Microsoft Lumia 535 apparently due for a 'software update' to address screen sensitivity bug

During my hands on mini-review of the Lumia 535, there was only one issue that stood out on the otherwise outstanding Windows Phone: touch screen sensitivity was lower than ideal.

Evidently, I was not the only one to experience this as a few other reviews – both professional and from consumers – have noted that it can take more than one-tap to register on the Lumia 535. Some have reported that disabling 'Screen Magnifier', found under Settings > Ease of Access, helps improve things, which we can confirm, but others are still having problems. Now, at least according to Microsoft Lumia Malaysia via Facebook, a software update is in the works.

Lumia 535

The news of the potential updates comes from our Lumia 535 forums, where user Jakez98 inquired with Microsoft Malaysia about the problem. Microsoft's response appears to be quite definitive on the matter:

"We're aware of reports about touchscreen functionality and are planning a software update to help improve this in the Microsoft Lumia 535 and 535 Dual-SIM phone."

When it comes to touchscreens, there are two components that could affect the sensitivity, including the hardware itself or the software (often mediated via firmware or the Lumia Display settings). It is not yet clear where the problem lies on the Lumia 535, but software is the most likely candidate.

No details about when the update could be expected were revealed. If the fix can be mediated by a simple software update for Lumia settings e.g. Display or Touch, then the update could come at any time. If, however, the update requires a new firmware, things could take much longer and would most likely come in early 2015 after the holidays.

Although not a deal breaker for the otherwise excellent Lumia 535, touchscreen sensitivity issues can indeed be frustrating. I hope that a fix arrived sooner than later and not require new firmware.

Thanks, Jakez98, for the tip

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.