Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
All iPads Another iPad (Air), another (pink/green) unevenly tinted display.
- Thread starter Sowelu
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You just need to find a "perfect" iPad you think used for exhibition in the apple store and then compare the iPad you bought with that one. The difference must be very noticeable and then show it the the so-called Apple genius.
This is how I replaced my iPad 3 then due to the same issue. I will hold off the iPad air for now.
Hope it helps.
Last edited:
I don't own an iPad air, i was just asking so i knew how to check when i went to have a look at one. It turns out the one i looked at in PC World was perfect, but i decided against it anyway and am going to wait for the mini retina.
Lets hope the mini retina's are all ok because they are going to be in short supply and the only way to get one at launch will be to order online as soon as they become available, i think they are going to sell out straight away.
Lets hope the mini retina's are all ok because they are going to be in short supply and the only way to get one at launch will be to order online as soon as they become available, i think they are going to sell out straight away.
Interesting that these issues are still ongoing. I've bought an iPad of every generation and always ended up returning it because of display uniformity issues.
With the first and second gen units I always found that the backlight brightness went from slightly darker down the left hand side to lighter on the right. It's been present on every unit I've seen so I suspect it's inherent in the design - perhaps the backlight LEDs are situated on the right hand side of the screen.
As for the Retina iPads, every single one I've used has had horrible uniformity to my eyes. Some are better than others, but I wouldn't have been happy to pay for any of them. It's always been the same - green, purple and yellow tints. I bought an iPad Air and it was the same, so it was returned.
This seems to be strange, though, as it's rarely mentioned in reviews and there are millions of very happy iPad owners. I've sometimes wondered if it may be down to varying levels of colour perception among people - I scored perfectly on this test of colour perception while a lot of my friends didn't score that well. It'd be interesting to see if those who score well on tests like these are the ones seeing these issues.
With the first and second gen units I always found that the backlight brightness went from slightly darker down the left hand side to lighter on the right. It's been present on every unit I've seen so I suspect it's inherent in the design - perhaps the backlight LEDs are situated on the right hand side of the screen.
As for the Retina iPads, every single one I've used has had horrible uniformity to my eyes. Some are better than others, but I wouldn't have been happy to pay for any of them. It's always been the same - green, purple and yellow tints. I bought an iPad Air and it was the same, so it was returned.
This seems to be strange, though, as it's rarely mentioned in reviews and there are millions of very happy iPad owners. I've sometimes wondered if it may be down to varying levels of colour perception among people - I scored perfectly on this test of colour perception while a lot of my friends didn't score that well. It'd be interesting to see if those who score well on tests like these are the ones seeing these issues.
Bought iPad Air 32gb at the Apple Store, Colorado Springs. Set it up at home and immediately noted bluish tinge, darker on the left. Increasing brightness reduces this, but it is still visible. Compared predominately light screen to 2012 Nexus 7: Ipad Air is bluish, Nexus 7 is almost white and Uniform. Returned iPad Air today, telling one of the staff about my experience. He offered another iPad Air in exchange, but I will wait a month or two and perhaps try again...or check out the 2013 Nexus 10 If it is ever produced.
The return policy clearly reflects their lack QA. If they knew their QA was up to par there wouldn't be a need for such a lax return policy especially with such generous gross margins.
If you knew anything about business I'm
sure you wouldn't say that's silly. It cost much more
money to have proper QA than to ship substandard products especially when most of your customers accept these products because the Apple logo is on it. If this was a Microsoft product people would be up in arms and then factor in the laggy beta iOS 7, but because it's Apple they are given yet another free pass.
damn this thread.
I thought the screen looked fine until I downloaded a white image and cranked up the brightness.
I can definitely see it's darker on the top and left side of the screen.
It almost looks like a dirty smudge- (but I cleaned the screen)
The bottom right corner seems brighter.
I also notice the perception of this changes with the angle at which I view the iPad. If I look at it on a normal reading angle it's not that bad.
day to day- normal use I doubt it
I live a few blocks away from the Apple NYC store- so I may just play the iPad roulette and pick up another in the AM. I'll compare and match against the one I own- if it's better- 1st one goes back. If it's worse- I'll live with what I have.
what are you going to do?
I refuse to drive myself crazy over it.
I thought the screen looked fine until I downloaded a white image and cranked up the brightness.
I can definitely see it's darker on the top and left side of the screen.
It almost looks like a dirty smudge- (but I cleaned the screen)
The bottom right corner seems brighter.
I also notice the perception of this changes with the angle at which I view the iPad. If I look at it on a normal reading angle it's not that bad.
day to day- normal use I doubt it
I live a few blocks away from the Apple NYC store- so I may just play the iPad roulette and pick up another in the AM. I'll compare and match against the one I own- if it's better- 1st one goes back. If it's worse- I'll live with what I have.
what are you going to do?
I refuse to drive myself crazy over it.
Let's not confuse legit returns due to subpar displays (what this thread is about) with excessive returns due to 'OCD' (a grossly overused term on this forum). If Apple wants to see fewer returns, they need to start demanding higher quality parts from their suppliers. They've got the power and money, but I think launch dates and their fight with Samsung is forcing them to use whatever these suppliers are producing (therefore lowering their standards). Just a theory as I am trying to make sense of this blatant issue.
The display issue being spoken about in this tread is very easy to see in Mail, Safari, iBooks, Settings, Music, and just about any other app that shows a lot of white (just about everywhere in iOS 7). There's no need to 'look' for it or bring up an all white image. It's distracting and unacceptable in a tablet this expensive. Period. If it doesn't bother you, great, go enjoy your new iPad instead of complaining about those who are legitimately complaining. Apple is lucky that most people won't notice, won't care, or will learn to live with these so-so displays.
The display issue being spoken about in this tread is very easy to see in Mail, Safari, iBooks, Settings, Music, and just about any other app that shows a lot of white (just about everywhere in iOS 7). There's no need to 'look' for it or bring up an all white image. It's distracting and unacceptable in a tablet this expensive. Period. If it doesn't bother you, great, go enjoy your new iPad instead of complaining about those who are legitimately complaining. Apple is lucky that most people won't notice, won't care, or will learn to live with these so-so displays.
My experience exactly. The Air's (32gb, LTE) screen was bluish all over. The colors looked washed out in comparison to my 3, and the screen felt flimsy too. I'm returning it tomorrow.
Please define "proper QA" because it seems to me that most people with products with the Apple logo on it are very happy.
I don't see how letting people return items no questions asked even remotely approaches a "free pass"
You guys are scaring me
I've been planning on buying my first iPad (actually my first Apple product), a new rMini. My plan was to order one online as soon as they become available. I know there is supposed to be a shortage but I'm hoping they'll have enough to make it through the first 15 minutes of availability. Anyway, after reading through this thread I'm wondering if I would be better off waiting. Apple has been making the 9.7" Retina screen for a year now, and if they're still having problems, what are the chances that one of the very first rMini's is going to be right? When you factor in the fact that supposedly the main issue with the shortage is being able to produce screens to specs it really seems like there could be major issues with the first batch. I realize that I could return it, but if there really is a shortage, it might be difficult to say goodbye, knowing that I won't get a replacement for possibly months. Any thoughts?
I've been planning on buying my first iPad (actually my first Apple product), a new rMini. My plan was to order one online as soon as they become available. I know there is supposed to be a shortage but I'm hoping they'll have enough to make it through the first 15 minutes of availability. Anyway, after reading through this thread I'm wondering if I would be better off waiting. Apple has been making the 9.7" Retina screen for a year now, and if they're still having problems, what are the chances that one of the very first rMini's is going to be right? When you factor in the fact that supposedly the main issue with the shortage is being able to produce screens to specs it really seems like there could be major issues with the first batch. I realize that I could return it, but if there really is a shortage, it might be difficult to say goodbye, knowing that I won't get a replacement for possibly months. Any thoughts?
Last edited:
Proper QA would mean not letting products with obvious dents, dings and scratches through the pipeline. In addition a tolerance for dead pixels which I'm sure Apple has. I'm guessing there tolerance is greater than 3-4 in a row but they will replace an item for even 1 dead pixel. I think that proves my point in that most people won't notice a couple dead pixels and therefor Apple lets them go through, but for the people who notice them Apple replaces the product no questions asked. It would definitely cost Apple more to implement a no dead pixel policy on screens and to take more time to inspect every item especially when you are mass producing items. Every couple of minutes adds to the cost (at least in the manufacturing environments that I have been a part of).
Of course all of this is my opinion.
Good point.
I for one am leaving well enough alone.
Yeah my screen is a bit uneven with pure white, but
Under normal use I do not notice a major issue.
Well...Now I'm definitely exchanging my iPad. I had a buddy lend me his so I could do a side by side comparison and dang it if his isn't perfectly cool white across the whole screen with no discoloration what-so-ever.
I tend to prefer true-white to bluish white colors on my iPad, so there is no way I'm keeping my current one. Even the "pinkish" side of my iPad has a yellow tint to it when previously I thought it was just the left side of the tablet when held in portrait mode.
On a strange note, my bud's iPad has an issue all to it's own. His wallpaper keeps moving (like parallax) but very wildly and won't stop. Reminds me of being on a boat. This and his accelerometer isn't switching from portrait to landscape properly, sometimes not at all (and yes the orientation lock isn't on).
So 0/2 on our end, two iPads going back.
I tend to prefer true-white to bluish white colors on my iPad, so there is no way I'm keeping my current one. Even the "pinkish" side of my iPad has a yellow tint to it when previously I thought it was just the left side of the tablet when held in portrait mode.
On a strange note, my bud's iPad has an issue all to it's own. His wallpaper keeps moving (like parallax) but very wildly and won't stop. Reminds me of being on a boat. This and his accelerometer isn't switching from portrait to landscape properly, sometimes not at all (and yes the orientation lock isn't on).
So 0/2 on our end, two iPads going back.
A few weeks ago, I decided to buy a brandnew 128 GB iPad 4. The one I received had a very noticable yellow spot on the lower left side of the display (in portrait orientation), so much that I decided to return it. I have since ordered and received a new 64 GB iPad 4, and it's screen is very good.
However, it would seem that this particular problem had never been totally resolved and once again shows up in the new iPad Air, which essentialy has the same display.
It has helped me to come to the decision to stick with my new iPad 4 for now and to replace my iPad mini instead, for an iPad Mini 2. Hoping that the retina displays on the mini aren't plagued by the same issues.
However, it would seem that this particular problem had never been totally resolved and once again shows up in the new iPad Air, which essentialy has the same display.
It has helped me to come to the decision to stick with my new iPad 4 for now and to replace my iPad mini instead, for an iPad Mini 2. Hoping that the retina displays on the mini aren't plagued by the same issues.
Dead/Stuck pixels are worse to me than having a screen with a little off-tinting and what not. Oh which my panel is perfect, great color accuracy and NO dead/stuck pixles.
I had to exchange the iPad3 about SIX TIMES before I got one with only a single stuck pixel.. Every single one had the dingy yellow/pixel issues back then.. I sold the iPad3 shortly afterwards. Glad this Air was perfect out of the box, I didn't want to go through that nightmare again.
I had to exchange the iPad3 about SIX TIMES before I got one with only a single stuck pixel.. Every single one had the dingy yellow/pixel issues back then.. I sold the iPad3 shortly afterwards. Glad this Air was perfect out of the box, I didn't want to go through that nightmare again.
Had you joined MR more than a few minutes ago, you would know this response is nowhere near as clever or original as you think it is.
I'm really amused by the rampant speculation on this thread about Apple's QC and returns policy. No one really knows if they're knowingly cutting corners on display quality.
I took my first iPad Air back for a return bc the screen kept flickering and sound came out as static. That Air happened to also have screen uniformity issues. The Apple store employee who helped me out told me that there is a process to capture issues with new product launches. So it seemed that they, to some degree, are expecting or at least want to know about issues for early production runs of the Air.
This same person at the Apple store noticed the uniformity issue and told me this is definitely not normal and should not be present on an iPad. Alas, my replacement has an even worse tint issue (no flickering, thankfully), so I am planning to bring it back this weekend.
I've owned and used countless monitors, laptops, tvs, phones, and tablets, and I've never seen a screen with as severe uniformity issues as the two iPad Airs that I've had. Don't really understand those who are trying to convince others that this issue is not real. I don't really agree with doing 26 returns. I'm planning to take a break from the iPad Air if my next return doesn't work out.
I took my first iPad Air back for a return bc the screen kept flickering and sound came out as static. That Air happened to also have screen uniformity issues. The Apple store employee who helped me out told me that there is a process to capture issues with new product launches. So it seemed that they, to some degree, are expecting or at least want to know about issues for early production runs of the Air.
This same person at the Apple store noticed the uniformity issue and told me this is definitely not normal and should not be present on an iPad. Alas, my replacement has an even worse tint issue (no flickering, thankfully), so I am planning to bring it back this weekend.
I've owned and used countless monitors, laptops, tvs, phones, and tablets, and I've never seen a screen with as severe uniformity issues as the two iPad Airs that I've had. Don't really understand those who are trying to convince others that this issue is not real. I don't really agree with doing 26 returns. I'm planning to take a break from the iPad Air if my next return doesn't work out.