Galaxy S9, S9+ Owners Are Reporting a Range of Problems

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ just recently launched, but some users are already reporting a range of problems with the handset.

Reportedly, S9 and S9+ owners are running into issues with touchscreen responsiveness, according to anecdotal user reports on Samsung’s official forums and across various social media outlets such as Reddit.

Impacted users claim that their devices have certain “dead spots” where touches are not registered. Additionally, other owners report more general issues with their devices registered certain touches. Increasing the touch sensitivity of the device or performing a factory reset seems to mitigate or fix the issue in some cases, though other users report getting their phones replaced by Samsung.

The problems appear similar to the so-called “touch disease” that afflicted certain iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models in 2016. Apple responded to that controversy by offering discounted repairs.

In a statement to Engadget, Samsung said it is aware of and “looking into” the issue. Currently, there’s no word on the timeline for a fix, however. And, unfortunately for Samsung, that’s not the only reported issue with its newest flagships.

According to PiunikaWeb, there’s evidence to suggest fairly widespread and excessive lens flare issues with the S9’s camera. The problem, which produces severe lens flare in pictures, apparently happens when shooting certain angles in direct sunlight.

PiunikaWeb also reported an issue with how the Samsung flagship is counting data. Reportedly, the S9 and S9+ are counting all data, even Wi-Fi data consumption, as mobile data. In other words, users are getting alerts saying they have used up most of their mobile data — even if the mobile data option was switched off.

Other issues that users are running into include sporadic freezing up, slow charging — both via wire or wireless — and missing sound options in Settings for some T-Mobile customers. The South Korean tech giant hasn’t apparently acknowledged these other issues.

It’s not clear how widespread the various issues are, but Samsung undoubtedly wants to avoid any potential far-reaching scandal akin to the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. But it’s fair to say that much of the company’s current public image and consumer trust is riding on the success of the S9 lineup.