Google says it is aware of an issue with the Pixel 4A 5G touch screens and is working on a fix. Some devices do not respond consistently to the taps at the bottom of the screen, which is primarily affecting people who have chosen three-button navigation instead of swiping. Android Police detected complaints from 4A 5G owners with the problem, which appears to have arisen after the December security patch was released.
Google’s response is courtesy of a post on the Pixel support forum. The company says it will resolve the issue “in a next software update”, but it looks like it will take at least a few more weeks since Android Police reports that the January security patch did not resolve this. In the meantime, Google advises users to work around the problem with some specific instructions on how to tap the navigation controls:
1. When touching the icons at the edge of the screen, tap the center of the button or the side of the button / icon furthest from the edge of the screen.
2. When touching icons, including the navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen, use your fingertip or thumb. This will help to improve touch recognition.
It is not an easy task to consciously try to change the way you do something like tapping a button on the phone screen, so hopefully Pixel 4A 5G users will only have to try these workarounds for a while longer.
Google’s January patch fixed a number of other bugs and peculiarities of the Pixel 4A 5G with the security update. So as long as the touchscreen problem persists, at least one audio bug that was causing crackling sounds in some situations is no longer an issue.