HTC One series

[danmick99]

Upgraded to the One S from a Desire last week and within a few days it started to develop an intermittent problem whereby it would behave as though the home screen button was constantly being pressed. It'll work fine for a while, but then randomly go haywire for a few minutes, taking me back to the home screen from whatever screen I'm in and then flip between the home screen and the zoomed out home screen view, just as if I'm tapping the home button repeatedly. The phone will also vibrate as if the button is being pressed. I've tried cleaning the buttons etc in case maybe some grease from my hands was causing the home key to trigger by itself, but this made no difference. I called Vodafone and they sent me a replacement, however within a few hours the new One S is doing the exact same thing. I have called HTC customer services who are now looking into it. Seeing as it's affected two different handsets I cannot believe that I'm the only one to have this problem. I've found one other person on avforums who describes the same issue but would be interested if anyone here has had it as well or can offer any insight.

[Wayne]

Hi danmick99

Thanks for your post here. I’m sorry to hear that you are having this problem and I’m sorry to hear that it has happened twice!

I have heard no other reports about this so I’m afraid it looks like you have just been extremely unlucky. The phone will need to be sent off for repair. Information is provided below but if you wish to wait for HTC’s response please let us know how you get on with it.

To find out what you need to do in order to get this sorted take a look at our Vodafone Repairs Thread. This can be found here.

Thanks

Wayne

[kiddwolff]

I have exactly the same problem as you. Haven't contacted anyone yet as I presumed this was a software error that needed an OTA fix from HTC.

Very annoying problem!

[danmick99]

First of all thanks Wayne for your response. Having spoken to HTC and Vodafone tech support on a few occasions about this problem I have now arranged for a third replacement to be sent, so hopefully third time's the charm etc...

Kiddwolff - sorry to hear you have the same problem though I'm pleased it's not just me anymore! Since my first post I've worked out that the phone does this while sending data over the mobile network, especially when on an EDGE connection. I believe the antenna is in the base of the phone and it's my theory that when the data throughput is quite high this is somehow triggering the capacitive home button. I tested this by alternating between wifi and the mobile network, and found that I could trigger the problem to occur almost everytime the phone reconnected to the mobile network. I'd be interested to know if this process also gets yours to misbehave. I've also found that it only occasionally gets the problem while on a standard G connection. I don't have 3G signal around me so can't test this.

HTC have been quite helpful and have now escalated the problem as they fear it could be something that ends up affecting more people, so it's probably worth you calling them to add your voice and to get any updates/fixes as and when they find them - their number is 0845 8900079. They told me that no one else had yet reported it when I spoke to them - don't let them tell you the same as they are well aware of it from me now.

[kiddwolff]

Ok, I've just called HTC and the person I spoke to hadn't heard of any similar problem. I did mention there's at least one other user out there with an identical problem but they weren't exactly helpful.

I've spent yesterday & today seeing if there's a pattern to it happening, and I think you're right, there seems to be some conenction between the data signal type changing to EDGE and back and the homescreen having fits of Leap View.

Did you get your third handset? Is the problem solved? The only advice HTC gave me was to do a factory reset but I'm doubtful that'll help.

Glad to know it's not just me!

[kiddwolff]

update: the problem has just happened in my hand while on WiFi, wasn't changing data type at all so don't know anymore. I'm also wondering if it's something to do with a certain way of holding it around the base of the phone

[danmick99]

I'm due to get the third phone tomorrow so will let you know what happens. I'm very dubious as to whether it will be any better seeing as I've already had two that have the same fault, but on that basis I would have expected many more people to have reported it with their own phones.

I've also had the problem occur once or twice while on wifi, but I just assumed that there might be instances when the phone makes a temporary mobile network connection in the background even while on wifi. Certainly while I was in an area of EDGE signal I could replicate the problem quite reliably by switching my mobile network on and off. I also wondered if there was a link to how I was holding the phone, but I've had it play up when I've just had the phone flat on a desk in front of me. Really the only way we'll find out exactly what's going on is if HTC actually investigate it properly, but since they don't appear to have a system in place for monitoring how many times a particular fault is reported I suspect the issue might get overlooked. I'll be calling them back soon to update them on the third phone and check to see what progress they've made.

And don't bother with a hard reset - this is what HTC told me to do as well and it made absolutely no difference. The problem is either with the hardware itself or the software version preloaded on the phone. 

[kiddwolff]

Hi, thanks for the update. Let me know how the new phone goes!

I guess the only thing I can do is keep calling HTC. I also would have expected many more people to have the same problem - bit confused as to why I can't find more people talking about it! Surely it's not us two.

[tsowden]

Hello

I've had exacty the same problem as you since the phone was a couple of days old. I have also been trying to monitor it (it happens 4 or 5 times a day in my estimation) as you have. But I have found that it happens on mobile network and wifi and also when held, in my lap or on a desk. I can't see any pattern as yet. I also thought apps might be causing the problem, but it jumps out of any as far as I can tell. Do you also find the soft touch buttons stop working just after it happens, and only start working again if you put the phone to sleep and wake it up again?

I haven't phoned vodafone or HTC, but will now to add to the list.

[kiddwolff]

And then there were 3!

Exactly the same symptoms - happened after a couple of days, buttons stop working etc.

Thanks for getting in touch!

[danmick99]

Yeah the buttons stop working for me too, it's almost like they overload or something. Have just gotten off the phone with HTC again, they're going to send me an email to instruct me how to compile a bug report to send them. I challenged the woman I spoke to about why people are being told "this is the first we've heard of it" when clearly it isn't, and she admitted to me that HTC have no system in place for tracking how many times a particular fault is logged. So essentially the only way a fault becomes known by their call centre staff is if they get bombarded with calls from hundreds of people.

Good that there are three of us now though - clearly this isn't just a one off problem.

[tsowden]

Hmmm, phoned HTC and they said nothing they could do as it sounds like a software problem. Send it back to vodafone for an exchange. Corinna who I spoke to said she had also never heard of the problem before.?

I'm sure this can't just effect 3 of us and I will contact vodafone, but please let us know how the new phone behaves.

[danmick99]

Have just found this:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=25229378

Looks like this problem is beginning to show itself to more and more people...

Also here is the post I found on avforums originally, although no one else has responded to it:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/htc-mobile-phone-forum/1620253-htc-one-s-repeated-crashes-mobile-inte...

[tsowden]

Do you have screen protectors on the phone? Just phoned vodafone and the chap I spoke to suggested this might be the problem. I do and it covers the soft buttons so I'm going to remove it to see if it clears up the problem.

[danmick99]

I don't have a screen protector on. I do have a silicone case but I've taken the phone out of it and still had the problem on several occasions. I really hope the third replacement solves this and it isn't something that affects every One S out there but which is just too intermittent for many to have bothered telling HTC about.

[kiddwolff]

I don't have a screen protector or case, and have the same issues. Thanks for sharing the other threads, I'll go have a read through...

[Simon]

Hi All

The fact that a screen protector may be on is plausible explanantion however it seems like this isn't the case with a couple of you. @tsowden - Has removing the screen protector made any difference?

@danmick99 - Have you now received your third handset? How are you getting on with this one?

Thanks

Simon

[tsowden]

Hello Simon

Unfortunately, taking the screen protector off didn't make any difference, it still did the same thing last night and again this morning. 

[danmick99]

Hi Simon,

I'm due to receive the third handset late this afternoon, and I'll update here with how it performs. The first handset I got didn't display the issue for a few days however so this one might also be fine at first.

[tsowden]

I'm now getting a replacement phone as well and will also keep you updated. I've hardly used the phone today, but it's still happened several times.