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The HTC One X, a quad-core behemoth with a 4.7-inch display, can suffer from weak screen sides, according to CNET readers who have bought the device.
I flagged up this issue earlier this week — demonstrating how the curved ‘waterfall’ edges of the One X’s screen flex when pushed, causing patches of discoloured pixels to track your finger movements. During testing, I also found it’s possible to trigger on-screen selections accidentally, simply by holding the phone.
This sort of screen flex is a characteristic of certain LCD screens — typically non-touchscreen computer monitors which are not supposed to be routinely poked and prodded with your fingers, or low-cost touchscreens found on budget smart phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Y. By contrast, the One X is HTC’s flagship “all in” smart phone — and it sits at the premium apex of the Android smart phone spectrum.
I demonstrated the One X’s screen flex flaw to HTC’s chief designer, Daniel Hundt, who said he was unaware of the issue and suggested it might only affect demo One X handsets, rather than final hardware shipped to consumers — telling me, “We would never let that ship.”
HTC has still not responded to a request to clarify whether screen flex affects only demo One X devices, as Hundt suggested, or whether phones being sold to consumers are also sensitive to being squeezed around the middle. But some CNET UK readers who’ve bought the One X are reporting their devices suffer from flexing screen sides.
One reader, Junaid, writes: “I just checked my HTC One X (got it from Three) and seems to suffer from the same issue. It’s only happening on the left edge of the screen and not the right hand side.”
Another reader, RedHamstar, says: “Only occurs on the left side, but since I’ve had the device I have never needed to press the screen on edge.”
“Exact same problem on my device,” writes another reader. “Also when the screen is on full brightness the whole screen starts to flicker. Sending mine back to Phones4U for a replacement.”
“My phone’s also is doing it,” reports another. “Got it from Carphone Warehouse.”
Other readers have found no flex in their One X, however — suggesting the issue may only affect some handsets.
Many readers commenting on the story appear happy to accept the One X’s weak sides, despite its premium price-tag.
“Mine does this,” writes one reader. “The phone is so slim and slick what do u expect if u press on an liquid display… Best phone out there by a long shot.”
“This seems like pseudo-problem to me,” writes another. “It’s the same thing that happens when you poke an LCD monitor. I don’t poke or squeeze my phone hard enough to make the screen deform so I don’t have the problem.”
However a third notes: “I love my One X but I don’t expect issues like this, and the creaking issue I have, on a premium handset.”
Several readers have also identified a second issue with the One X’s screen — where banding can appear near the edge. See the three videos embedded below.
Does your One X suffer from weak screen sides or erratic screen banding? If it does, are you chillaxed about its sensitivities or will you be demanding a replacement? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.
