With the new iPhone 16 out in the wild, more first-hand user experiences are surfacing. While most are positive, some users are facing unresponsive displays, particularly with the iPhone 16 Pro. This issue also seems to affect last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, with the iOS 18 update being the major culprit.
On Reddit and other social media platforms, a growing number of users are airing their complaints regarding touchscreen issues in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Many describe that their touch inputs, ranging from typing on the keyboard to swiping and gestures on app navigations, are occasionally missing. Others report spotty touchscreen when unlocking the iPhone through the lock screen.
What could be the cause of unresponsive display touches in the new iPhones
Apart from the new iPhone Pro, some iPhone 15 Pro (review) owners have also shared similar display concerns. These users, along with those on the iPhone 16 Pro, noticed that the issue mainly stems from updating their iPhone to iOS 18, which seems to have caused a bug in the device’s palm detection feature, resulting in random freezing of the displays.
A few iPhone 16 Pro users think this is due to the thinner bezels in the new iPhones, making the display’s touch more sensitive to unintentional fingers or palms touching around the panel, subsequently triggering palm recognition. Even so, a handful of users say occurs when the new Camera Control feature is enabled.
Meanwhile, some believe this is caused by installing a screen protector or film. However, this doesn’t explain the iPhone 15 Pro models with thicker bezels and those units without installed protectors that are also affected.
Currently, there is no outright workaround or solution to this issue, even if turning off the palm detection feature in the Touch Accommodation section inside the Touch from the settings. Affected users will likely need to wait for a proper fix from Apple.
Have you experienced any issues with your iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro, or are you considering getting one of the new models yet? Let us know your plans in the comments.
