Ah yeah, you’re right. But since then, everyone has been saying that!

Back gesture exists, though. It works in all the apps I use regularly. Which apps do you find it to not work in?

Maybe you mainly type with your left thumb, if you even type with your thumbs at all. My right thumb does most of the work when typing, and I hit the period button 9/10 times and have done so since probably my first iPhone.

Then try single-tapping it. Both work for me, but the single tap is extremely inconsistent. Sometimes it’s impossible to move the typing indicator because it keeps highlighting whatever word is closest, other times it works first try. But I can definitely still highlight words in both ways.

Just use Siri or speech to text if you’re that lazy lmao.

People say this every year after the new iPhones come out.

Have you updated to the newest version of iOS? I had slightly similar issues - not quite the same, and they went away with an update. My phone was nowhere near as bad as what you described, though, so maybe yours is actually defective.