[Update: fixed] Android 8.1 breaks multi-touch feature, Google investigating

Update (May 09):

The multi-touch issues have been fixed with the May update, confirms Google. More information here.

Update (April 03): More evidence that the problem still persists:

Update (April 03):

At least one of our readers has confirmed that the latest update (April security patch) hasn’t fixed the multi-touch issue.

Update (March 29):

The company has fixed the multi-touch problem, although internally. There’s currently no information on when the fix will be rolled out. More information here.

Update (March 1, 2018): Google employee Orrin has provided a heads-up on the matter, saying the company is well aware of these issues, and is working towards fixing them.

The team is still very much aware of this issue, and is working towards a fix. We will keep you updated with any other information.

You can access their comment by heading here.

Original story follows:

Looks like, after Android 8.0 – which was fraught with bugs – the recently launched Android 8.1 also has some major issues. While the latest release has not even reached every user yet, issues have already started showing up. Case in point: the update has broken the multi-touch feature.

The problem is annoying, especially for gamers, as broken multi touch prevents them from having a smooth experience with their games. Users complain while touching the phone’s display with two or more fingers at the same time (say, during a game), the image on screen begins to jump/shake. Here’s how an affected user explains the problem:

To get more clarity, take a look at the following user shared videos, which clearly showcase the glitchy multi-touch behavior.

Here’s another one: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GpRJbKZgz6s6Jf0p8pfjSG1h-tfRQGZv/view

The problem in question was first reported in the developer preview/beta version of Android 8.1, but wasn’t fixed, and it’s now there in the public release as well. The relevant thread on Google’s official issue tracking website clearly conveys that the company left the problem to be entertained later.

It’s worth mentioning that though the problem is reported mostly by gamers (as it is easily noticeable while playing games), it may not be specific to gaming only, as some users are observing the same behavior with the Google Photos app as well.

With a significant number of users – both on the official help forum and Reddit – chiming about the same multi-touch bug in Android 8.1 (along with video proofs), Google now appears alarmed. This morning Google employee Orrin (who is also the Community Manager at Pixel User Community) addressed the complainants and said:

I’m digging into this, and will keep you posted with any other information I can get. I might be reaching out privately to a few of you for bug reports as well.

The aforementioned matter is also being actively discussed on Google Issue Tracker.

Hope the company will fix the ignored multi-touch problem sooner than later. Meanwhile, we are keeping a close watch on all related developments, so keep visiting this space.

Pixel User Community 1 2 3 4 | Reddit | Issue tracker 1 2

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