iPad Air screen defect?

[luckylisp]

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?

This my feeling about the uneven lighting as well. Less lights and it being mainly lit on the right. Every iPad I have seen has the right side being brighter. You will also note xendula's post on the previous page where she was told directly by Apple when she exchanged her last Air not to expect even lighting on the Air due to the way it's made. That the light was never going to as even as on her iPad 3.

As far as Apple letting you look at the iPad Air in the store. If you are exchanging it, sure you can tell them you'd like to open it in the store. However, it's difficult to see all issues due to the lighting in the Apple store being so bright. You may notice things like the book spine, any lines, or dust under the screen, but then you could get it home and see the left side is yellow. That is harder to see in the store as is seeing how even it is lit.

 

[Jbru187]

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:

Image

? Maybe adhesive does have something to do with it?

I haven't heard anyone say the yellow tint went away after a certain period of time.

 

[MrGimper]

I haven't heard anyone say the yellow tint went away after a certain period of time.

Mine significantly reduced after baking the screen. However I still saw it so swapped it.

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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:

Image

? Maybe adhesive does have something to do with it?

The ifixit comments are around how the display assembly is fixed to the main body.

The glue issues come from when the LCD was laminated directly to the glass, which only happens on iPhone 4 and onwards.

The glue used in the lamination took time to cure, hence the yellow screen issues experienced with iPhones.

 

[blarivee]

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.

When I open Safari it is on a blank white page with no website open (no content).

 

[redbrown]

When I open Safari it is on a blank white page with no website open (no content).

You can also disable its transparency through settings.

 

[Binarymix]

Mine significantly reduced after baking the screen. However I still saw it so swapped it.

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The ifixit comments are around how the display assembly is fixed to the main body.

The glue issues come from when the LCD was laminated directly to the glass, which only happens on iPhone 4 and onwards.

The glue used in the lamination took time to cure, hence the yellow screen issues experienced with iPhones.

It's not even really glue. It's the adhesion promotor which may cause this. It's a slight off-clear colour. I've worked in the chemical industry;one of the ones I used was dynasylan. Unless it cures properly and completely, you will have a yellowing left behind. Though, this as you mentioned is NOT the case with the iPads.

The diffuser layer is being maligned somehow, multi-coloured LED's, or it's the glass.

I suppose possibly the glue used to adhere the glass to the chassis may leave a gas behind, though I'm not really sure about that, as in most cases the yellowing is in the bottom left corner.

I honestly wish we could easily remove the screens and clean both the lcd, and glass and see if it makes a difference. I can't believe that LG, Samsung, Sharp, whomever would let that many defective screens out.

I truly believe it's inherently a design/materials defect.

 

[atlatnesiti]

Well, unfortunately, after a day or two, I have discovered that the bottom unit actually does have the book spine shadow, but oddly roughly 2 inches right of the left edge. You can see it if you look at an angle.

Not only that, but I have noticed the screen become progressively yellower on the left side. It got worse after the first charge.

I'll keep it for another couple of days, and see how it goes.

Yes, that is the same iPad. It's almost as if the problem gets worse with use.

What problem..? The screen looks beautiful
Unless you have backlight bleeding, this one looks excellent.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

What problem..? The screen looks beautiful
Unless you have backlight bleeding, this one looks excellent.

That looks good to u?

 

[macjoshua]

That looks good to u?

Sadly, that's as good as the best iPad 3 I was able to find a couple years ago. I went through well over a dozen of them, and just gave up and kept one. Retina displays are a bag of hurt on the iPad.

Attached is my iPad 3 screen, which looks eerily similar to many of the Air screens... which is also why I've decided to wait until either Apple gets their act together, or I can convince myself to jump on the Android bandwagon.

 

[Donoban]

Sadly, that's as good as the best iPad 3 I was able to find a couple years ago. I went through well over a dozen of them, and just gave up and kept one. Retina displays are a bag of hurt on the iPad.

Attached is my iPad 3 screen, which looks eerily similar to many of the Air screens... which is also why I've decided to wait until either Apple gets their act together, or I can convince myself to jump on the Android bandwagon.

Do you mean the fact it's not perfectly uniformed white? **** bro, I wouldn't sweat it. It's just an ipad. When you're an old man you'll laugh that you actually gave a **** about this.

I would wait 6 months at which time apple will have released a revision or two. That might be your best hope.

Good luck.

Ps. Don't go android. You'll regret it.

 

[tandeh]

Just got mine today, bit darker on the left, yellowish, but what i don't like is bits of yellow near the middle,not uniform but here and there, I purchased from PC World and i hear it is a really difficult company to deal with for returns, really thinking of returning it.

anyone seen this type of staining, if u look carefully on yours to check, on mine it definatley looks like some type of chemical maybe during lamination?

 

[tandeh]

interesting article, maybe explains why thinner screens prone to yellowing and other defects:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20088479-1/is-lcd-and-led-lcd-hdtv-uniformity-a-problem/

 

[RJCP]

At last

After 5 attempts, I'm exhilarated to report that I've received an iPad Air with a great screen!
Manufactured last week.

Don't give up guys! They're out there!

PS don't ask me to post pictures to prove it. I've been through enoug **** screens to know a good one when I see it!

 

[macjoshua]

After 5 attempts, I'm exhilarated to report that I've received an iPad Air with a great screen!
Manufactured last week.

Don't give up guys! They're out there!

PS don't ask me to post pictures to prove it. I've been through enoug **** screens to know a good one when I see it!

Pics or it didn't happen.

Congrats! Glad you got a good one. Enjoy it.

 

[RJCP]

Pics or it didn't happen.

Congrats! Glad you got a good one. Enjoy it.

Oh, believe me! I am!

 

[whitemag]

Don't give up guys! They're out there!

Yeah, happy birthday man

But like my mom said: I didn't believe it, until I see it

So many guys said, they have a perfect screen, until they've shown the splitted keyboard on a picture.

 

[itjw]

Yeah, happy birthday man

But like my mom said: I didn't believe it, until I see it

So many guys said, they have a perfect screen, until they've shown the splitted keyboard on a picture.

I tend to agree. The reason why people will come up with excuse after excuse NOT to post their own "perfect" screen is because it'll be apparent that it's NOT perfect to the folks that are hyper observant (I'll stop short of saying OCD THIS time, but generally it's what it is =P).

Post a pic, split keyboard, with your username here on MR typed on the screen.

When I see a "perfect" one like that I'll believe they exist.

Otherwise, I tend to believe 100% have it, and there are people who simply don't notice it as much as others. Just like being colorblind, perhaps some people can identify the yellow more than others. Doesn't mean it's not there, just that the effect bothers some more than others. Mine has it too, and it doesn't bug me at all unless I am actively looking for it. Were it NOT for the internet I would have never identified the "problem", nor would 99% of the rest of the user base.

I'm not going to give Apple a high five over it, but I don't blame them either, especially when the VAST majority of folks just won't notice/care.

But ya... you don't have a perfect one. Maybe you don't care that I don't believe you do, but I don't. It's not hard to post a picture, especially with all your fancy iDevices

 

[RJCP]

Yeah, happy birthday man

But like my mom said: I didn't believe it, until I see it

So many guys said, they have a perfect screen, until they've shown the splitted keyboard on a picture.

Dude, believe me.
1st ipad: p*ss yellow left side
2nd: even worst
3rd: same thing plus dead pixels
4th: same thing plus refresh rate interlacing
5th: slightly better tint but awful greenish book spine
6th: no book spine, even tint on the display (slightly on the cold side, but it prefer it), no yellowing.
The only "issue" is some slight light leaking which I can only see if I go for a black screen, max brightness in a completely dark room.

I know a thing or two about testing screens after being through so many replacements.
This is a solid display and I couldn't be happier with it.

For those of you inclined towards checking serials, this is a DMPLRF

 

[VicVendrell]

This review shows a yellow screen in action. The white iPad Air clearly has an inferior screen compared to the other two devices (black iPad Air + iPad 4). He doesn't mention it at all interestingly.

 

[luckylisp]

PS don't ask me to post pictures to prove it. I've been through enoug **** screens to know a good one when I see it!

If you say so.

Glad you got a good one.

 

[Defender2010]

It's not even really glue. It's the adhesion promotor which may cause this. It's a slight off-clear colour. I've worked in the chemical industry;one of the ones I used was dynasylan. Unless it cures properly and completely, you will have a yellowing left behind. Though, this as you mentioned is NOT the case with the iPads.

The diffuser layer is being maligned somehow, multi-coloured LED's, or it's the glass.

I suppose possibly the glue used to adhere the glass to the chassis may leave a gas behind, though I'm not really sure about that, as in most cases the yellowing is in the bottom left corner.

I honestly wish we could easily remove the screens and clean both the lcd, and glass and see if it makes a difference. I can't believe that LG, Samsung, Sharp, whomever would let that many defective screens out.

I truly believe it's inherently a design/materials defect.

I agree with you, and I don't know about you, but I really dislike when people "blame the glue" - as you said the whole glass is not directly fused to the LED the way it is in iPhone 4 and beyond. I think anyone saying that should look for the still obvious gap between the glass and the LED.

 

[blarivee]

This review shows a yellow screen in action. The white iPad Air clearly has an inferior screen compared to the other two devices (black iPad Air + iPad 4). He doesn't mention it at all interestingly.

Yikes, the white one definitely has a yellow tint, an uneven one at that.

 

[RJCP]

If you say so.

Glad you got a good one.

Hehe, thanks, now please... Get 7.1 out because this laggy 4 finger return to the home screen is bloody atrocious!

 

[tandeh]

I agree with you, and I don't know about you, but I really dislike when people "blame the glue" - as you said the whole glass is not directly fused to the LED the way it is in iPhone 4 and beyond. I think anyone saying that should look for the still obvious gap between the glass and the LED.

in the youtube video he says its not laminated, and i have noticed that the ipad screen glass can be pressed in.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

Dude, believe me.
1st ipad: p*ss yellow left side
2nd: even worst
3rd: same thing plus dead pixels
4th: same thing plus refresh rate interlacing
5th: slightly better tint but awful greenish book spine
6th: no book spine, even tint on the display (slightly on the cold side, but it prefer it), no yellowing.
The only "issue" is some slight light leaking which I can only see if I go for a black screen, max brightness in a completely dark room.

I know a thing or two about testing screens after being through so many replacements.
This is a solid display and I couldn't be happier with it.

For those of you inclined towards checking serials, this is a DMPLRF

How do you test refresh rate interlacing?

When I scroll down/up on a certain page with animated gifs, there is a black shadow persisting around those gifs for a second on mine. Is that the problem?

----------

After 5 attempts, I'm exhilarated to report that I've received an iPad Air with a great screen!
Manufactured last week.

Don't give up guys! They're out there!

PS don't ask me to post pictures to prove it. I've been through enoug **** screens to know a good one when I see it!

how do you check the manufacture date?