why does rain interfere with touchscreen devices so much?
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Most touchscreens (like those on your phone) are ‘capacitive’. Sensors are constantly applying a tiny amount of voltage to the glass and measuring the glass’s ‘capacity’ to store electricity. When your finger touches the screen, that spot is able to store a little more charge than the rest of the screen (i.e. it acts as a ‘capacitor’).
It’s similar to the way your body can store up static electricity and zap it into a doorknob, but at a level much to low for you to feel.
But (rain) water also has this same effect, so when water touches your screen the sensors get confused. In fact, it’s mostly the water in your finger that creates the finger’s capacitance in the first place.
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