iPhone 3G Firmware Update 'Fixes' Yellowing of Screens?

[MacRumors]

Some forum members had reported that they felt the 5A347 firmware update would actually improve the "yellow" tint of the iPhone 3G screen.

The 'yellow tint' actually just reflects Apple's choice to use a warmer look to the screen. According to comments by Apple, it was intended to make the display feel more natural. A software change to this setting is not out of the realm of possibility but according to Bob Borchers, Apple's senior director of iPhone marketing, there are no plans to change this at this time.

Ars Technica, however, claims the 5A347 firmware does indeed "fix" this problem:

We have confirmed that updating the firmware from 345 to 347 changes the color calibration to be less yellow. We did this by taking an iPhone purchased at an AT&T store on Friday (5A345), restored and updated its firmware, and compared it to other iPhone 3G models running the 5A345 firmware and 5A347.

The 5A347 firmware in question is the same firmware that was leaked a day early and installed on many of our original iPhones. The firmware comes from Apple and is intended for iPhone 3G use only.

This firmware is still available, but only when you click on "Restore" in iTunes. The actual iPhone 3G ships with 5A345 firmware which is not upgraded automatically to 5A347. However, upon restore, iTunes pulls this newer firmware and uses it.

Ars warns that the upgrade will take at least 30 minutes.

Article Link

[superscientific]

Wow I may have to try that on my wifes iPhone. We both had the same "yellowing" of the screen problem. Last night I ran my iphone to complete battery death and then when I plugged it back in it took about 5 minutes to be able to start up again. Then when the screen came on the Yellowing went away. When I compared it to the wifes phone hers is significantly different. Hers is still got a yellow tint to it.
Maybe a fluke but it worked for me!

I am still running 5A345...

[peterhenley]

what else does 347 fix???

[stuppy]

This didn't work for me.

[thefunkymunky]

Doe it fix the SMS keyboard lag issue?

[spencerlamb]

is anyone else experiencing slow type input when texting? i have 5A347 iphone 3G. does anyone no why this is happening or how it can be sorted?

Cheers
Spencer

Black macbook
Iphone 3g

[higgalls]

Originally Posted by peterhenley

what else does 347 fix???

Yeah im also wanting to know what else it is meant to fix.

Will it be available through a normal 'update' via iTunes, rather than having to do a 'restore'?

[moloukhya]

any fix for the lagging in the contacts application?

[damnyooneek]

still yellow it does nothing different from what i can see.

[RedKola]

What a load of rubbish, makes absolutely no difference to the screen and just removes all your media and wastes your time.

Honestly, don't bother.

[ppc_michael]

Man, Apple has been messing up a lot lately.

[QCassidy352]

Originally Posted by ppc_michael

Man, Apple has been messing up a lot lately.

how exactly was this "messing up?" The more yellow screen is intentional.

[jamesarm97]

Originally Posted by moloukhya

any fix for the lagging in the contacts application?

I thought it was just me. I click on Contacts and the list comes up, but it is almost 10 seconds or more before the scroll or tap on a name works. Even when the contact comes up there is a delay when clicking on the phone number.

[avigalante]

I actually like the yellow effect.

The color display on the screen certainly looks more vibrant than before.

[cwheatley]

the lagging in the contacts and sms, as well as other text entry areas is seconded here by a 1st gen iPhone owner, so it's an os issue... i've found that the sms problem can be fixed by exiting out of it and opening it up a few times, but my contact lagging is 100% consistent.

[DMann]

Originally Posted by avigalante

I actually like the yellow effect.

The color display on the screen certainly looks more vibrant than before.

Comparing the 1st Gen to the 3G side by side, the 3G is much sharper in its display of app icons than the 1st Gen iPhone. The color is warmer and more vibrant as well. As far as a lag in contacts are concerned, no lag here, and SMS actually lags less with 3G than with the 1st Gen.

[ppc_michael]

Originally Posted by QCassidy352

how exactly was this "messing up?" The more yellow screen is intentional.

Lots of people dislike the yellow screen. And then there is (or at least was) confusion as to hardware vs. software problem and whether or not it's fixed.

[Dammit Cubs]

The lagging is the result of the Apps store. There are x times more processes then ever before.

expect more lagging.

[xix]

Originally Posted by Dammit Cubs

The lagging is the result of the Apps store. There are x times more processes then ever before.

expect more lagging.

Not really. When you close an app, it stops running.

[losierp]

Originally Posted by Dammit Cubs

The lagging is the result of the Apps store. There are x times more processes then ever before.

expect more lagging.

x more processes?

I don't think that the case. The moment you press the home button, the app closes. It does still have the ability to receive push updates from the cloud, but that is a single process of the OS.

[Kinkade]

I found that the yellowing was slightly reduced after restoring, but honestly I would have never noticed it at all if I hadn't compared to my original iPhone.

I find the warmer tone to be fine. Overall the new screen seams to be brighter and better. I doubt many of you would have even ever noticed the yellow tint if someone would not have posted a thread about it. Except of course for the few of you who have screens that look like bananas, but thats a small minority.

[xix]

Originally Posted by losierp

It does still have the ability to receive push updates from the cloud, but that is a single process of the OS.

That is not accurate, either. That functionality is coming via an update in September. As of right now, when a (third party) app exits, it is fully terminated.


I find it amazing how people continue to make things up and present them as fact when they really have no clue.

[darkfiber]

Is the "yellowing" a color temperature setting that Apple changed perhaps and thus could be altered in software like you can on other displays (like my Dell LCD panel)? Or is the screen (hardware) itself that way?

[darkfiber]

double post please delete

[phaggard]

I assume most people posting here that got the Iphone 3G must be new to gadgets and must not have had any previous Palm or Pocket PC PDA's. If you think Apple is really messing up, you really need to talk to us that have had these other gadgets in the past. Compared to the PDA evolution, Apple is outstanding. If complaining about a yellow tint in the screen is the major complaint, that isn't anything. It took the Pocket PC software about 3 years to correct that problem. We started with very poor resolution screens and you had to buy the newest one every year hoping this one was going to be the good one. No? Wait for the next model. I think Apple has one fanstastic gadget and they are allowed to have a hickup here and there. Also giving a free major upgrade for older phones when they release a new model? Microsoft used to charge $29 - $39 for that type of upgrade.