Question about touch before returning phone

[Senzafina]

Hi,

I'm thinking about returning my phone because there seem to be something wrong with it but I thought I'd ask around here first if it's simply a bug or a common problem with third party software. It's a touch issue among other things. I've run the diagnostic and there are no dead areas, still I have issues sometimes.

1. Click a webpage or any app with a search field but the keyboard doesn't appear, not even if I reload. I find it helps sometimes if I click a link and then come back but it could be a coincidence. This is random, sometimes the keyboard shows up at first try, sometimes not at all. I've tried SwiftKey, Gboard and Cheetah. I've also tried other browsers like Firefox and Puffin.

2. There's an app in which I can transfer money. I can leave a message there but when I click the message area, the keyboard almost never show up at first try. I have to tap several times before it pops up, completely random. Sometimes I have to close the app and open it again. I have been in touch with the app developer and they have never heard of such a problem before.

3. Widgets on my home screen. Not all, just a few, sometimes needs three-four taps before activating/opening. Also random.

4. My phone takes a very long time to wake up. When I push the side button, sometimes it takes up to 3 seconds before it lights up. Surely this is too long?

5. I've noticed it increases and lowers the volumes sometimes when I'm listening to Spotify. I've got normalisation on but it shouldn't behave like that in the middle of a song and not so much that I have to take out my buds.

I feel disappointed with my phone since I gave up my beloved Z1 for this. I'm thinking of going back and selling this one. Do you think a factory reset will help? I only bought it a few months ago and I've barely done anything with it except installed the most essential.

One last thing, if I do reset it, is there any way to get back the old Sony keyboard? I don't like SwiftKey and Gboard has too many bugs (or maybe my phone really is the home of trolls) and behaves really weird. I've tried every keyboard there is but I don't like any of them.

Most thankful for any advice

[Qatrium]

@Senzafina

It sounds like a heavy lag issue for me, not touch problem. If you didn't refresh your phone recently, I'd suggest that you perform a software repair using Xperia Companion. This will do a clean installation of the latest firmware and will also wipe your internal memory. Don't forget to backup using Xperia Companion, but preferably without adding apps or settings to the backup.

Follow the steps given in blue links, and keep us updated.

[Senzafina]

Thanks for your reply. I've done a repair before many times as I've had nothing but Sony phones the last ten years. I plugged the XZ in, did a backup and started the repair. After a while it stated that the repair had failed and my phone was disconnected. It also said to connect my phone again and to try a new. I picked up my phone and sadly I'm now sitting here with a brick. I tried to boot it in safe mode but I only get the Sony screen blinking in a two second loop. I could do a factory reset, I mean, it can't get any worse now!

[Jrnr]

I would say return it. Don't hold it if it gives you too much trouble

[Senzafina]

I talked to Sony support and I'm sad to say they would not help me. Their explanation was that it probably was something wrong with my installation of Xperia Companion on my laptop and even though I explained to them my phone was as good as dead, they insisted that the solution was to reinstall Companion and try to run a repair again. I politely told them that I would get back to them, but I never did. I ran a firmware flash instead like I said I would and now it works perfectly again. If you ask me, there should be two kinds of support when you contact Sony. If I'm an advanced user I would like to be able to skip questions like "how much battery life did your phone have when you started your repair".

This was the last time I'll ever use Xperia Companion, next time I'll just use a backup app and run a reset from within the phone.