[07.01.2013] Touch (Home) Button Issue HTC One S (Helicoptering)

Massive thanks to PulpZilla for letting me have his OP. I will now be able to take care of the updates a lot easier. Mate, this was a nice move. And even though the "Thanks" at the bottom say they where for me, they are still counted to your name. I did not get them from you

-=Introduction=-
This Thread serves as collection and information point for all Data regarding the HOME BUTTON / SCREEN ISSUE or as HTC sometimes likes to call it: HELICOPTERING GLITCH.
It also serves technical and factual discussion in order to maybe find ways to overcome or work around the issue.

For any and all discussion regarding civil, legal or other types of action against HTC we now have a new thread, named:


It is run by Gibarian. Please head over there for discussing actions and options. I would also like to encourage everyone to move discussions of "Buy or not to Buy" this phone over to that thread. So we can keep this clean for rather technical and news things. Apart from that, I would also like to express that i outspokenly support the campaigning as long as it stays civil and serves the sole purpose of raising public awareness and thus creates the necessary pressure on HTC. I would like you to support the current campaign there too to help our issue getting taken more serious. Up till now HTC has delivered nothing but empty promises.
Please refrain from stupid actions/posts/reviews.
Thank you.
Sneakyghost


-=Problem Description=-

Main Symptom:
The capacitive Home Touch Button sometimes likes to press itself. When in an app or the home screen without or with the finger near the home button it seems to get pressed a few quick times in succession without actually being touched.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Additionial symptoms:
- continuous/odd vibration
- multiple screenshots being saved to disk without the user interacting with the phone
- the virtual buttons appear locked/dead/without function [NOTICE] From Base 2.21 onwards, this can turn into the main symptom and the screen switching can disappear.
- long-press menues coming up randomly (On Stock JellyBean 3.16 this would be Google Now popping up all the time)

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Occurrence and reproducibility:
Mainly related to GSM activity, rarely on WCDMA only setting. It seems to be related to low GSM signal (1 to 2 bars), switching between networks, calls coming in or building up, seldom wifi and 3g connections. The occurrence still seems rather random as it is hard to purposely reproduce the situation. The best chance to trigger the misbehaviour or malfunction is if signal coverage is low, 3G/HSDPA (or: WCDMA) is not available, try to build up a call or start a heavy data transmission on edge. A few people report the issue only after the first 2- 4 weeks of use.
Also noteworthy: it seems to hit phones in complete unaltered, stock state as well as heavy customized and unlocked phones.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

-=Documentations and Discussions=-
Discussion on the Vodafone UK forums: http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/HTC-One-Series/Home-screen-button-problem/td-p/1082393
Discussion on the O2 Germany Forum: http://forum.o2online.de/t5/Software-Firmware/HTC-One-S-Home-Knopf-Problem/td-p/259614
Discussion on the SwissCom Forum: http://supportcommunity.swisscom.ch...onie/HTC-One-S-Home-Knopf-Problem/td-p/121958 (NEW)
Discussion on the Android-Hilfe.de Forum: http://www.android-hilfe.de/htc-one...usgeloest-durch-bestimmte-netzfrequenzen.html
Discussion on the Handy-Faq.de Forum: http://www.handy-faq.de/forum/htc_one_s_forum/251792-display_springt_hin_her_home_ansicht.html
User contributed Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOb1LuWA7N8
User Contributed Video: http://youtu.be/kvPOZsk9I_I
User contributed Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKwMkuisqE
Disassembly video, bottom Antenna, US Model: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0jGY2N2h1U
Disassembly Video, complete EU Model: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lBT15PgpYw
LeeDroid mention of HTC's own theory: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=26819259&postcount=707

Related:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6xlZFcgPlo (similar issue on Galaxy Nexus) (Thanks to SageKing for pointing this out!)
https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/1a4hY7VeqiG (Google Engineer talking about the Galaxy Nexus problem)
http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/ Site to see which operator uses what frequency in which country - cross check against Affected users Spreadsheet!

-=News Articles=- (please send in other articles if you find any as we will pass them on to HTC at some point):
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/htc-one-s-touch-button-bug-makes-phone-go-crazy-26-06-2012/
http://www.phonearena.com/news/HTC-One-S-touch-button-bug-makes-the-phone-go-crazy-video_id31606/
http://www.chip.de/artikel/HTC-One_S-Handy-Test_55316948.html
http://www.chip.de/news/HTC-One-S-Probleme-HTC-bezieht-Stellung_57834622.html --> Chip cites HTC here, yet no source is given.

-=Attempted fixes=-
- Disabling GSM/EDGE completely (no calls in rural areas, Issue not fixed)
- Setting Accessibility → Touch & Hold delay to medium (reported ineffective by some users starting HERE
- Factory Reset (multiple users had tried this, was recommended by different support agents, did not help at all)
- different Radio (there had been different radios involved, but not all radios seem to be affected. Still needing evidence)
- Exhchange SIM Card. (has been done by several users, did not help at all)
- Root device, Unroot device, flash Custom, flash stock, unlock Bootloader, relock bootloader. (did not help at all)
- Removing bottom cover (Mobile Radio Antenna), cleaning spring contacts, examining hight (make sure contact is made) - Not fixed
- Setting Display illumination to Auto Brightness (did not help at all)
- Run CM9/CM10/MIUI/JB Builds. Did not change anything.
- New Radio 1.06s.50.02.27_2_10.08.50.04L (19th of July 2012) Betters it for most users considerably,did not help all Users
- New Radio 1.06es.50.02.31_10.09a.50.04L (21st of August 2012) Worsens the effects clearly for most users, did help some very few. Upgrade NOT recommended!
- New Radio 1.08es.50.02.21_10.09c.50.04L (14th of September 2012) Some users report failure and behavior similar to the 1.06es radio.
- New Radio 1.08ts.50.02.16_10.08e.50.04L (ca. November 2012) Similar to the 1.08es radio
- New Radio 1.09ts.50.02.04_10.08g.50.04L (ca. November 2012 Only my Test-Results available, which where just as bad as 1.08 based Radios.
- New Radio 1.11.50.05.28_10.27.50.08L (24th of December 2012) Worse than the 1.08 radios, but some users also reported a Fix

-=Working Fix(es)=-
none known
Update 4th July 2012: HTC begins to claim towards some users now, they were soon be rolling out a software fix. 4 weeks later, they still say the same.
Update 21st July 2012: HTC has not officially acknowledged the Issue, but allowed this Info from HTC Elevate moderator Jason Dunn to be shared: "A software based Fix is possible and being worked on. A release date is not available but it will come".
Update end of July 2012: HTC released a new RUU (RUU_Ville_U_ICS_40_S_HTC_Europe_2.21.401.10_Radio_1.06s.50.02.27_2_10.08.50.04L__release_271119_signed.exe) with new Radio. Betters it for most users considerably Semi-FIX. Not good for all.
Update 30th August2012: HTC Released a new RUU (RUU_Ville_U_ICS_40_S_HTC_Europe_2.31.401.5_Radio_1 .06es.50.02.31_10.09a.50.04L_release_275655_signed .exe) This Firmware does not help most users but rather worsens the effects again. Upgrade of Radio not recommended!
Update 14th September 2012: HTC released a new OTA to Vodafone Customers going by the Name of 2.38, containing a new Radio 1.08es, which does not solve anything. Like the previous 2.31 WWE release, it seems to make matters worse again.The other carriers succedingly released their updates with either the 1.06es or the 1.08es radio. Only T-Mobile released a 1.08ts variant. None fixed the Issue.
Update 24th December 2012: HTC finally released JellyBean Firmware 3.16 to their customers. It became obvvious only hours later that it did not fix anything. I myself have a worse HBI problem than on 2.31. Plus, reception and Data-Switching got worse too.

-=Workarounds=-
- Disable Home Button: User Beatnix has found out how to disable the Home button completely. It can then be replaced by the App "Button Savior"Obsolete
- Recommended: Custom ROM allowing button remaps. Viper ROM with Venom Tweaks has given me almost a hassle free Experience during the past month due to its ability to map functions to the buttons that either do nothing or do not disturb too much.
- Recommended: After countless tests with all sorts of Radio/Wifi-Partition/Base Version Combinations it is very obvious that the 1.06s Radio from Base 2.21 is by far the best, least bugged Radio.
Note: A "Brick Downgrade[/UL]" might be required, if you are already on or above Firmware Version 1.78, as Radios can only be flashed on lower hboot versions. Here is a [URL="http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1990043"]Tutorial

-=What Now?=-
If you are feeling like getting active i would like to invite you to join Gibarians Operation Rolling Thunder which is designed to make our Issue heard. We feel that we have been quietly waiting for a fix long enough and that waiting any longer will just make HTC believe that they do not need to take any further action, so Gibarian has designed a campaign to make the Issue more public and make it obvious to HTC that there is need for urgent action.
At the time of writing, some People have been waiting 6 month for a fix and had not gotten a replacement, nor any other compensation. They have just been left out in the dark with a nearly unusable phone. So, feel free to make yourself heard! Also, if you just have a story to tell, feel free to add it at Gibarian's Thread "Operation Rolling Thunder". You are warmly invited to share your sufferings there and also discuss recommendations for other (potential) buyers.

-= IMPORTANT: Report your device here if affected =-

PLEASE:
file a report with your vendor (most likely your carrier) and ask for repair/replacement
file a report with HTC. Ask for repair/replacement if your Vendor refuses.
This is very important, as this is the only means by which HTC can tell the severity of the issue!
Jason Dunn of HTC Elevate and Richard Willis of HTC Consumer Communications EMEA encourage everyone to report to HTC.

Please also report here: (For updating your Entry please contact Sneakyghost or Zoesdad70)

[UPDATE 11.10.2012]
Here is a new Report Sheet where everyone with a Serial xx26 and higher can report his FULL serial and Contact Details.

Personal Information: This Sheet can only be accessed by me (the Results page) and is only used to be forwarded to HTC. I kindly ask you to leave contact details for the sole purpose of possible further questions. Your data will remain with me and there will be no abuse.
Thank you.

LINK: http://goo.gl/5gAR8

What do we do that for? I am currently talking with another HTC Digital Consumer Communications Manager for the EMEA region and he is trying to find out about the new devices. If it is a lot of them, HTC wants to fix that in time. To be able to do so, they need to know as early as possible. So, your help is greatly appreciated and in the end, will help all. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

-=Statistical Data of affected users=-
Updated 7.01.2013

Total number of reports:
793

- Areas where this has been reported:
Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Swiss, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Malawi, Ethiopia, Niger, Iran, Malaysia, China, Vietnam.
Please pay attention to this! It is mainly northern Europe and Russia. Up till now four reports from the US.

- Serial - Numbers first digits that had been reported as affected:
FA28 (2x)
HT23 (183x)
HT24 (77x)
HT25 (18x)
HT26 (7x)
HT27 (3x)
MB22 (1x)
SH23 (149x)
SH24 (190x)
SH25 (27x)
SH26 (35x)
SH27 (1x)
SH28 (1x)

- Base Versions reported (Entries cleaned up, corrected Base Versions according to reported Radios. This assumes that all reporters used either RUU or OTA).
1.09 (2x)
1.11 (8x)
1.15 (1x) (odd Thailand version - never seen anywhere else)
1.47 (1x)
1.53 (16x)
1.70 (6x)
1.77 (40x)
1.78 (273x)
1.84 (5x)
2.15 (2x)
2.21 (10x)
2.31 (338x)
2.35 (3x)
2.38 (20x)

- Black device count:
577

- Grey device count:
185


- Baseband versions reported:
0.15.31501S.16_3_10.12.31501S.06L
0.15.31501S.19_10.12.31501S.06L
0.15.31501S.19_2_10.13.31501S.06L
0.16.31501S.17_10.23.31501S.10L
0.16.31501S.17_2_10.23.31501S.10L
0.16.31501S.19_2_10.23.31501S.10L
1.06s.50.02.27_2_10.08.50.04L
1.06es.50.02.31_10.09a.50.04L
1.08es.50.02.21_10.09c.50.04L
1.08ts.50.02.16_10.08e.50.04L
1.09es.50.02.07_2_10.09d.50.04L
16.11.20.02U_16.05.20.11_M2
16.12.20.02U_16.05.20.16_M2
16.13.20.02U_16.05.20.24_M
16.13.20.02U_16.05A.20.23_M

Concluding:
All the numbers peak at xx23 and xx24 serials. Base 1.78 and 2.31 are reported most often. My Guess: the March and April devices are worst combined with those two bases.

Source of these figures is the Google Spreadsheet, Anyone wanting to add can do so. Please feel welcome to put in your details via the Form linked in the top left Cell of that table, the top right cell of the table holds another spreadsheet-form for only the newer xx26 and up serials. It is designed so that it remains private because you can put in your contact details so that HTC can contact you. They are currently investigating the newer devices and might need your help.

-=END NOTICE=-
If you came here to find information you were helped hopefully. Please help other people with the same issue by raising your voice and add a report. Please include your Country, your first part of the Serial (“SH23”), Carrier Base, Baseband, Phone color etc. Best is to update the Spreadsheet directly.

Bye Bye to Helictopter-Land

After now 7 Month, HTC finally decided to fully replace my device. This was in some ways an individual decision and judging by the time it took HTC to decide that way, i guess it will not be possible for most to achieve the same.
I had done an incredible amount of research and data collection during that time and HTC admitted that this data was useful to them to some extend.
They claimed a long time ago, they'd be contacting people on the list with the past-july serials to sort them out exchange devices but that never happened.
They claimed towards the public they would be releasing a fix soon, starting around end of july. It never came, or it never helped many. Some got their device fixed by the software update, but i am still under the impression that the vast majority did not experience a satisfactory repair.
They then began to claim that the earlier devices needed hardware parts exchange in order to overcome the helicoptering. Many people did i meet during the past month who said their phones remained the same or got worse after the repair, including mine. That was with Regenersis UK as well as Arvato and also some smaller repair centers in different countries.

I already mentioned my failed repair attempts, of which Tecardo now has proof. It reminds me very much of other stories with bad repairs.

Now, nearly one year has passed since the launch of the One S. After all this time, with a new phone in my hands soon and probably no solution for the remaining helicoptering phones in sight, i decided to withdraw from this issue. HTC helped me finally and i see nothing i can possibly do anymore for you guys. They have made it very clear (without ever saying a word about it) that they will not provide any further help than the software update and the hardware repair, of which both actually don't help all.
I will keep watching here but not be actively involved anymore i think.

On another note, i would like to say thanks to all who provided so much data and stories and where helpful and patient in general. It was a lot of fun being with all of you, despite such an annoying cause. Special thanks go to Zoesdad, who has been an inspiration to me in regards of patience and style of communication, you have also been a great help with the tables! Thanks! To PulpZilla for letting me have his Thread and all the others i might have forgotten. There is now over 800 entries in the sheet... God knows what has become of most of them...

Last but not least:
although this can be interpreted as a fail for us and a win for HTC, i am reluctant to say so. I believe, we achieved a win/win in terms of us having made ourselves heard and not be overseen and HTC actually gaining a lot of awareness for the users issues. I am unsure how aware you all are about HTC Elevate? That pretty much started at the same time as the One S and has been a HTC Project with the sole purpose to gain more contact to users and more insight into the general customers thoughts, with quality improvement in mind. Quality of service as well as Quality of Devices. Our complaints-threads here, at Vodafone.uk and android-hilfe.de as the three major threads fit very well into this Elevate-Thought. It provided a lot of knowledge to HTC and i am sure they will draw efficient conclusions from that, although we will not directly hear about it.
One thing that is already in the works is the horrendous information flow between Taiwan and the local Service Hotlines and Service Partners. HTC has recognized from the past month's worth of miscommunication (every customer getting a different answer from Service Personnel) that they urgently need to improve here.

Well... this is getting to long now...
Bye Bye and Take Care Guys! Been a terrific journey!

PS: of course i'll still be here at XDA, just can't be bothered to run after HTC anymore with this silly helicoptering issue...

8 Months since launch...

and we've still got faulty One S handsets.

I had a phone call from HTC today, asking me was I satisfied about my last repair. The lady on the phone sounded surprised when I corrected her; HTC replaced my One S with a One X so the problem remains without a fix. It then turned out she hadn't read my ticket (that would take quite a while) and seemed quite put out when I kept her on the phone, filling her in with some of the details of my experience.

After explaining the hell I went through, the comedy of errors from the repair centre and the sheer length of time my handset was away for repair, all she could respond with was 'I'll make a note of that on your record'. Thing is, my record will now be closed and no bugger will read it again.

I also expressed my dissatisfaction with the way HTC have handled the whole Homescreen problem, leaving many users with no resolution. Again, as she didn't know anything about this, I got the same 'I'll make a note of that' response.

When I put down the phone, my main conclusion was that HTC have learned nothing in the past few months. Customer service is still as uninformed as ever; receiving a call from someone who hasn't the first idea of what what my issue was is not the way to show you care about customer service.

There is no doubt that the One X is a great phone, but my experience with the One S means that I now view the One X with suspicion. Every time it vibrates I expect it to start bouncing out to the home screen. I had cause to use another HTC in work the other day and found that I was doing exactly the same thing. Perhaps this expectation will reduce over time but at the moment I don't trust my HTC, which is a great shame. I certainly won't be buying another one and have been actively dissuading others from doing so, all down to the way HTC have handled this problem and the way they have treated everyone who has affected handsets.

All I can advise anyone affected by this problem is to keep nagging HTC. Don't give up, but make things as uncomfortable for them as possible. Ask the awkward questions and don't let them fob you off. Send the phone to them for repair and if it comes back unrepaired, ask for the call to be escalated. Better still, like the poster earlier, if they agree to repair the phone, ask what they are going to do to fix the problem and if this is a guaranteed repair. Then ask them if the problem still exists, will they replace the phone. If you speak to them on the phone, make notes and ask them to repeat anything if you don't get it all written down the first time. Keep a log of all your correspondence and use it against them if you can. If you are on the phone, ask them what they would do - Make them feel awkward and get them to empathise with you. Most importantly, don't give up.

Well, that's what we all think...
Why the hell don't they just frikkin replace the damn thing?
It would have been so much easier in all and every aspect of the story.
The current repair policy is just no good for nothing.

sent with a home button bug...

Excel-Datasheet fixed!

Notice: please just add your report at the bottom, do not modify sheet (i will do). This is my sheet for now so you do not need to do any sorting and sh*t.

Please go ahead reporting now. Thanks all!

PS: Fixing that sh*t cost me a precious hour and an angry missus. Thanks again. If you don't feel comfortable editing spreadsheets leave your report here and i will be happy to add it for you!