Xperia Home - Empty app icon

[jacek32w]

Today I realised new app icon withing Xperia Home. It is completely blank (just a shade around) and app does not have any name. 

Trying to open the app or holding on it and opening more info section lead to the same - Google play "something's went wrong" screen

Tried co clear cache for Xperia Home and restarting - no result. Same for Google Play Services and Google Play. 

Installed 3rd party launcher to check if it will populate this icon as well - did not. Completed full scan off the phone with Bitdefender and it says that phone is safe. Any ideas what it can be and how to get rid of the thing? 

[milservuk]

I have managed to remove the blank app surround by:

1. Force stop Play Store app

2. Disable Play Store app, then re-enable it

(the blank app still appeared but had a blue surround)

3. I then decided to clear the Cache and Storage on the Play Store app... and hey presto the blank app has disappeared.

4. Phone remains slightly warm in general use, but nowhere near as hot as previously experienced.

Hope this helps other readers.

[xperiaproiuser]

@milservuk 

Thanks for your report.

I did the same although I didn't clear Play Store's cache or storage.

Instead I just long pressed the blank icon, which got rid of it and also stopped the very quick battery drain and intense heat issue.  Phone might still get a little warm at times but not alarmingly so as it did before getting rid if this icon.

[milservuk]

I thought I had sorted this issue without resorting to a return to factory settings... not so though. Following a reboot of the Sony Xperia 5 III, the 'rogue' blank app circle reappeared, as did the excessive heat/battery drain issue, making the phone almost unusable. The only resolution was to return my phone to factory settings this afternoon, spending a not insignificant amount of time 'reinstalling' my apps and reviewing all the permissions. At least the phone is now 'back to normal'. Whoever released this software update with such a glitch should be ashamed of themselves.

[xperiaproiuser]

@milservuk 

Yes, someone posted on the original XDA-Dev thread where this fix originated that the blank app icon came back.

Did you try performing the same procedure again?

[grumpfuttock]

Xperia 1 mk4..  (bought new in Jan 2023).

I have had the same problems since the update, phone getting very hot, excessive battery consumption, a blank app icon, also my Google Playstore icon on my Home page also disappeared. I read on the Sony UK forum last night that one could get rid of the blank app icon by disabling the Google Playstore app, then holding ones finger on the blank app would make it disappear. It did, so I enabled the Playstore app again. All was fine, before I went to bed, but first thing today the blank app had re-appeared, although the battery percentage was only 3% less than when I went to to bed, but I do turn off my WiFi at night.

So I disabled the Playstore again, held my finger on the blank app icon. it disappeared, and I have left the Google Playstore app disabled all day and despite using my phone quite a lot, during the day, the battery level only dropped by mere 12% and the phone stayed cool.

Having read your advice about clearing the Playstore cache and storage, I have now tried that, and re-enabled the Playstore app and now ½ an hour later the phone is cool, the battery level is the same, and there is at the moment no sign of the dreaded phantom app.... I am now crossing my fingers that it stays that way.

Thanks to everyone here for your helpful advice, I was really puzzled for a few days why my my phone was getting so hot and having such a high Battery consumption !

[JammyJr]

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@jumpsuit wrote:

Hi again

Have you tried a software repair yet?

(I know it may not be ideal but Sony Support would probably tell you to try that first.) 

In case you're not aware of how to perform a software repair, have a look Here 

With either a reset or a software repair you may lose some personal data though and for the repair you will need to know your google account name and password.

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I am worried about my personal data. I would like to ask. What kind of personal data can be lost without being returned? I would make sure it is kept securely.

[JohnnyP]

Disabling Play Store then long press on the empty icon and enabling Play store romved the icon. Thank you! 

[grumpfuttock]

Replying to JohnnyP :-

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@JohnnyP wrote:

Disabling Play Store then long press on the empty icon and enabling Play store romved the icon. Thank you! 

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@JohnnyP wrote:

Disabling Play Store then long press on the empty icon and enabling Play store romved the icon. Thank you! 

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Hi JohnnyP welcome to the forum.

You may find like I did, that just disabling the Google Playstore and holding your finger on the blank App icon, will cause it to go away and battery consumption to drop, but if you don't empty the Playstore cache and delete the storage, it is highly likely it may return to haunt you. If that happens, just disable the Playstore again and empty the cache and delete the app storage, hold you finger on the blank icon again, and when it has disappeared if all goes well, as in my case, it will not return, and your battery consumption should have returned to normal. Then you can re-enable the Playstore app, and all should be fine. Should the phantom app insist on returning to haunt you, then a system repair or factory reset may be necessary, which thankfully, I have never had to do !

[JammyJr]

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@grumpfuttock wrote:

You may find like I did, that just disabling the Google Playstore and holding your finger on the blank App icon, will cause it to go away and battery consumption to drop, but if you don't empty the Playstore cache and delete the storage, it is highly likely it may return to haunt you. If that happens, just disable the Playstore again and empty the cache and delete the app storage, hold you finger on the blank icon again, and when it has disappeared if all goes well, as in my case, it will not return, and your battery consumption should have returned to normal. Then you can re-enable the Playstore app, and all should be fine. Should the phantom app insist on returning to haunt you, then a system repair or factory reset may be necessary, which thankfully, I have never had to do !

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It looks like some kind of virus. Why are applications like this even allowed?

[jumpsuit]

Hi all we have some news

This is still being investigated but the work around for it is as follows:

Empty the Play store storage and cache.
Disable the Play store.

Restart.

Enable play store.