Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad Air screen defect?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I have a question for those of you that have been dealing with these screen problems: how successful have you been at getting a better screen one a replacement unit? I am currently thinking about switching from my rMini to an Air after setting one up for my grandmother last weekend. I like the weight of the rMini, but the brighter colors of the Air's screen make it so much nicer to look at and it's not that much heavier. So I decided to buy an Air and try it for a few days, returning the one I decided not to keep.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but am leaning toward the Air. However, I have noticed that the Air I got does have the book spine shadow/slightly yellow hue on the left side of the screen. It's not super pronounced (and not nearly as noticeable as some of the pictures in this thread), but it's there. There is also a tiny speck of dust under the screen about a centimeter from the bottom in portrait mode. So, if I keep the Air, I would at least think about getting it replaced. Neither issue is so huge that I can't use the device. But it seems silly to pay that much for something that revolves around the screen and not get a nice screen.

So, my question is, if I exchanged this Air, would I be more likely to get a better one? Is it even worth taking the risk that the replacement might be worse?
 
In my case I've tried to swap my current iPad air with 3rd different ones in 2 different Apple Stores (2 iPad Air 32Gb like mine and 1 64Gb, all only WIFI) and I stepped back each time because the iPad Air supposed to replace mine had a worst screen.
I'm still not satisfied with mine because the brightness is uneven and I'm expecting a new batch in order to try again... Even though this coming tricky to go back in the Apple Store and ask for another replacement... This my first experience like this with an Apple product, usually I got the 2nd time something perfect to my eyes (it happen with m previous iPad mini and with my iPhone5, but when swapping once it was good).


MacDevil7334 said:
I have a question for those of you that have been dealing with these screen problems: how successful have you been at getting a better screen one a replacement unit? I am currently thinking about switching from my rMini to an Air after setting one up for my grandmother last weekend. I like the weight of the rMini, but the brighter colors of the Air's screen make it so much nicer to look at and it's not that much heavier. So I decided to buy an Air and try it for a few days, returning the one I decided not to keep.


I haven't made up my mind yet, but am leaning toward the Air. However, I have noticed that the Air I got does have the book spine shadow/slightly yellow hue on the left side of the screen. It's not super pronounced (and not nearly as noticeable as some of the pictures in this thread), but it's there. There is also a tiny speck of dust under the screen about a centimeter from the bottom in portrait mode. So, if I keep the Air, I would at least think about getting it replaced. Neither issue is so huge that I can't use the device. But it seems silly to pay that much for something that revolves around the screen and not get a nice screen.

So, my question is, if I exchanged this Air, would I be more likely to get a better one? Is it even worth taking the risk that the replacement might be worse?
Click to expand...
 
MacDevil7334 said:
So, my question is, if I exchanged this Air, would I be more likely to get a better one? Is it even worth taking the risk that the replacement might be worse?
Click to expand...

From what's obvious from that thread and the thread over at Apples forum, it sounds like people get a correct iPad Air after three-four attempts. Some people went through 8 units before they got an acceptable one. Myself am on my way to my third replacement. So, to answer your question, all depends on your patience.
 
hey guys where can I get a good white picture or other pictures to further test my ipad?
 
Does anyone else have the tint but isn't bothered by it? I would never have noticed it either if it wasn't for everyone complaining about it. Maybe it's just there but not as bad as others.
 
I have discovered that looking at my screen at different angles can completely get rid of the effect. In other words, if I tilt the iPads top away from me, the screen looks completely White with no yellow.

This seems to confirm my previous hypothesis that it is the glass itself, and not any glue or anything else. It's like a polarized lens. One angle looks yellow, and another angle looks white.
 
Just a got a third replacement and rather than a half-yellow display, the top half is green tinted while the bottom half is pink/red tinted... One more exchange for a different batch and my money is going elsewhere.
 
RJCP said:
How can it not recognise an unevenly tinted screen as a problem? I'm not even going to enumerate the reasons why this is a problem. It's everything but "within spec".
Click to expand...

Oh, what can I say. This problem is both a design flaw and a QC failure. When they told me "still not recognized as a issue in the system, and screen color issue is not a quality problem according to the local law", I was shocked. As long as they are not refusing my replace request, I will keep wasting my time and keep changing it, I have no temper.

Got my 3rd back, nicely cheddar and creamy cheese half 'n half on the screen(oh, double cheese). then...
Hello iPad! See you iPad!
 
Mine looked okay on a white picture. However when I use Safari, I noticed the grey bar on the top changed from yellow on the left to purple on the right. I flip the whole display around and sure enough, the yellow is on the right side now. I thought it was weird that the yellow tint didn't show up on a all white picture.
 
blarivee said:
Mine looked okay on a white picture. However when I use Safari, I noticed the grey bar on the top changed from yellow on the left to purple on the right. I flip the whole display around and sure enough, the yellow is on the right side now. I thought it was weird that the yellow tint didn't show up on a all white picture.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing. May be the yellow tint is so subtle that we don't notice it in white screen. A staff at Apple store didn't see the tint and refused to exchange so I'll return and purchase one more time.
 
Top 25% of my iPad Air has pink tone. Very slight. Can actually see issue better in sepia book mode as it shows a darker sepia at the top. Yes. Flipping iPad sends 25% pink area to bottom.
 
So that's why iPads have the profit margins they do. Precisely because of people who abuse Apple's return policy like this.
 
Abazigal said:
people who abuse
Click to expand...

Abuse? Abuse? Who actually abuse who ? Those who sell $800 pads with screen half yellow half white, or those who give their money and don't get what they paid for?
Abuse? Yes, telling customers that yellow tint on the iPad Air is not a fault, yes , THAT is abuse. And that causes smaller profit margins, not customers.
Unbelievable.
 
I find it hard to believe that you have to go through 3-8 iPads before getting one of acceptable quality. Isn't that implying that what...only 20% of all iPads manufactured are fit for sale? Does that sound right? The people are either supremely unlucky, or just unreasonably fussy, IMO.
 
Abazigal said:
I find it hard to believe that you have to go through 3-8 iPads before getting one of acceptable quality. Isn't that implying that what...only 20% of all iPads manufactured are fit for sale? Does that sound right? The people are either supremely unlucky, or just unreasonably fussy, IMO.
Click to expand...

Try lining up the iPad airs that I have had next to a previous generation iPad that has a uniform white screen. You will see the difference. You say "picky." I say that there is a level of expectation that has already been attained by apple that we are allowed to have. They should be matching it!
 
Went yesterday to the Apple Store to see if I'm lucky swapping with a perfect screen (32gb, Wifi only, Silver) expecting that new batch came out:

. 1st tentative, the iPad Air screen was yellowish in comparaison with mine witch clearly a left side less brighter. The serial was starting with DMRL supposed to be good (according to previous posts) - for information I've asked to get DLXLR, DMTLJ or DMRL because of the good feedback from previous posts... And this was the only iPad there matching with one those serial.

. 2nd tentative, the iPad Air screen was still more yellow than my current one. I don't recall the Serial because it was not starting with one of the three above supposed to be "good"... The screen was very close to the other one above.

In each case the Apple sales assistant confirmed me that the screens of the proposed iPad Air were yellowish... Especially when they were close to mine (blueish/cooler) side by side but mine still not perfect for me.

At the end I spent 1hr on site for nothing and for sure the Serial Number means nothing since I picked at least one supposed to be good without success...
 
Last edited:
lyngo said:
Try lining up the iPad airs that I have had next to a previous generation iPad that has a uniform white screen. You will see the difference. You say "picky." I say that there is a level of expectation that has already been attained by apple that we are allowed to have. They should be matching it!
Click to expand...

Exactly. My previous iPad didn't have unevenness, so why is it something I have to suddenly be less picky about when I'm paying the same price? I'm beginning to believe Apple could simply use a cheaper display and the majority would be satisfied with it.
 
blarivee said:
Mine looked okay on a white picture. However when I use Safari, I noticed the grey bar on the top changed from yellow on the left to purple on the right. I flip the whole display around and sure enough, the yellow is on the right side now. I thought it was weird that the yellow tint didn't show up on a all white picture.
Click to expand...

Safar's header bar is transparent, meaning the content underneath shows through.

Please don't return your ipad if this is the reason for the discolouration.

You most likely have a good screen if you open up a white photo in the photos app, and everything is good.
 
I know there has been talk of the possibility of uncured glue causing the yellowing screen, but people have disputed that claim saying it isn't glued like previous Ipad models. But that seems contradictory to ifixit's Air teardown:

1ifpxv.jpg


? Maybe adhesive does have something to do with it?
 
joe guillian said:
In my case I've tried to swap my current iPad air with 3rd different ones in 2 different Apple Stores (2 iPad Air 32Gb like mine and 1 64Gb, all only WIFI) and I stepped back each time because the iPad Air supposed to replace mine had a worst screen.
I'm still not satisfied with mine because the brightness is uneven and I'm expecting a new batch in order to try again... Even though this coming tricky to go back in the Apple Store and ask for another replacement... This my first experience like this with an Apple product, usually I got the 2nd time something perfect to my eyes (it happen with m previous iPad mini and with my iPhone5, but when swapping once it was good).
Click to expand...

Fuelflow said:
From what's obvious from that thread and the thread over at Apples forum, it sounds like people get a correct iPad Air after three-four attempts. Some people went through 8 units before they got an acceptable one. Myself am on my way to my third replacement. So, to answer your question, all depends on your patience.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. After doing a bit more research, I'm starting to think the book spine shadow issue is simply a compromise (flaw?) in the iPad Air's design. Everyone was crying for a full size iPad that was proportionally as light and portable as the Mini. To make that happen with the Air, Apple switched to a more advanced IGZO screen that allowed them to achieve the same screen brightness with only one row of LED back lights instead of two. This is great for weight and power reduction but it also means it is much harder to get even backlighting. The old iPads had light sources on both the left and right of the screen. The Air only has a light source on the right side (I'm guessing since that seems to be the brightest side on almost everyone's screens). That means the light on the Air has to be diffused across the whole screen from right to left. Given that setup, I'm not surprised there is a little unevenness and that would also explain the shadow on the left side of the screen. It's probably more pronounced on some units than others. But, at the end of the day, it think it's likely a design compromise that had to be made to give us the light iPad we all wanted.

With all that said, I don't really know what to do about my unit. The unevenness is there but not terribly pronounced. And I don't have any expectation at this point of getting a screen that is a whole lot better. On the other hand, the dust particle is a bit more annoying, though I could probably live with it since it is at the bottom of the screen. I just don't want to hop on the return merry go round when it seems like there is a decent chance I could end up with a worse screen.

If I go to the Apple store, will they let me look at the screen on the replacement unit before I agree to swap mine out?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back