Apple iPhone 12 mini users report lock screen touch sensitivity issues

Apple iPhone 12 mini users are reporting recurrent display issues. Some users on MacRumors, Reddit, and the official Apple forums are complaining about touch sensitivity issues on the lock screen with their iPhone 12 mini, which refused to register any touch input.

The problem is experienced primarily when users swipe up from the bottom of the screen to unlock the iPhone 12 mini. Early customers also reported that they were not able to press the torch or the camera buttons located at either bottom corner of the display. 

Some users speculate that the lack of responsiveness could be a conductivity or grounding issue because there are reports that it resolves itself when the handset is plugged into a wall charger, or when touching the frame without a case.

A user on the official Apple Discussion forum said, "My phone screen stops registering touch input randomly only when inside of a case and also with a screen protector on. With just the case on, the screen is fine, and with just the screen protector on the screen works fine. It’s only when they’re combined that my screen goes all janky."

There is no word from Apple on the issue at the time of writing. Moneycontrol is not experiencing any such issues on our iPhone 12 mini review unit, which is being used without a case or screen protector.  There have not been issues reported about the other models in the iPhone 12 family, and even our iPhone 12 review unit, which is being used with a screen protector and Apple's silicone case, is working fine.

The problem seems to persist in iPhone 12 mini Indian units too as a user tweeted about the issue.

Anyone using an iPhone 12 Mini with a tempered glass screen protector? I'm facing weird issues wherein it doesn't register touches on some areas of the screen with the glass, but works fine without. Lemme know if your experience is fine.

— Sumukh Rao (@RaoSumukh) November 14, 2020

It is unknown if the issue is related to the hardware or software. If it is the latter, we can expect Apple to fix it via an update very soon.