220-1101 Mobile Devices Practice Question
A user's smartphone has a cracked screen. The touch display still works partially, but there are areas where touch is unresponsive. The phone's LCD is intact, with no dead pixels or discoloration. Which component most likely needs to be replaced?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the digitizer with the LCD panel, assuming a cracked screen always requires LCD replacement, but the question specifies the LCD is intact, isolating the digitizer as the faulty component.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The digitizer
The digitizer is the touch-sensitive layer that registers touch input. Since the LCD is intact and displays correctly, the unresponsive touch areas indicate a damaged digitizer, not the display panel. Replacing the digitizer restores full touch functionality.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The battery
Why it's wrong here
The battery provides electrical power to the entire device but has no direct connection to the touch sensing circuitry. A cracked screen's unresponsive touch areas are caused by physical damage to the input layer, not by power delivery. While a failing battery might cause erratic behavior or shutdowns, it cannot selectively eliminate touch response in specific screen regions without affecting the display and other functions. Therefore, the battery is not the culprit.
- ✓
The digitizer
Why this is correct
The digitizer is the transparent layer responsible for converting touch into electrical signals. A crack in the glass can fracture the digitizer's conductive traces, creating dead zones where touch is not registered, even though the LCD beneath displays normally. Replacing the digitizer, or the entire screen assembly that includes it, restores touch functionality. This is the correct diagnosis because the symptom is isolated to touch input.
- ✗
The LCD panel
Why it's wrong here
The LCD panel generates the image by controlling backlight and pixel crystals. Since the user reports only a cracked touch display with no mention of visual distortion, dead pixels, or discoloration, the LCD remains functional. Screen cracks that damage the LCD would produce visible artifacts, not just touch issues. Thus, LCD replacement is unnecessary.
- ✗
The front-facing camera
Why it's wrong here
The front-facing camera is an independent module mounted near the top of the device, used for imaging. It has no shared components with the touch digitizer and does not influence touch sensing. Damage to the camera would manifest as a black or distorted selfie view, not as unresponsive touch areas. Hence, it is unrelated to the problem.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1101 exam.