Earlier this month we reported on a few issues plaguing the new Google Nexus 7 tablet. The biggest issue is some users have been reporting screen glitches with multitouch. Pinch to zoom on maps, double taps on buttons when typing, and things of that nature. And now we’re hearing Google’s latest fix for said issue, could have actually made it worse for some.
Within the first few weeks of launching the problem was mentioned and Google even confirmed they were looking into a fix. Then early last week Google issued an updated Android 4.3 build JSS15Q for the Nexus 7, and confirmed it would fix the multitouch issue. Sadly, the story goes both ways.
Some users and comments have confirmed the update indeed fixed their issues, but we’re also hearing it made it significantly worse for some. In even more depressing news, some that didn’t have the touchscreen issues, are now reporting that this update has caused their Nexus 7 screen to go wonky.
From ghost touches, bad detection of touch or direction while sliding, and other calibration issues. Today the folks over at AndroidPolice have unearthed that this is still an ongoing issue, and that once again Google has recognized the problem and are looking into the matter. For now we’re not sure if the Nexus 7 issue can completely be fixed, but they’re taking a close look at it.
So let us know. Does your Nexus 7 have screen issues, and if so did the update solve any problems?
VIA: AndroidPolice
Didn’t have issues before, except in one game and I still have it in that game. But after the update it is the same. No issues anywhere else but in the Hobbits: Kingdoms of Middle Earth.
I don’t think it’s gotten worse, but it definitely hasn’t gotten better…
Didn’t have any issues before the update. Major issues with touch being unresponsive and freezing after the update.
Happened to me. Ghost touches pretty bad now especially with a stylus.
After the update, my N7 displays random touch “stickyness”, i think it was not present before, but i only used it a few days before the update.
I’ll skipp the N7 since my last experience wasn’t so good. Asus suck at Tablets.
I have the 1st generation Nexus 7 that was doing fine. Then Google pushed out two Android 4.3 updates. The first one went OK. A few weeks later, another one came. But the second one is causing the multi-touch issues also. Is anyone else seeing the same issues with the 1st gen N7?
No issues before the latest update. Now swiping frequently registers as click. What was slick and seamless before now feels clunky and imprecise.
The update has made a massive difference for me. My new N7 was almost useless for content creation, now it is great.
Good on Google for fixing it so quickly
The fix saved me, I was thinking I had a faulty tablet, but after upgrading to Q it was like I had a new machine.
The Q update messed up my perfectly working touch screen on the Nexus 7. Now I get ghost presses and repeated presses almost all the time when typing making my Nexus more or less unusable. I’ve sent it back to ASUS, I hope they will fix it or send me a new working Nexus 7. For now I will have to go back to my old iPad… which at least has a working touch screen :-/.
Mine has been issued before the update and the screen problem vs after the update. I also had an issue with the whole unit rebooting for no reason by itself and it did it twice again the last two weeks since I have made the update. By the way, when the screen starts to be flaky, I reboot the Nexus 7 and everything is fine again for a while.
Mine was fine, but has gone nuts since the update. Lots of doubles taps no taps and just plain inaccurate.
Mine’s great. I got it last week and it immediately upgraded to Q so I have nothing to compare it with. However, after I installed an app to try (one that purported to turn the screen into a graphics tablet for computer) the screen went completely gaga. I uninstalled the app and it was back to great.
Will receive this thing tomorrow, I hope doesn’t have issues. They did a HUGE mistake by contracting Asus to make it. Asus SUCKS for years now!
i dunno, this batch is really well made, and my didnt have any bugs until this update.
Had issues when I first purchased and immediately updated. No-touch, zoom glitch, phantom touch and Logitech tablet Bluetooth freak-out. Reset to factory and doing great. Glad I didn’t install latest release. I’m really loving the device and its a great design. Not missing 4.3. 😛
Even reset to factory you should still have 4.3; just an older build of 4.3.
You are right. I see it’s 4.3 build “J”
Some small glitches with new nexus. Most obvious one being that my stylus is now completely unreliable.
I am on my third one now. The first was a gift – when hitting the start button the screen would just hang. Returned it, got another one – That one the screen would just go black at random intervals. I do like the tablet, and I have had good experience with ASUS (unlike some of the other reviewers). The third one seems to be ok, although I feel as if I am crossing my fingers each time I use it.
I was really considering getting one of these, and recently sold my ipad mini. I’m just going to wait for the new mini though instead. Clearly, you get what you pay for. Apple customer service is great too. I was also reading that there are problems with Netflix, HBO Go, and probably Showtime and Cinemax, with the new Nexus 7 as well. I was thinking the nice screen on the Nexus 7 would be great for watching movies on, but not if the apps don’t work right. Too bad.
I have no problems with the Netflix or HBO Go apps on my Nexus 7. I hardly use my 3rd gen iPad anymore since the Nexus 7 is so great. Maybe I’m lucky, but I never had any of these multitouch issues either. I definitely got what I paid for. My iPad seems so boring and useless now.
Do you have the 2013 model? Have you tried any other movie aps… Netflix, Showtime, etc? I’d love to get one of these if I knew it was going to work.
It’s the 2013 model.. wouldn’t have posted about the old model. As I said, I have no problems with Netflix. It works great with the Chromecast, too. Showtime Anytime I haven’t used too much, but watched an episode of Dexter the whole way through. The only catch is that you can only use Showtime Anytime if you have AT&T U-verse, DirecTV, optimum, Verizon FIOS, or xfinity. Showtime Anytime used to not work at all on my iPad, so I’m impressed that it worked so well on my Nexus 7. They have probably updated it for iOS as well, but I deleted the app off my iPad ages ago since it didn’t work.
Well that sounds promising. My interest is restored. I’ll have to keep researching it. Thanks.
Watching Dexter on Showtime on my iPad now. No problem. So far I’ve found the nexus to be more limited than my iPad. I’m sure the things I haven’t figured out how to, can be done on the nexus , its just not as idiot proof as the ipad-i admit I’m the idiot that wants things so easy I don’t have to think about how to do it.
It turns out HBO Go is not compatible with 4.3 yet. Hopefully they release an update soon. I use HBO Go on my Roku, so it’s not a huge deal for me, but I’d still like it on my Nexus 7. I’m not sure why I thought it was working. Should have double checked before posting. As for Netflix, I’m sorry to hear you have the issues, but Netflix has been perfect for me. When you say the Nexus is more limited than the iPad, it really depends what you mean by limited. My 3rd gen iPad is jailbroken, and I still find it to be more limited in terms of functionality. I have always found iOS to be terribly boring and lackluster, and the lack of widgets really turns me off. If you want things simple, I really question why you bought a Nexus 7 when you already had an iPad. I bought one because I had grown tired of iOS’s limitations, I wanted a small, powerful tablet with full HD, and I already had a Nexus 4 and have been in the Google ecosystem for much longer than the Apple ecosystem.
I guess when I said limited, its because I can’t watch HBO or my amazon prime videos. I also haven’t been able to email the videos I have taken with the camera. No matter how much I shorten them, it says the file is too big. I’m sure there is a way around this. I haven’t figured it out yet.
Theres lots to love about the N7. Its comfortable to hold for long periods, using it as an e-reader and the screen is super. I’m sure eventually the HBOgo app will work. Thanks for your input.
When I try to download HBOgo app, it says my device isn’t compatible. You were able to download the app? Also, frequently when I try to watch Netflix, I am unable to,but when I switch to my kindle or i pad, it works.
Bah! This keyboard is driving me nuts!
Just got my unit. Working perfect even after update, however the screen has 2 or 3 dead pixels and around 8 pixels are semi-dead. ARRRGHHHHH!!!!! How they can’t see that? Where is the QC ?!
I didn’t have the issue before the update. I had seen the videos and tried them out to make sure that my N7 worked properly. Now after the latest update, everything has gone bad. I saw at least five phantom touches while typing this comment. Google maps has become such a pain to zoom. Youtube is playing random videos that I never tapped on.
Never had any issues until my Nexus 7 (2013) updated. Now it is constant. I want to go back….
Below is an example of the problem with the keyboard.
Unfortunately, geen having ng the same problem with my new US 7
This is supposed to read.:
Unfortunately, I’ve been having the same problems with my Nexus 7.
Taking mine back to PC world for a new one tomorrow.
I’m having the same issue..never had a problem before the update now the touchscreen goes nuts….even locks the touchscreen sometimes volume rockers work perfect and orientation works so it didn’t freeze the device…. I’m beginning to regret buying this product
Just got mine yesterday and the screen isn’t responding when I touch it
I haven’t had any issues with the touchscreen.
Didn’t have any, got them after upgrade..
I’m having the issues as well after the update. I’ve also noticed the screen going “wonky” with certain apps. Running custom roms but issue persists regardless..
I’m also still having the same issue even after the 4.3 update. I was very impressed with the tablet at first . Than after using it for several days . The touch screen is a real problem
With using many of the apps I have.
My Nexus worked fine before the Q update. After the update the touch screen became very erratic with ghost touches and multi touch issues making it unusable for typing text. It’s been sent to ASUS.
I have just received back my Nexus 7 (original) from repair – a new Main Board, battery and speaker module! – this is the 2nd unit I have had which has gone wrong – I have decided to update to 4.3 – but have a horrible feeling this is going to go badly wrong again
Well, I see I’m not alone. I traded in my original Nexus 7 for the second edition. The latter acted normally at first, but the latest update has caused the touchscreen to sporadically stop responding at all with the only remedy being a hard reboot. This is unacceptable for a whole technology that depends on accurately detecting touch.
what do i do if my nexus 7 screen is not responding at all. It powers up but it doesnt react when i touch the screen.
The total dishonesty displayed by Google in saying this update solved the problem when it clearly did not for many….is a blot on Google’s reputation.
Admit what is wrong and tell the consumer that you are aware of the complaints and tell us how you plan to resolve it.
Instead Google’s reputation for honesty and reliability is being tarnished. The Consumer Reports do not buy until/unless the Nexus 7 issues are fixed…only adds to the harm Google’s silence has created.
Not a word from Google since the firmware patch. Not a word…
I have the nexus LTE and after the update I have screen issues. where can I upload a video of said problem?
I just received my nexus 7 today and have updated to 4.3 and it is glitchy and constantly freezes this one is going back where it came from.
I just received my Nexus yesterday and it’s good. I don’t have issues on the touch screen and it surprises me how smooth and swift it is. The only issue I found was Netflix, which I researched was a common error in Nexus 7. I’m scared to update into Jellybean and experience the problems some people face, but I heard that it fixes the Netflix issue. Should I update to Jellybean or not?
I received my Nexus 7 (2013) a couple weeks ago. Arrived with the major touch screen bug. Asked for a replacement from Google and they sent a 2012 edition!!! Finally got another 2013 Nexus 7 and no screen bug. However, it has a metal or plastic shaving stuck inside the LCD screen. Its about 4 pixels wide, so is not something that I can ignore whilst watching Netflix or browsing the web. Really poor device. I am a massive fan of Android and Google, but this is a HUGE let down for me. Now waiting for ANOTHER replacement.
I got JSS15R yesterday and it sill has the repeating keystroke bug.
I’ve had my nexus 7 since it was released, and have had no touchscreen issues, nor have I met anyone with the issue. I believe people are just reading about the issue and if something goes wrong, they blame it on Google. The nexus 7 is one of the best 7″ tablets on the market.
10/22/2013 – I’m now on my second Nexus 7 and the same issues persist. The patch currently installed is JSS15R and has persistent touchscreen issues. My swype skyeboard breaks constantly and doesn’t work correctly. Also when scrolling up and down screens it randomly clicks along that path. Very frustrating.
My Nexus 7 was working perfectly before the update but now it works like crap. Sometimes just sitting on the table will cause the screen to go wacky. Sometimes the touchscreen just freezes.
I thought Google had their stuff together but this proves they don’t. Google has lost credibility with me. I almost bought an iPad and I probably should have. My next tablet will be an Apple product.
Had the original Nexus 7 and it worked great. Accidentally dropped it, from a very short distance, and the corner of the screen cracked. Got a new version, like the physical changes, thinner and a little narrower with the higher res screen. However, after about 3 weeks, the touch started to act up as described by others below, phantom touches, etc. Don’t know if these problems were coincident with the update to “R” version, but it is very annoying. Would like to go back to the “pre Q” version to see if that is what started the problem. If anyone knows how to do that, please let me know.
My double touch breaks early and sometimes one of the touchest doesn’t even register. Still have this problem after latest update JSS15R.
My Nexus 7 worked great before this update. (Since Jan 2013). Now have touch sensitivity problems, double tap problems and frequent freezes when using zoom function (both pinch zoom and double tap). Have to back out of websites and go back in to unzoom. Thought something was wrong with my device or stylus, but checking settings and using a different stylus didn’t affect it! The same games or websites work fine on our other devices! Hope Google gets this fixed soon!
I’ve been having trouble with My Nexus 7 since the last 2 updates. I was hoping for a fix from Google but since the last update it’s pretty much junk. I’ve done everything that Google support has suggested and nothing works. I’ve done a Restore a few times and I’ve cleared the cache over and over. I need to reboot it, again and again and again. Nothing works. It’s very frustrating. I’ve given up on the Nexus 7 and Google.
3 weeks ago I bought an iPad mini. This is a great tablet! it’s excellent and far superior to the Nexus 7 in every way. Get an iPad mini for a frustration free tablet experience.
Nexus 7 is CRAP!