Nokia Lumia 920 sensitive screen might be a battery hog the way Windows Phone manages touch

posted by Daniel P. / Oct 01, 2012, 2:13 AM

Nokia Lumia 920 sensitive screen might be a battery hog the way Windows Phone manages touch

One of the most useful features in the Nokia Lumia 920, apart from the low-light camera, is the ability to operate the screen with something other than your bare fingers, which are not always bare when we get a call - on the ski lift, for example.

The guys over at JDB Pocketware are worried that this feature might cause unacceptable battery drain the way Windows Phone is structured right now. When you press the lock/power button or the dedicated camera key, and then touch on the screen, the standby sequence reboots each time, even if the proximity sensor tells it there is something very nearby.

Thus, if one of those keys gets inadvertently pressed while the Lumia 920 is in your pocket, the ultra-sensitive screen will keep getting touched, the standby sequence rebooted, and the phone will never be able to get into the frugal standby mode, thus draining the battery quickly.

We were also wondering about what happens if the power key gets pressed by accident in your pocket, and whether the phone might slide up the lock screen and start chaotically running apps or dialing numbers, but we are sure Nokia has given this some thought way before us, too. Still, we intend to test the bejeezus out of the Lumia 920's pocket behavior in our review.

The PocketShield makers even sent a letter to Nokia, detailing their concerns, asking for the Finns to look into this possibility, and set the proximity sensor not to power the screen if there is something nearby, if they haven't yet done so.

Is the super-sensitive Lumia 920 screen taking from your sleep at night, or do you think Nokia has thought QAed this and taken measures way before all of us started to worry?

via WMPU

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36 Comments

1. jubbing

Posts: 150; Member since: Aug 20, 2008

Really? I had to press the Lumia 900's camera button very hard to turn it on. Is it more sensitive on the Lumia 920 or something?

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:18 AM 7

2. cheeseaddict

Posts: 49; Member since: Sep 05, 2012

it only means you can't put it on your pockets, just hold most of the time anyways.. haha

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:19 AM 5

16. smartphone

Posts: 160; Member since: Oct 21, 2011

There is a thing called proximity sensor that can be used to make the phone not working if it is covered.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 5:30 AM 6

17. neutralguy

Posts: 1152; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

Just like iPhone 5? Because the back may be scratched and scuffed? :3

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 5:41 AM 4

3. android_hitman unregistered

are they secretely suggesting that you should buy an Iphone?

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:30 AM 13

4. nbringer

Posts: 180; Member since: Sep 11, 2012

If I go skiing I just leave the phone at home or I turn it down.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:34 AM 2

5. ahmed_ali_yossef2010

Posts: 164; Member since: Jul 26, 2012

hahaha when nokia made something good it seems like it's good more than usual

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:37 AM 2

6. lsguntu

Posts: 67; Member since: Aug 06, 2012

Add a password to the lock screen. Problem solved! and I dont think camera buttons on the phone are not very sensitive

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:44 AM 10

7. tiara6918

Posts: 2263; Member since: Apr 26, 2012

Nokia will have to do something to fix this problem or else that could be a big problem on the part of the consumers when they're using their lumia 920 already

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 3:00 AM 3

8. PhansMuneeb

Posts: 371; Member since: Jan 28, 2012

NL920 Has not yet been released to consumers....

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 3:06 AM 9

22. Veigald

Posts: 290; Member since: Jan 13, 2012

Think it should be quite obvious Nokia has thought of this looooong ago... what a massive non-issue, and this JDB site is most likely making fools of themselves.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 10:51 AM 0

24. haseebzahid

Posts: 1853; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

ow comeon the issue is not even identified in the phone and people already getting panics it is someones imagination that may happen

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:27 AM 0

31. jandieg

Posts: 2; Member since: Oct 01, 2012

If you read the source, it's a theory based on how WP behaves today and how Lumias behave today. Hopefully Nokia will change the related firmware (if allowed by WP8) - or - hopefully WP8 will change the behavior of the lockscreen.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:56 PM 0

9. Stoli89

Posts: 333; Member since: Jun 28, 2010

Looks to me like someone is trying REAL HARD to engineer a controversy without ANY evidence and only pure conjecture. I suppose the next article will be on the 920 having an antennae coupling issue when you hold it...or misplacing cities and towns in its global navigation suite. Do you really think the Finns would release something without testing it in real world conditions? Do you think they forgot everything when it came to designing the 920? Go back to drinking your Koolaid.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 3:30 AM 13

13. PowTheBowl

Posts: 86; Member since: Apr 19, 2012

That's why they're taking time to release the NL920!! Unlike the iPhone.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 4:28 AM 3

10. samwin1101

Posts: 1; Member since: Oct 01, 2012

Are people so dumb even the author, common people. Its a known fact that all Nokia phones dont turn on unless the proximity and light sensor turns on. If the phone is in the pocket or in any bag even by press the on button the screen wont turn on. Why cant people with nokia lumia or any other phones test it by covering the proximity or even the light sensor and try to turn on the screen, it wont work. It did not work for mine. So i am sure this issue that the author or the other guy who wrote the letter has not researched before posting this.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 3:41 AM 9

30. jandieg

Posts: 2; Member since: Oct 01, 2012

I have 3 Lumia 800 and 1 Samsung Focus S. On ALL, if you press the power button they will turn on even if you cover the proximity sensor.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 2:51 PM 0

11. phoneghoul

Posts: 12; Member since: Mar 01, 2012

First we'll wait for Lumia 920 to hit the market. Then we'll try to draw conclusions. Btw, I stll think the Samsung Ativ S will be a better device, both in terms of battery life and quality.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 4:05 AM 3

25. haseebzahid

Posts: 1853; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

battery life cant say but Quality forget it samy dont hold water on quality againt nokia not a bit

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:30 AM 1

12. maverick786us

Posts: 157; Member since: Apr 20, 2012

The solution to this issue is, screen must not power on if the proximity sensor detects proximity. Current version of Windows Phone does not take care of this. The big question is: will Windows Phone 8 take care of this?

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 4:07 AM 3

14. Alistaire

Posts: 132; Member since: Apr 13, 2012

I have not pressed any button on my Lumia 900 in my pocket once in the past 4 months. This is making something out of nothing. If the button could be hit by mistake in a pocket, that could happen to most phone out there in the market.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 4:39 AM 1

26. haseebzahid

Posts: 1853; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

and i havent even manged to press it in last 10 months on lumia800 :\ dont know how does writter manged to press it

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:31 AM 0

15. Tsepz_GP

Posts: 1142; Member since: Apr 12, 2012

Until some reviewers get it in their hands all we can do is speculate. Lets give Nokia the benefit of the doubt, surely they have taken this into account and know what they are doing.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 5:05 AM 5

18. oying24

Posts: 48; Member since: Sep 26, 2012

the sensor can save all that issue..when the screen is locked,,the sensor can act as lock too..like if someone was calling,,and when u put ur phone onto ur ear,,the phone automaticlly off the lights so in that scenario, sensor can also be use to act as a lock too.because inside the pocket is a zero visibilty area.the same when we put the phone near our ears to answer calls.. i hope you got my point guys.. its not that big problem anyway.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 6:01 AM 1

19. Mobile-X-Pert

Posts: 565; Member since: Dec 20, 2010

Hey guys never mind this article. When Nokia announced the Lumia 920 they said that while the phone is in your pocket, the proximity sensor will not let the screen light up. This wil not be an issue, Nokia already thought about that.

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 6:36 AM 5

20. MISTER.H

Posts: 167; Member since: Aug 03, 2012

All thumbs down from me, cause i don't like the OS and the Phone but love the Nokia 8800 series....

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 6:43 AM 2

29. chaoticrazor

Posts: 2347; Member since: Aug 28, 2012

well go read something else, why spend time doing that just because you dont like it , many other have more interest in this phone

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:44 AM 1

21. Suts_97

Posts: 128; Member since: May 05, 2012

Good discovery, but no one has to teach Nokia, they would have done lots of research before bringing the technology to the market, so it won't be half-baked!

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 7:48 AM 2

23. blattlaus

Posts: 75; Member since: Dec 12, 2010

Talk about a crazy standard for Nokia- they are asked to defend against a speculative claim for a unreleased product by someone who has never even held it. Slow news day?

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:00 AM 0

27. haseebzahid

Posts: 1853; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

more easier solution although their is not such probem found yet lock the screen if press too long on and static response unlike in games which have motion all over the screen. it will work i know i make solutions like these in my projects :P

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 11:34 AM 0

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