A screen flickering issue is affecting some iPhone 5 devices, according to a large and growing thread at Apple’s Support Communities. Some users report a distortion-like flicker on their screen, but only when the virtual keyboard is visible.
First reports of the issue appeared as early as September 21, the launch day for the iPhone 5, but many additional users have since reported the same problem. Indicating that the issue may be software based, some users report that the flickering only occurs when the virtual keyboard is used in the App Store app, while others report random occurrences throughout the OS but, again, only when the virtual keyboard is visible.
Screenshot from YouTube user kennyizcool.
The issue is difficult to capture in a photograph, but appears to be flickering horizontal lines, one or two pixels tall, across the virtual keyboard. The flickering persists until the user has completed text entry and closed the keyboard.
TMO has been unable to reproduce the issue on our Verizon iPhones, but multiple videos submitted by iPhone owners demonstrate that the flickering, while not affecting every iPhone, is not just an isolated issue.
Some users have reported the issue to Apple, with Apple representatives acknowledging that the flickering is “strange” and promising to investigate it further. Apple has not responded to TMO’s inquires regarding the flickering, but we will continue to monitor the situation and report any new developments.
Have any TMO readers experienced this issue? If so, please let us know in the comments.