thing is - I had no idea this was an issue on my phone until I used the test image and followed the instructions. I want to swap, but how are people noticing this during general usage?
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Screen interlacing serial numer starting with F2
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Oppressed
macrumors 65816
It's funny really. In the case with this interlacing issue I didn't have a problem with my iPhone. I didn't notice the issue at all until I stumbled upon this thread and loaded the test image. Now that I've swapped my iPhone for one that doesn't have this issue my OCD has subsided, but still I feel as though reading these forums comes with an inherent risk for those who are overly OCD such as myself. What issue will be discovered next and is it better not knowing?
Breezygirl
macrumors 6502a
How did you exchange? seems that others on the thread weren't able to because the genius then put the image on their phone and also saw the flickering. Also they'll just say it's the wallpaper and switching to different image/screen causes flicker to go away..?
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Oppressed
macrumors 65816
Well what I did was load the image onto a display model that didn't flicker so they wouldn't be tempted to load it on another phone possibly flickering as well. Also I must have gotten a nicer guy than the ones the posters above me dealt with.
Gotcha, thanks. I wonder if it's easier to just call Apple - tell them about the problem so they'll send you a new one 🙂
Or that could backfire in case you get another with the same issue
Hi guys,
i've been reading this post for weeks now and wanged to share my experience.
I had 3 iPhones 5 starting with DN (week 49), all bought in Germany. And all three had this ugly interlacing lines. I can ser them definitlely and they drive me crazy. Neither my iPhone 4 nor my 4S had this.
I am waiting for my fourth DN model to arrive tomorrow.
Some people see it some dont. I can see them almost everywhere on the display and it's a big problem for me, but I will not do any exchanges anymore. I pay alot of money and I want a display which does not flicker or have any lines....
i've been reading this post for weeks now and wanged to share my experience.
I had 3 iPhones 5 starting with DN (week 49), all bought in Germany. And all three had this ugly interlacing lines. I can ser them definitlely and they drive me crazy. Neither my iPhone 4 nor my 4S had this.
I am waiting for my fourth DN model to arrive tomorrow.
Some people see it some dont. I can see them almost everywhere on the display and it's a big problem for me, but I will not do any exchanges anymore. I pay alot of money and I want a display which does not flicker or have any lines....
iPhone 5 DN Interlacing Nightmare
Hey everyone.
I bought a white iPhone 5 with serial number starting with DN about two weeks ago, and I noticed all of the things mentioned here. My iPhone screen looks like crap compared to my 4S. Mainly on the gray background behind the keyboard, and blue/grey colors. I visited the genius bar the first time, and after comparing it to his own phone (which by the way had the problem), the genius told me that they have a new touch matrix that may be causing the issue with sensitive eyes. And he told me the dreaded words "its within spec."
I was willing to accept that as the truth, but as I was walking out of the store (the store was closing), I picked up a display phone and saw the screen was beautiful. That bothered me knowing that there are iPhone 5s out there with beautiful screens.
Took it in again. Genius saw the issue, but said it was a software issue. Told me to restore the phone and upgrade to 6.1 and if it is still doing that, come back and replace the phone. I followed his instructions, and sure enough, it was a hardware issue.
Went again today. Took my 45 minutes to convince the genius I am not crazy. He finally saw the issue after he dragged one of his workmates over to take a look. He replaced the phone with another DN unit that had the issue. I told him it still had the issue, and he went to the back and got a second one. DN unit. Had the issue.
Despite the problem still existing, he told me to go on my merry way and be on the lookout for "recall news". I took the replacement unit anyway because the issue is slightly less noticable (but still headache inducing)
I am thinking of taking my phone back because I am still within my 30 day return period. I will then buy a new one, and it hopefully won't have that problem. I suggest if you have the option to do that, do it. It takes a lot of wind to convince the geniuses that this is an actual issue. Luckily I have 2 Apple stores in my city, so I can take it back to one store, and buy a new one at the other store! 😉
These are some things I would suggest though if you are planning to meet up with a genius (if you only want to make one trip to the apple store)
1. BACK UP and restore your iPhone. Set the phone up as a new iPhone (*DONT do it through the computer unless you know what you are doing Go through the setup menus on the phone, you don't want to overwrite your back up. Back it up to multiple computers if you can). You can always restore from an old backup. Eliminate any possibility that it is a software issue. It is NOT a software issue, but the genius wont believe you.
2. Come to the store ahead of time and find a phone without that issue. Load that test image on the background/wallpaper. Also, make sure you know the link for that image.
3. Say "I am seeing vertical scan lines in certain places such as the grey area behind the keyboard, and the mail app." It took me a few tries to explain what I was seeing. Finally got it down to a science.
4. If he/she tries to compare it to his/her personal iPhone and it has the issue, don't let him/her do that. Know which display phones don't have the issue, and take the genius on a field trip outside of their little corner in the back of the store and out onto the sales floor.
5. Mention the correlation between the issue and the serial number. DN units seem to have it. I guess F2 and C3. If you can, ask for an F1. The display phone I saw didn't have the issue and it had an F1.
If you have this issue, its a hit or miss whether or not your genius will replace it for you. It's also a hit or miss whether or not your replacement iPhone will have the issue.
You might just have to live with it. As someone mentioned earlier, this is pretty much the epitome of a first world problem haha.
For me, I am contemplating going back to my 4S or using the money I used to get a phone to buy a Samsung Galaxy 3S or whatever its called. People seem to love that crap-ass plasticky toy. Apple is hurting without Steve Jobs. 🙁
Hey everyone.
I bought a white iPhone 5 with serial number starting with DN about two weeks ago, and I noticed all of the things mentioned here. My iPhone screen looks like crap compared to my 4S. Mainly on the gray background behind the keyboard, and blue/grey colors. I visited the genius bar the first time, and after comparing it to his own phone (which by the way had the problem), the genius told me that they have a new touch matrix that may be causing the issue with sensitive eyes. And he told me the dreaded words "its within spec."
I was willing to accept that as the truth, but as I was walking out of the store (the store was closing), I picked up a display phone and saw the screen was beautiful. That bothered me knowing that there are iPhone 5s out there with beautiful screens.
Took it in again. Genius saw the issue, but said it was a software issue. Told me to restore the phone and upgrade to 6.1 and if it is still doing that, come back and replace the phone. I followed his instructions, and sure enough, it was a hardware issue.
Went again today. Took my 45 minutes to convince the genius I am not crazy. He finally saw the issue after he dragged one of his workmates over to take a look. He replaced the phone with another DN unit that had the issue. I told him it still had the issue, and he went to the back and got a second one. DN unit. Had the issue.
Despite the problem still existing, he told me to go on my merry way and be on the lookout for "recall news". I took the replacement unit anyway because the issue is slightly less noticable (but still headache inducing)
I am thinking of taking my phone back because I am still within my 30 day return period. I will then buy a new one, and it hopefully won't have that problem. I suggest if you have the option to do that, do it. It takes a lot of wind to convince the geniuses that this is an actual issue. Luckily I have 2 Apple stores in my city, so I can take it back to one store, and buy a new one at the other store! 😉
These are some things I would suggest though if you are planning to meet up with a genius (if you only want to make one trip to the apple store)
1. BACK UP and restore your iPhone. Set the phone up as a new iPhone (*DONT do it through the computer unless you know what you are doing Go through the setup menus on the phone, you don't want to overwrite your back up. Back it up to multiple computers if you can). You can always restore from an old backup. Eliminate any possibility that it is a software issue. It is NOT a software issue, but the genius wont believe you.
2. Come to the store ahead of time and find a phone without that issue. Load that test image on the background/wallpaper. Also, make sure you know the link for that image.
3. Say "I am seeing vertical scan lines in certain places such as the grey area behind the keyboard, and the mail app." It took me a few tries to explain what I was seeing. Finally got it down to a science.
4. If he/she tries to compare it to his/her personal iPhone and it has the issue, don't let him/her do that. Know which display phones don't have the issue, and take the genius on a field trip outside of their little corner in the back of the store and out onto the sales floor.
5. Mention the correlation between the issue and the serial number. DN units seem to have it. I guess F2 and C3. If you can, ask for an F1. The display phone I saw didn't have the issue and it had an F1.
If you have this issue, its a hit or miss whether or not your genius will replace it for you. It's also a hit or miss whether or not your replacement iPhone will have the issue.
You might just have to live with it. As someone mentioned earlier, this is pretty much the epitome of a first world problem haha.
For me, I am contemplating going back to my 4S or using the money I used to get a phone to buy a Samsung Galaxy 3S or whatever its called. People seem to love that crap-ass plasticky toy. Apple is hurting without Steve Jobs. 🙁
Very glad I found this topic. My iphone 5 is 3 weeks old and I've noticed the interlacing since day 1. It's an F2 serial number manufactures in Dec. 2012.
I didn't bring the subject up because I thought it may have been due to the display being bigger or something like that, but yesterday I went to my local Apple Store and none of the display units exhibited the interlacing (nor did my 4S, for that matter).
I'm a bit reluctant to exchange it. Have people kind of isolated the problem to a specific serial no. already? As far as I can read its mainly an F2 issue, but my partner's phone is a DN and has the same problem.
Covent Garden geniuses are usually very attentive and won't raise issues with exchanging phones, but my question is how accommodating they'd be if we needed to go through several replacement phones on the spot until we found one without problems.
Any advice?
I didn't bring the subject up because I thought it may have been due to the display being bigger or something like that, but yesterday I went to my local Apple Store and none of the display units exhibited the interlacing (nor did my 4S, for that matter).
I'm a bit reluctant to exchange it. Have people kind of isolated the problem to a specific serial no. already? As far as I can read its mainly an F2 issue, but my partner's phone is a DN and has the same problem.
Covent Garden geniuses are usually very attentive and won't raise issues with exchanging phones, but my question is how accommodating they'd be if we needed to go through several replacement phones on the spot until we found one without problems.
Any advice?
MrGimper
macrumors G3
I've not got this issue with my iPhone 5, but I know exactly what it's about.
I had it with an iPhone 4 when it was released and it used to do my head in, quite literally. The very faint "shimmering" you could see as you moved your eye around the screen. You can see it quite clearly if you blink several times in quick succession whilst looking at the screen.
I also had it with an iPad mini. I could see the shimmering especially well on blue icons such as the Facebook icon. if you moved your eyes off the icon then back onto it, it would "shimmer" briefly before your eyes got used to it.
It reminds me of the days of the Amiga, with its interlaced graphics modes 🙂
I had it with an iPhone 4 when it was released and it used to do my head in, quite literally. The very faint "shimmering" you could see as you moved your eye around the screen. You can see it quite clearly if you blink several times in quick succession whilst looking at the screen.
I also had it with an iPad mini. I could see the shimmering especially well on blue icons such as the Facebook icon. if you moved your eyes off the icon then back onto it, it would "shimmer" briefly before your eyes got used to it.
It reminds me of the days of the Amiga, with its interlaced graphics modes 🙂
I took my phone in today to the Covent Garden store. I talked with a really nice genius who raised no question whatsoever when I showed him the phone. He actually said "wow" when he saw it. We talked for a while and he said he had the same problem with his rMBP and it's not really an issue until you notice it for the first time. After that he agreed that it really does your head and he said he'd exchange it even though it is one of those things that Apple doesn't officially consider an issue (which, according to him was not his personal opinion). It also doesn't help if you've got Myopia, which I do, because that means that your vision close to the actual objects will be above average and you'll be able to distinguish details that people with normal vision won't (the whole "you can't distinguish individual pixels" publicity for the retina display is a major overstatement to me because I need to hold the phone almost 30cm away from my face to stop being able to distinguish pixels).
All in all, I got a new "service" phone. Cosmetically absolutely perfect (even more than my initial model which had an assbly dent on the top and a scratch on the bottom) and with a perfect screen without interlacing.
I checked the manufacturing data and it was manufactures at a C3 factory last month.
I had similar issues with my first 2 iPad 3. Both manifactured at Foxconn and both had dead pixels and scuffs and dents on the aluminium. Because I got it 2 weeks before the iPad 4 came out, I returned it and exchanged for the 4, manifactured at C3. Absolutely perfect.
I think Apple really needs to close the circle on Foxconn to get their act together regarding quality control.
All in all, I got a new "service" phone. Cosmetically absolutely perfect (even more than my initial model which had an assbly dent on the top and a scratch on the bottom) and with a perfect screen without interlacing.
I checked the manufacturing data and it was manufactures at a C3 factory last month.
I had similar issues with my first 2 iPad 3. Both manifactured at Foxconn and both had dead pixels and scuffs and dents on the aluminium. Because I got it 2 weeks before the iPad 4 came out, I returned it and exchanged for the 4, manifactured at C3. Absolutely perfect.
I think Apple really needs to close the circle on Foxconn to get their act together regarding quality control.
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Glad I'm not the only one. I got a white iPhone 5 last night, serial number starting with F18 (China, Zhengzhou - Foxconn factory), week 1 of this year. I noticed the issue IMMEDIATELY when I got home. It's especially noticeable on games with scrolling, like Tiny Wings.
Going to go back and see if they'll let me look at the serials on a few boxes before exchanging.
For anyone wondering how to get your phone's manufacturing info: http://www.chipmunk.nl/cgi-fast/applemodel.cgi
I'm planning to open that on my phone and enter a few 'til I find one from a different factory. 🙂
EDIT: Went and exchanged mine. All I had to do was show them the phone with that image set as the wallpaper and they were more than happy to exchange (at Walmart). Wound up with a DN, week 52 (December) 2012, screen is fantastic.
Interestingly, the girl that did the return said "Yeah there have been a lot more problems with the white ones." Not sure how much truth there is to that. But sure enough, my white one had HORRIBLE interlacing-looking lines on the screen, and the black one I just got has none (black was all they had left). *shrug*
Going to go back and see if they'll let me look at the serials on a few boxes before exchanging.
For anyone wondering how to get your phone's manufacturing info: http://www.chipmunk.nl/cgi-fast/applemodel.cgi
I'm planning to open that on my phone and enter a few 'til I find one from a different factory. 🙂
EDIT: Went and exchanged mine. All I had to do was show them the phone with that image set as the wallpaper and they were more than happy to exchange (at Walmart). Wound up with a DN, week 52 (December) 2012, screen is fantastic.
Interestingly, the girl that did the return said "Yeah there have been a lot more problems with the white ones." Not sure how much truth there is to that. But sure enough, my white one had HORRIBLE interlacing-looking lines on the screen, and the black one I just got has none (black was all they had left). *shrug*
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kockgunner
macrumors 68000
All my interlacing screens have been black models. I find it interesting that you got an iPhone built 4 months ago. Walmart must not sell a lot of phones?
I bought an ip5 on Friday and have just swapped to my third one and it still has this issue. All three phones were F2 Foxconn.
I have decided to get a refund and go to the galaxyS4,such a shame.
I have decided to get a refund and go to the galaxyS4,such a shame.
kockgunner
macrumors 68000
I don't know what the heck is wrong with Foxconn. They are still making crap devices. I had replaced so many iPhones during the launch month and finally got a good screen. However it got stolen last week and I got a white iPhone 5. I noticed interlacing and I just checked the serial and it's F2. I never thought this issue would haunt me again.
This time it doesn't bother me as much. Maybe it's because I'm less picky than last year but I'm really disappointed.
P.S. I tried the S4 for a day but returned it because I couldn't stand it. The screen is much better than iPhone though save for brightness and colour accuracy.
Zaft
macrumors 601
Same with me. Mine is DN and I set the wallpaper. No flickering.
Made at foxconn January 2013.
It looks like I've officially entered the lottery. The replacement one I got for my initial one with really bad interlacing developed a connectivity problem. One day it go so hot while I was browsing under 3G that I had to set it aside to cool down (I was only on Twitter without location services enabled). After that my data connection under 3G became simply unreliable, LTE would work fine but as soon as it would go back to 3G or 2G, I'd have a full signal but the data connection wouldn't work.
Walked into to the Apple Store with it, got a replacement one cosmetically perfect but with the interlacing issue again. I'm gonna hold on until iOS7 becomes available because the issue seems to be mainly noticeable under blue/gray colors and considering the amount of white on iOS7, it should stop bothering me.
The interesting thing is that this replacement phone was manufactured at the same factory of my previous replacement phone which had very very little interlacing.
God knows what's gonna be the manufacturing issue when the 5S is released...
Walked into to the Apple Store with it, got a replacement one cosmetically perfect but with the interlacing issue again. I'm gonna hold on until iOS7 becomes available because the issue seems to be mainly noticeable under blue/gray colors and considering the amount of white on iOS7, it should stop bothering me.
The interesting thing is that this replacement phone was manufactured at the same factory of my previous replacement phone which had very very little interlacing.
God knows what's gonna be the manufacturing issue when the 5S is released...
