New iPhone 7 embroiled in another hardware problem

Less than a week after its launch, the new iPhone 7 has found itself embroiled in another hardware problem.

The home button doesn't seem to work with gloves. The home button functions more like a touchscreen rather than a button, requiring direct skin contact in order to be pressed.



Relay FM co-founder Myke Hurley drew attention to this issue by stating that the Touch ID ring detects if the button is actually being touched and may fail to do so if they wear gloves. "No sensor connection, no click," he writes.

So here's a thing.

Cover your iPhone 7 home button with material (like from a t-shirt) and try to click it.

😑

— Myke Hurley (@imyke) September 16, 2016

Although this seems like a major restriction, it shouldn’t come as a surprise as most Smartphones are equipped with a touch screen that requires skin contact to enable sensor connection. Reports suggest that touchscreen-friendly gloves, which have conductive material on their fingertips, are also unable to access the home screen.

With previous iOS versions you could simply press the power button and punch the passcode to unlock the screen. With iOS 10, you cannot bypass the home button and are required to place your finger to unlock the phone.

People queue at Apple's flagship store in Sydney's central business district on 16 September, 2016, as the new Apple iPhone 7 is released to the public. PHOTO: AFP



If you're planning to buy a pair of gloves, it seems like you should wait before its confirmed whether they work on iPhone 7’s home button or not.

This article originally appeared on The Verge.