The One UI 6.1 update came to the newer Samsung Galaxy S24 models earlier this year seemingly without a hitch. Yet, once this AI-filled update was rolled out to the older devices on March 28, users began experiencing issues where the touchscreen display was being unresponsive.
Samsung has now responded to the issue, providing context on the cause of the problem. The company has also issued a temporary fix for the touchscreen issue and will soon roll out an update addressing it.
Samsung points blame at Google
Android news outlet Phandroid first noticed an official Samsung statement in the company’s Korean community forum.
“Due to compatibility issues with some Google app features (Discover), the app developer is improving related servers and apps,” reads a translation of Samsung’s statement provided by Google Translate. “You can improve the problem by temporarily updating the Google app to the latest version, deleting the app’s data, and then restarting your phone.”
The issue does not seem to be related to new AI-focused features in the One UI 6.1 update as some had speculated. According to Samsung, the cause of the touchscreen issues is Google Discover, Google’s tailored news feature. Samsung says Google is aware of the problem and working on a fix.
How to fix the issue
Samsung also provided a temporary solution for Galaxy users who are facing touchscreen issues due to the Google Discover bug. The company says users need to download the latest version of the Google app, then delete the app’s data, and finally, restart the device.
The issue should be fixed, however, opening the Google app may once again cause the touchscreen issues. If that’s the case, the user must go through these steps all over again.
Galaxy users facing the issue can update the Google app in the Google Play Store by searching for the app before tapping “Update.” After the app is updated, go to the Settings option on Android, choose Applications, and then open the Google app. On that menu, tap on Storage, followed by the Delete data “dustpan” icon. Next, restart the device.
This should solve the touchscreen problem for Samsung Galaxy S23 owners for now, at least until a full-on fix is rolled out.