on the Low Quality setting (used to play at 60fps in High Quality, without problems). Fortnite on the lowest possible settings will overheat the device until it crashes.
I'm managing on low settings, but I've been getting problems with touch controls that I never had, especially when moving the virtual joysticks. Most FPS games work by you naturally dragging your left thumb to move around, and the right thumb to aim/shoot & look around. Touchscreen swiping has been really difficult, and it feels like I have to work against the screen to do anything. Tapping is fine, but looking around, aiming, and moving are so terribly hindered. I never had these problems before and it ruins the gaming experience. I can't tell if it's my thumbs are too dry, the glass oleophobic coating is wearing, or if it's the phone heating so much (even on low settings), or even a software bug. I'm hoping someone else can relate to what I'm experiencing.

If anyone has had these problems before, please reply. Here's a video of what usually happens:

 

[freeagent]

Does it overheat when you game outside of the case?

I think your battery is part of the problem.

 

[quaccOS]

Does it overheat when you game outside of the case?

I think your battery is part of the problem.

The battery health is 90% and hasn't been replaced. I bought it new from a reseller, about 1 yr 9 mths ago. It does overheat outside of the case…I find it hard to grip without a case, but yes – it does overheat a lot (during gameplay).

 

[freeagent]

When the screen is hard to use is it when the phone is hot, or all the time?

 

[quaccOS]

When the screen is hard to use is it when the phone is hot, or all the time?

When the screen is hot, it’s the worst. It feels like I’m dragging against the screen (friction), and it even makes my thumbs a bit dry-ish.
I only notice it mostly when gaming, as I’m gently moving my thumb to control the character. The gentle joystick movement registers all over the place, which makes it very difficult to play

Edit: I tested again. Cooled device down. As device got hotter, drag increases as I tried to swipe – and I can't pinpoint whether that's the screen or my fingers, but it's difficult

 

[freeagent]

I think your battery is swelling. You should have it replaced, you don’t want it to pop on you.

 

[quaccOS]

I think your battery is swelling. You should have it replaced, you don’t want it to pop on you.

I thought that too, but it says 90% health. So that’s why it’s hard to believe I might have a battery problem.

 

[freeagent]

I’ve got some large Hyperion Lipos that only have a few runs on them, never run under 3v and one is slightly puffed. They don’t like heat.. when you use the phone normally, it’s fine. When you launch a game and a couple of minutes later the chemistry reacts, and gets hot and starts to swell, putting pressure on the screen. Because of that you start losing control, or control is sporadic. Maybe someone else knows for sure, but to me that’s what it sounds like.

 

[quaccOS]

I’ve got some large Hyperion Lipos that only have a few runs on them, never run under 3v and one is slightly puffed. They don’t like heat.. when you use the phone normally, it’s fine. When you launch a game and a couple of minutes later the chemistry reacts, and gets hot and starts to swell, putting pressure on the screen. Because of that you start losing control, or control is sporadic. Maybe someone else knows for sure, but to me that’s what it sounds like.

I think you're onto something – but I can't rule out that maybe the coating on the tempered glass may have worn down, or the ends of my thumbs have developed small callouses – thus dryness and friction may variably impede electrical conductivity to the capacitive display.
Or…the heat from the display passes it to my thumbs, causing perspiration which results in sticky, stiff movement on the screen.

But it's actually small bits of sweat that improves detection. This article from NewScientist has me thinking.

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...for-your-fingerprint-to-grip-your-smartphone/

I'm ordering a new tempered glass screen. I still think the iPhone 8 is too thin to dissipate the heat, so we get thermal throttling. I even see the screen brightness involuntarily drop when it heats up (despite max brightness on the slider). And I also think Apple is secretly slowing the iPhone 8/7/6 to subtly force users to a new iPhone – because it doesn't make any sense why I have to reduce my settings; games haven't got much better graphics-wise

 

[Brugalo]

Besides what may be a battery issue, it could also be because of your screen being too dry. I also face the same issues sometimes when I am playing COD mobile. It might be because of your tempered glass. Some players use finger sleeves and wash their hands before they play to get better control.

 

[quaccOS]

Besides what may be a battery issue, it could also be because of your screen being too dry. I also face the same issues sometimes when I am playing COD mobile. It might be because of your tempered glass. Some players use finger sleeves and wash their hands before they play to get better control.

I got a new tempered glass and it fixed the problem when I replaced!
…but then the phone overheated because it couldn't handle COD Mobile. The phone heated the screen, which heated the tempered glass, dried out my fingers and made the tempered glass stiff.

Apple's subtle way of saying, "Buy the new iPhone"

 

[Brugalo]

I got a new tempered glass and it fixed the problem when I replaced!
…but then the phone overheated because it couldn't handle COD Mobile. The phone heated the screen, which heated the tempered glass, dried out my fingers and made the tempered glass stiff.

Apple's subtle way of saying, "Buy the new iPhone"

Yeah, their newer updates have have bad affects on older phones. I used to have a lot of those issues on my iPhone 7. To be fair though, COD mobile is a pretty demanding game.