iFixit Explains iPad Mini 'Jelly Scroll' Issue in Teardown Video

[Johnny907]

A regular consumer would not see the issue. I don’t think it’s a normal behavior issue.

It’s just a cheaper display which Apple decided to use for the iPad Mini. That pretty much sums it up.

Some have suggested it should be recalled.

Cook should recall mini 6 immediately, period

Job would never allow such "Jelly" product out (knocking), which is against Apple's fundamental philosophy and defected by industry standard. By saying "LCD normal", "keep eyes elsewhere", "using landscape more", it is just irresponsible. Our fans purchase Apple's products not because "just...

forums.macrumors.com

Yes they would, and have. I found out about this issue from my 76 year old father who received his on launch day. He called to ask how to stop the text from "shimming." Thinking he was having a stroke I turned on FaceTime and had him show me what was going on. Sure enough, jelly wobble when scrolling in Safari and the Kindle App. He's 76, with 76 year old eyes and as non-techy as it gets which is why I advise him to buy Apple products.
This isn't a conspiracy, or nitpicking, it is a genuine issue that Apple needs to address and handle correctly because this product is way too expensive for a flaw that is more apparent than on any previous iPad.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

I feel bad for the new iPad Mini. People have been waiting for a proper redesign of Apple’s most portable tablet for many years and finally they deliver… but still screw it up.

It’s expensive, there’s no mid tier storage option, and last but not least they screwed up the most important part of a tablet, the screen. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another 10 years for a refresh.

 

[trifid]

A regular consumer would not see the issue. I don’t think it’s a normal behavior issue.

It’s just a cheaper display which Apple decided to use for the iPad Mini. That pretty much sums it up.

Some have suggested it should be recalled.

Cook should recall mini 6 immediately, period

Job would never allow such "Jelly" product out (knocking), which is against Apple's fundamental philosophy and defected by industry standard. By saying "LCD normal", "keep eyes elsewhere", "using landscape more", it is just irresponsible. Our fans purchase Apple's products not because "just...

forums.macrumors.com

Just curious, by your take would "regular" consumers notice the benefits of ProMotion?

Because it seems contradicting especially in this product cycle that Apple is trying to differentiate product lines and features on one side with ProMotion and trying to say how superior smoother/perfect/awesome scrolling is, and on the other hand Apple is saying uneven/ugly/inconsistent scrolling is perfectly fine and normal?

 

[deeddawg]

Hmpf. I’d thought about upgrading to the mini6 …. Looks like waiting was the right move. Gonna stick with what I have for now.

 

[code-m]

Just curious, by your take would "regular" consumers notice the benefits of ProMotion?

Because it seems contradicting especially in this product cycle that Apple is trying to differentiate product lines and features on one side with ProMotion and trying to say how superior smoother/perfect/awesome scrolling is, and on the other hand Apple is saying uneven/ugly/inconsistent scrolling is perfectly fine and normal?

You forgot that it’s because told them so. Don’t believe what your eyes and gut tell you believe a corporation that makes the product and sells it to you that what you are perceiving is “normal”. 🙄

 

[code-m]

Hmpf. I’d thought about upgrading to the mini6 …. Looks like waiting was the right move. Gonna stick with what I have for now.

I am returning all three I received. Apple engineers messed up on this one same like the butterfly keyboard.

 

[Pmperry]

A regular consumer would not see the issue. I don’t think it’s a normal behavior issue.

It’s just a cheaper display which Apple decided to use for the iPad Mini. That pretty much sums it up.

Some have suggested it should be recalled.

Cook should recall mini 6 immediately, period

Job would never allow such "Jelly" product out (knocking), which is against Apple's fundamental philosophy and defected by industry standard. By saying "LCD normal", "keep eyes elsewhere", "using landscape more", it is just irresponsible. Our fans purchase Apple's products not because "just...

forums.macrumors.com

Yeah, the problem might be due to part availability and Apple might be stuck in a position where these panels were the only ones available in any quantity.

 

[Denzo]

Wow all of a sudden the star of the show isn’t look so good.. meanwhile iPhones and their battery life stole the show.
These iPads you have to admit dropped the ball on the engineering front. I wouldn’t keep it and I’m usually pretty easy going with issues like warm screens etc

 

[code-m]

Yeah, the problem might be due to part availability and Apple might be stuck in a position where these panels were the only ones available in any quantity.

Going to suck even more if the product gets returned on mass or not well received due to these decisions.

 

[code-m]

Wow all of a sudden the star of the show isn’t look so good.. meanwhile iPhones and their battery life stole the show.
These iPads you have to admit dropped the ball on the engineering front. I wouldn’t keep it and I’m usually pretty easy going with issues like warm screens etc

No consumer can tell just by watching ads or keynotes until it’s in their own hands. Had this issue not been I would have kept it. Unfortunately it’s very obvious to me.

 

[mac 2005]

Between the snark and the alarmists, I don't know what to think. I looked forward to the new mini b/c my son and I often compete for our lone iPad--and I was anxious to have an Apple Pencil 2-compatible iPad at this size.

Just how disruptive is the experience? I read while I scroll, and I've not noticed a single problem with my 2020 iPad or my iPhone XS--even after seeing the videos of the new mini.

I've used or owned Apple products since the original Macintosh, so maybe I'm just old and my refresh rate doesn't catch this sort of thing. Well-intentioned responses only, please.

 

[Kaptajn Haddock]

Guess I will skip the mini then. To damn expensive for such a visual anomily. “Normal behaviour” Apple?! In the history of the iPad, why haven’t we heard of such an issue before then?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Between the snark and the alarmists, I don't know what to think.

You really will need to see and use them in person.

I'd seen the videos and also wasn't sure -- but was sort of surprised at how bad and "not enjoyable" I found it in person the other day. Mind you, I do use the Mini about 75-80% in Portrait orientation..

If one is way more landscape heavy on usage, it likely is a non-issue for you.

 

[TravelsInBlue]

Everybody’s saying Apple needs to fix this. This won’t be addressed, I guarantee it, and everybody will rush out to buy the next gen model that doesn’t exhibit this problem. There’s still people on here who would claim the butterfly keyboard isn’t a problem “because mine still works so it must be fine.”

 

[Beautyspin]

What about a $1299+ device?

Not ideal, not my favorite aspect of my new toy (the MacBook and iPad mini), but not a 1st world problem ( for me at least). It is all an artifact of a sequential refresh as opposed to global LCD refresh.

View attachment 1852262

Video of my M1 MacBook Pro, and my iPad Pro 11" (2018) showing their jello.

I see that on my Macbook Pro too. Not sure I will buy another Apple device, but what options do I have that are of comparable quality? I seem to have no good choice.

 

[ksj1]

I have to laugh. I have the new mini and can barely see the issue when I look for it. In the Youtube video he has to slow it down to frame by frame to show the issue. In practice it isn't an issue IMO.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I have to laugh. I have the new mini and can barely see the issue when I look for it. In the Youtube video he has to slow it down to frame by frame to show the issue. In practice it isn't an issue IMO.

Not an issue for you -- that's great!
I'm happy for you.

Your experience doesn't map out exactly the same for all of us unfortunately.

 

[Luposian]

Everybody’s saying Apple needs to fix this. This won’t be addressed, I guarantee it, and everybody will rush out to buy the next gen model that doesn’t exhibit this problem. There’s still people on here who would claim the butterfly keyboard isn’t a problem “because mine still works so it must be fine.”

If I had the ipad 6 mini, and I didn't see what I knowingly now know exists, I'd consider myself lucky, not go around telling others it doesn't exist.. except to me. But seeing it, I'd be quick to return it. Seem like an absolutely unacceptable flaw, to be sure. Tim Cook does not exude the RDF like Steve Job did... but even Steve Jobs started getting stupid, when he said people were "holding it wrong" (re: the iPhone 4). Gah! You can fool some people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. Hit Apple where it counts and make them hurt *financially*. THEN they'll fix this issue... Apple worships the dollar and will bow to the people who withhold their god from them.

 

[ofarlig]

Between the snark and the alarmists, I don't know what to think. I looked forward to the new mini b/c my son and I often compete for our lone iPad--and I was anxious to have an Apple Pencil 2-compatible iPad at this size.

Just how disruptive is the experience? I read while I scroll, and I've not noticed a single problem with my 2020 iPad or my iPhone XS--even after seeing the videos of the new mini.

I've used or owned Apple products since the original Macintosh, so maybe I'm just old and my refresh rate doesn't catch this sort of thing. Well-intentioned responses only, please.

I would say it all depends on how you are reading, if you are following the text with your eyes it will be more noticable than if you leave your gaze fixed. If you are moving faster while reading it will also be more noticable. I would say it is hard for me to read at the same speed with my gaze fixed so I follow the text with my eyes, that means the text I am reading will be slanted at all times and the tilt will change up and down with scroll speed.

When you then have the side bezels in view at all times it makes it a weird perspective shift. I liken it to how it is when starting to wear glasses while out and about, having the stationary point of reference while moving disorients you until you stop seeing the frames. The problem here is that the bezels aren’t close enough to your eyes to “stop seeing them” so you will always have that stationary point of reference which will make the text slanted while reading it.

For me that was disorienting and taxing to use it for any web browsing, reddit app, real estate apps or anything with text or pictures where you scroll while in portrait mode. And since you see a lot more vertically on web pages while in portrait it is also the only orientation where reading while scrolling really works well. Like you I don’t have a problem with any previous device I’ve had, even though I can see it does exist on other devices while looking for it.

 

[Wanted797]

Class action coming in 3….2…

 

[sk2sep2304]

Ok cool. I don’t need to go back and forth about buying this anymore

 

[4jasontv]

The 12 Mini definitely does this too in landscape, it is just much harder to see. At least i would never notice it, without actively looking for it. (Also rarely ever use the Mini in landscape)

The iPad Mini 6 on the other hand is so pronounced that i see it even if i don't want to.

I have been scrolling my mini for 10 minutes trying to see it and it's so fluid. Honestly, the Mini 12 is the best iPhone I have used. The screen seems flawless.

 

[one more]

I can see it on my 12 mini when horizontal and scrolling up and down. It's absolutely there. 60Hz screens take 16ms to refresh top to bottom. They are always drawing new lines and never refresh everything at once, it's just the nature of displays.

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blurbusters.com

I can’t see it with 12 mini, personally. I guess when I scroll at a usual speed my eyes are probably distracted by the movement and wait for it to stop to refocus? 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Robin Bonathan]

Well. I have one.
I cannot see any jiggling unless i goto porn site.

 

[c5z]

“Normal” or not, people are complaining about this issue. Apple should listen. The screen is quite an important part of a tablet.

It’s the most important part. It’s how you interact with it.