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Magnetic case causing accelerometer problems?

Masterchief87

Masterchief87

Android Expert
So I got my 2013 Nexus 7 about 5 months ago. I managed to find the 32gb wifi model in like new condition for $150 with a MOKO case with magnetic screen cover. At first I thought that the auto wake up feature was great but in the last month I started having an issue with the accelerometer not working. The screen would get stuck in either portrait or landscape mode and I'd have to reboot the tablet to get it working right. At first I thought it was a problem with the custom ROM I was using ( CarbonROM ) but I flashed the stock 4.4.4 firmware and the issue still wasn't fixed. In the last couple days it started getting so bad that a reboot wouldn't fix the problem anymore and it finally occurred to me that the magnetic case might be causing the problem. This mprning I decided to remove it from the magnetic case and now it works just like the day I got it.

It's too soon for me to say definitively that the case was causing the problem but in a few more days I will know for sure. Is it possible that the magnets in tablet cases can over time cause the device to malfunction?
 
So I decided to remove all the magnets from the case and there were 15 in total. I ended up just cutting off the faux leather screen cover/stand and digging the other two magnets out of the plastic with a pocket knife.
 
Well only time will tell if it really was the magnets causing the problem but so far everything is good. I'll check back in a few days once I know for sure.
 
Odd, I have the exact same N7 (2013 32B WiFi) with the same case. I actually got the case before the Nexus so it has literally been in the case since it came out of the box over a year and a half ago. I'm not seeing any change with the other sensors.
 
Well although the tablet doesn't have a mark anywhere on it the corner of the case has a small chunk of plastic missing from the bottom corner on the side that has the power and volume buttons. Maybe the tablet getting dropped did something to the accelerometer that causes magnets to interfere with it.
 
The accelerometer is messing up again so it turns out that this was all a coincidence and the magnets in my case had nothing to do with it. I removed the cover and other magnets for nothing. :(
I really should learn to be more patient.
Edit: I just did some searching and found THIS PAGE. It appears that auto rotate not working is a somewhat common problem and that sometimes magnetic cases can potentially be a cause.
 
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It seems like the real problem was that I would keep it up and running for days at a time. I now shut it down when I'm not using it and I haven't had any auto rotation problems in the last month. Really wishing I hadn't cut the screen cover/stand off my case lol.
 
Masterchief87 said:
It seems like the real problem was that I would keep it up and running for days at a time. I now shut it down when I'm not using it and I haven't had any auto rotation problems in the last month. Really wishing I hadn't cut the screen cover/stand off my case lol.
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Its funny, I've suggested rebooting daily to a few ppl and they act like its the most difficult and ridiculous thing they have ever heard. Like " I've never had to do that before why should I have to do that now?
In reality you should restart any broadband device at least once a week to keep it running at optimum efficiency.
 
Masterchief87 said:
It seems like the real problem was that I would keep it up and running for days at a time. I now shut it down when I'm not using it and I haven't had any auto rotation problems in the last month. Really wishing I hadn't cut the screen cover/stand off my case lol.
Click to expand...
Despite reboots, the autorotate continues to lock up throughout the day on my nexus 7.
 
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