Many problems with my Umi Super, can I do something about them or change phone?

Sentient

So I have had a Umi Super for about 8 months now, since September 2016.

In the beginning I loved it but I started noticing more and more issues with it as time went by.

1) One of the first things that stopped working soon was the fingerprint sensor on the back. It would not recognize my fingerprint easily (it would take many attemps), as well as seemingly try to read a fingerprint when actually no finger was placed on the sensor, which led to the phone getting locked because the "invisible" fingerprint did not match mine.
So I thought okay, it's not the end of the world, I just disabled the sensor and used the regular PIN to unlock my phone, alright.

2) Another issue, which I had from day 1, was that the micro SD card wasn't being recognized properly, like if it was getting disconnected from the phone at random times. In the beginning this would happen for just a moment, then it started to happen more and more often after a few months. The result was that all the programs installed to the SD card weren't working correctly since the card was being detected on and off, and at some point these disconection/reconnections became so severe that my SD card got corrupted and I had to format it, losing all my data on it.
This pissed me off so much that I just removed the SD card completely (and by the way, I had tried another SD card as well, so it wasn't the card's fault) and just used the phone's internal memory.

3) Next is the actual SIM card detection. Just like the SD card before, it has recently started to not being recognized anymore. I'm guessing it's just a poor mechanical design where the components don't connect to each other well and therefore the phone doesn't detect them. Now this has started happening recently and the problem seems to go away on its own, but based on my experience with the SD card, I think it's gonna start getting more and more severe. In that case I won't be able to just removed the SIM card like I did with the SD card, so I'm actually starting to think to buy a new phone.

4) The biggest issue of them all so far is probably the fact that for some reason, at times, I am unable to control my phone since the top part of the notification panel shows up as if I was dradding it down with my finger to check my notifications, and it gets stuck there. Sometimes I can roll it back up and out of the screen, but it comes down again, and sometimes I just can't move it at all. So when this happens, I can't click on anything on the screen since the foreground is occupied by the notifcation panel and everything else is in the background.  Clicking the button to shut off the screen and re-clicking it again to reactivate the display makes it go away, but oftentimes the problem happens again within seconds and I am left fighting with my phone to be able to control it.
My phone's screen is not cracked, so that's not why this is happening. Although I have noticed that this problem has something to do with water, or liquids, since I sometimes clean the surface of my phone with a slightly wet tissues (not dripping though), and I think somehow this has affected the screen and this started to happen. Sometimes I even wash my hands and then touch my phone without drying my hands completely and I can notice that this problem happens more severely. It's somehow connected, although there's no actual liquids getting inside the phone.

I suppose all these problems are related to hardware and not software, so I was just considering buying a new phone (since I am also disappointed with the Umi Super's camera) but I read somewhere that:

"UMI have released several updates to enhance the functionality of the touchscreen, fingerprinter sensor and the camera app respectively for UMI Super making it not just 'super' but really 'superb'. They have projected that it will be one of the three current models to receive the Android Nougat update by the end of this year. ---  All the updates are available via Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) but not through RootJoy."

so I thought firsty I should check if there is anything I can do on a software level to fix these problems, although I doubht it. So does anyone know how I can get these updates mentioned that should help?

Thanks in advance.

Mats

Sentient replied at 2017-5-3 21:25
1. Where do I find the ROM section in my phone?

2. What are the consequences of doing a factory r ...

1. Where do I find the ROM section in my phone?

2. What are the consequences of doing a factory reset? Is it going to wipe out all of my programs and data?

3. Actually I have been trying to do a wireless update after making my post and I realized that it doesn't go through, after downloading the update and preparing it, it says "Reboot..." but it never does it and doesn't carry on. Rebooting manually does not install the update. And it seems that my phone never did a succesful system update since my current version is still 3.02_20161017.

1) Not on your phone - In this forum! http://community.umidigi.com/forum-134-1.html
2) Yes.
3) Then there are other ways to update. One is "manual (local) OTA update" which basically is the same as FOTA update, but you download the update package first. Will keep your settings.
Then there's always the option to use the SPFT tool, which will wipe your phone when going från Marshmallow to Nougat.
The last ROM (which is OK, besides high(er) battery drain, especially when using Bluetooth, and no/flaky quick charge) together with instructions on how to update is here: http://community.umidigi.com/thread-7388-1-1.html

nikosbatz

I also have 3/4 of the problems you have i think that thwy xan be solved with updates

Mats

Head over to the ROM section, or simply do a factory reset + "Wireless Update" under Settings -> About phone

Sentient

nikosbatz replied at 2017-5-3 20:05
I also have 3/4 of the problems you have i think that thwy xan be solved with updates

Which one did you not have?

Sentient

Mats replied at 2017-5-3 20:25
Head over to the ROM section, or simply do a factory reset + "Wireless Update" under Settings -> Abo ...

1. Where do I find the ROM section in my phone?

2. What are the consequences of doing a factory reset? Is it going to wipe out all of my programs and data?

3. Actually I have been trying to do a wireless update after making my post and I realized that it doesn't go through, after downloading the update and preparing it, it says "Reboot..." but it never does it and doesn't carry on. Rebooting manually does not install the update. And it seems that my phone never did a succesful system update since my current version is still 3.02_20161017.

Raspel

Simple solution = change phone. I have bought new (not UMI) and I have no problems. Never more UMI.

Sentient

Raspel replied at 2017-5-3 23:42
Simple solution = change phone. I have bought new (not UMI) and I have no problems. Never more UMI.

Yeah well that was my thought too but first I wanna try fixing it, I don't exactly have money to buy a new phone every few months.

Neko-sama

Hi, pleae, change phoen, I have umi super about 1 year, first, fingerprint stop working even when I upgrade firmware.
Second, sd card detection problems.
Third, proximity sensor stop workind after screen replacement.
Fourth, screen broke 2 times with minor falls and strokes. (even when I use case  and screen protector)
Fifth, GPS stop working.
Sixth, the battery was released causing it to move inside and end up being damaged.

So, I'm bored of this phone, always have new problems.
I solve a lot of them but finally it stop working for something else. Cheap is expensive

For my experience I recommend you change it for a new one.

georgeman74

\n\n

Raspel replied at 2017-5-3 23:42
Simple solution = change phone. I have bought new (not UMI) and I have no problems. Never more UMI.

I agree with you!!!! i have many problems too.... Never Umi again... My new phone is on its way for me (no Umi of curse).. My Umi sent to the seller because stopped working without reason ... Dead!!!