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Apple Retail Stores display iPhone X at 100% Brightness

A

Avenger

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 20, 2007
825
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Something I was surprised at today when I went to an Apple retail store is that they were running all their iPhone X's at 100% brightness. I checked 7 units and they were all the same. This was surprising since Apple recommends auto-brightness and hides the option to toggle it off deep in a sub-menu along with a warning that it is detrimental to long term display health. I asked a store employee about it and he said that was because they are retail store units but he wouldn't recommend to do it with my own iPhone X. We chatted a bit and he seemed to think 75% brightness would be okay (which is what I set mine to) but that is besides the point. Making the display look better by setting then to 100% brightness while recommending auto-brightness and lower brightness levels in general seems a bit of a shady selling practice.
What do you think?
 
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I've seen on the OLED TV forums to keep the brightness down around 1/3 or so most of the time, which I think auto brightness typically does unless you live in an apple store. The brighter the better the chance to ruin it.
 
DNichter said:
Their phones, they can do whatever they want. I'd imagine they look best under full brightness, plus those stores are pretty bright.
Click to expand...
Yep they do look best at 100% but when you get it home and see it is not as nice a display under the normal recommended settings, you might be disappointed.
 
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Avenger said:
Something I was surprised at today when I went to an Apple retail store is that they were running all their iPhone X's at 100% brightness. I checked 7 units and they were all the same. This was surprising since Apple recommends auto-brightness and hides the option to toggle it off deep in a sub-menu along with a warning that it is detrimental to long term display health. I asked a store employee about it and he said that was because they are retail store units but he wouldn't recommend to do it with my own iPhone X. We chatted a bit and he seemed to think 75% brightness would be okay (which is what I set mine to) but that is besides the point. Making the display look better by setting then to 100% brightness while recommending auto-brightness and lower brightness levels in general seems a bit of a shady selling practice.
What do you think?
Click to expand...
  1. Apple Stores are bright! Your own iPhone X will probably jack up the brightness in one.
  2. Since Apple has started making bright displays (2016 onwards) 100% brightness does not actually mean 100% brightness. They have a 'boost' brightness that will only happen when it is needed, e.g. being in direct bright sunlight. iPhone 7 does it, Apple Watch Series 2 and later do it, and MacBook Pros 2016 and later do it. No reason for the X to be different.
  3. Apple doesn't say not to use 100% brightness. They recommend that if you are using apps with static images for long periods, e.g. navigation apps, to reduce the brightness.
As a separate point on burn-in - you can bet all the YouTubers who are doing drop tests are also trying to get an iPhone X to burn in right now to start a #burngate. That we haven't seen anything yet makes me think the X will actually be pretty good for burn-in.
 
Every single TV in any store also does this. This is so normal now it should not even be a discussion. Most TVs ask you if it's a display unit when you turn them on for the first time specifically because they set the brightness and contrast differently when used as a display unit.
 
Avenger said:
Yep they do look best at 100% but when you get it home and see it is not as nice a display under the normal recommended settings, you might be disappointed.
Click to expand...

If you are disappointed with the display then Displaymate would like a word with you.
 
Sounds like a similar tactic retailers of big screen TV's do - they flick on dynamic picture modes on certain models (clearance/new) to make them pop on the shelves.

Although, with TV's, dynamic makes them look worse...so it's to draw in the suckers.

Could be what's happening in the Apple store...
 
Hey guys I have a problem with the iPhone X display. Could u help understanding of its a common problem or a defected unit ?
Settings> General> Accessibility> Adjustment Screen> Invert Colors> Smart Color Reversing.
Now raise the brightness and scroll in the settings. Once again, is it shown an awkward ghost effect of this display?
You can get the same effect by setting classic inversion colors and moving between the home screen pages with minimum brightness.
Let me know if it is a defect of my phone or if it is a defect in the production.
Thanks a lot to whoever will help.
 
luca.spiga1992 said:
Hey guys I have a problem with the iPhone X display. Could u help understanding of its a common problem or a defected unit ?
Settings> General> Accessibility> Adjustment Screen> Invert Colors> Smart Color Reversing.
Now raise the brightness and scroll in the settings. Once again, is it shown an awkward ghost effect of this display?
You can get the same effect by setting classic inversion colors and moving between the home screen pages with minimum brightness.
Let me know if it is a defect of my phone or if it is a defect in the production.
Thanks a lot to whoever will help.
Click to expand...

Why would I do this?
 
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Avenger said:
Yep they do look best at 100% but when you get it home and see it is not as nice a display under the normal recommended settings, you might be disappointed.
Click to expand...

Odds are you would feel like you were staring into the sun if you ran brightness at 100% in your private home.

Apple stores are very well lit. Most private homes are not
 
To help me understanding if I’ve got a defective unit.
577a9e937664f52c72a64d31b45b928a.jpg

To be faster u could also just download this photo in ur gallery and move left and right and tell me if u notice the gosthing from the black to the gray. Ull help me a lot .
 
Avenger said:
Something I was surprised at today when I went to an Apple retail store is that they were running all their iPhone X's at 100% brightness. I checked 7 units and they were all the same. This was surprising since Apple recommends auto-brightness and hides the option to toggle it off deep in a sub-menu along with a warning that it is detrimental to long term display health. I asked a store employee about it and he said that was because they are retail store units but he wouldn't recommend to do it with my own iPhone X. We chatted a bit and he seemed to think 75% brightness would be okay (which is what I set mine to) but that is besides the point. Making the display look better by setting then to 100% brightness while recommending auto-brightness and lower brightness levels in general seems a bit of a shady selling practice.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

It’s called marketing. And yes they can do it, but yes it’s a little deceiving when Apple themselves said not to use the brightness all the way up.
 
orev said:
Every single TV in any store also does this. This is so normal now it should not even be a discussion. Most TVs ask you if it's a display unit when you turn them on for the first time specifically because they set the brightness and contrast differently when used as a display unit.
Click to expand...
Basically this. This isn't anything new or surprising, aside from perhaps those who didn't really realize this before (which only makes it new for them essentially).
 
Avenger said:
Something I was surprised at today when I went to an Apple retail store is that they were running all their iPhone X's at 100% brightness. I checked 7 units and they were all the same. This was surprising since Apple recommends auto-brightness and hides the option to toggle it off deep in a sub-menu along with a warning that it is detrimental to long term display health. I asked a store employee about it and he said that was because they are retail store units but he wouldn't recommend to do it with my own iPhone X. We chatted a bit and he seemed to think 75% brightness would be okay (which is what I set mine to) but that is besides the point. Making the display look better by setting then to 100% brightness while recommending auto-brightness and lower brightness levels in general seems a bit of a shady selling practice.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

If auto brightness is on, and it is bright out, then the phone will adjust to 100%

Mystery solved.
 
Normal. They do this on TVs as well like at Best Buy. Basically ‘showroom’ settings.
 
luca.spiga1992 said:
To help me understanding if I’ve got a defective unit.
577a9e937664f52c72a64d31b45b928a.jpg

To be faster u could also just download this photo in ur gallery and move left and right and tell me if u notice the gosthing from the black to the gray. Ull help me a lot .
Click to expand...
Buddy it’s called ghosting, all OLEDs have this.
 
In any Apple Store,Best Buy, and probably most other stores, anything with a screen is set to 100% brightness.
 
Avenger said:
Yep they do look best at 100% but when you get it home and see it is not as nice a display under the normal recommended settings, you might be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Congratulations on uncovering the deeply guarded secrets of marketing and advertising.
 
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