IPhone Screen Oddly Dim After Software Update

This started right after a software update:
I cannot see the screen in sunlight without removing my sunglasses any more, (I have tried recalibrating the brightness using the auto brightness on/off, light/dark technique) yet when the screen rolls from portrait to landscape or back the edges of the screen flash the old intensity briefly before disappearing.
Also, the keypad letter pop-ups and autocorrect suggestions get visually stuck until I press the space bar, but operationally work.
I can't find any posts with users noting these kinds of faults and so I have turned to here.
I am a privacy advocate and have the signal app on my phone, which I'm sure is not welcomed by the UAE (where I live). Since the government once created a glitchy blackberry app to allow it back-door entry into the phones for surveillance (it didn't work well, they then shut down the entire blackberry system nation-wide for three days to force RIM's hand) I am wondering if this is a known bug or is my possible paranoia right and I have been targeted by the government on my phone? (Although, thinking about it, my apple account is in the UK and aren't GCHQ one of the most expansive surveillance systems around?)

Could be paranoid and maybe a restore then redo the software update might work. I'll try that in a bit...

With any update there is the possibility of a app issues but you seem to have a wide variety of issues. A restore might be a good idea.

I don't use any encryption apps but I could see where an update might mess with the smooth operation of one.

Try your idea of a reset and see what happens.

Lisa