Iphone 3g "light leak" thread

[svndmvn]

Oh that's a bad one! - but what's up with your screen superimposing images?

i'm not sure what you meant,do you mean the text being on top of other texts and such?it's probably just due to using a point and shoot and not using a flash in the dark,long exposition that is..the screen itself is satisfying, no dead pixels either.
as for dust under the glass, it's definitely possible cause of this bad "build" problem, and therefore the glass may also break a lot easier if bumped or dropped and malfunction may occur regarding the touchscreen,i guess

 

[kmay37]

I got my 8 gig on launch day and it had this problem so I took it back and they replaced it no problem then i took it back today and they guy was trying to tell me that they ALL had that problem...I looked at him like he was crazy, and he was saying how 3-4 of the employees all had that problem, I told him that is was rediculous to think that they all had it, and that is was no big deal. I told him how I had a bodyguardz at home and was wanting to put it on with the solution they had. And he was like that is just plain dumb and that I should buy a power support screen, and I was like NO I already had it and it works just fine as long as there aren't GAPS in my phone. Finally after him looking like he hated life and asking another genius he finally gave me a new one. And what do you know....NO LIGHT!!!!!!!!! I am so happy I finally got one without the light leaking through!

 

[Donz0r]

I'm having the same problem. All along the left side of the screen. I hope they'll replace it with a new one. Although it'd be a waste of my bodyguards and power support screen protector

 

[tschur]

Just returned from "genius bar"

Light is leaking through on the left side of my new 3G iPhone (see pic), so I scheduled an appointment at my local "genius bar."

I just got back from the appointment. The "genius" said three main things. First, he acknowledged the problem with my phone. Second, he said that Apple has not yet listed the light leak on 3G iPhones as a "known problem," and so (obviously) there is no "fix." Third -- and most importantly -- he said the "geniuses" in the store were well aware of the problem (other customers have come in to complain over the past 10 days), and he claimed they have not seen a 3G iPhone that does not exhibit the defect. That is, every phone they have looked at -- their phones, replacement phones, display phones -- has the problem to some degree.

He offered to swap the phone for me, but claimed I would have some light leak on the new phone -- possibly less, possibly more. He advised me to wait until Apple fixes the problem, before swapping, especially since I have no other problems (aside from the light leak, my iPhone is perfect).

He claimed that the defect is so widespread that it's only a matter of time before Apple takes some action to correct whatever is going wrong in the manufacturing process, adding that in all likelihood iPhones in stores at the end of the year will not be leaking light on the left-hand side.

He attached a service note to the serial number of my iPhone which says he observed the light leak and offered to swap the phone but I agreed to wait until Apple recognized the problem and fixed it at the manufacturing level.

 

[sallythemac]

I am on my third iPhone, soon to be forth. Have sent two back for dead pixels, and now this.

Thing is my "local" apple shop is about 65 miles away and costs £8 on the train everytime i go. So if i travel to take this one back, through no fault of my own, i would have racked up £25 bill in total for train fares.

 

[StingerT125]

and he claimed they have not seen a 3G iPhone that does not exhibit the defect. That is, every phone they have looked at -- their phones, replacement phones, display phones -- has the problem to some degree.

It's definitely not on every phone. After reading this thread I took my phone into a dark room and checked it from every angle. I didn't notice any light leaks. I hope they do exchange everyone's phone that exhibits this and get to the root cause to prevent it in the future.

 

[prelag]

On my second phone now, as of today. It still has light leak but not as bad as my first phone.

My gf's phone has light leak but just a tiny bit. I have looked at friends iphones and found light leak in all but one.

Those of you who don't have light leak are the minority.

 

[OasisNYK]

Well I was just using my phone in the dark and noticed the light leak (16 gb black) left side, only seen at certain angles but still distracting. Then I came to the forum and see the problem is widespread. My gf has it too but not as bad (16 gb white).

How long do you think apple will exchange launch iPhones for? I don't want to exchange now while they still have issues, but how long do we have until we can't l?

 

[prelag]

Well I was just using my phone in the dark and noticed the light leak (16 gb black) left side, only seen at certain angles but still distracting. Then I came to the forum and see the problem is widespread. My gf has it too but not as bad (16 gb white).

How long do you think apple will exchange launch iPhones for? I don't want to exchange now while they still have issues, but how long do we have until we can't l?

Seeing as this is such a widespread problem I can't imagine Apple will deny millions of customers an exchange. Well, I assume it will be less because a lot of people probably have not even noticed.

Another thing to add is that many of my friends and co-workers never noticed the light leak until after I had looked at their phones. A lot of leaks are very hard to see even in the dark unless you tilt the screen to a certain angle. When the screen is titled at that specific angle you can see small slivers of light leaking all the way up the phone. I have yet to document a phone leaking from the right.

I assume that MANY MANY people have this issue and don't even realize it. For those of you who haven't inspected your phone closely I would suggest you turn the light off and tilt your phone every which way while looking at the left part of your screen where the metal meets the black border on your screen.

The best phones I have seen so far are my gfs whos light leak is about the size of a pin hole and a buddy of mine who has no noticeable light leak.

 

[bacaramac]

I don't use my phone at night that much (in blackness that is) so I never even knew this could be a problem. Just checked and I am part of the minority. No light leak for me. Mine was built in the 27th week. Why did apple remove serial numbers from the back of iPhones now??? Hmm, just noticed this and grabbed serial from iTunes.

 

[mciarlo]

I had to turn my brightness all the way up to see a small light leak on the top left above the vibrate switch. Doesn't bother me enough to return it as its very dim, even when the screen is on max brightness, but it is there.

 

[Tvp125]

My 16gb white iPhone has a little light leaking on the top left. My build week is 29.

 

[Ride9650]

Add me to the list, mine leaks pretty much all along the left side.
What a pain, issues with getting a MBP last year, and this year, more issues with the iphone....

 

[meagain]

Has anyone here tried the fix yet?

 

[orijinal]

went through a handful of iPhone 3g phones. this was among one of the problems, including dead pixels, dust under the screen, etc.

the quality for these phones, at least the launch versions, has been absolutely ATROCIOUS.

i decided to just return my most recent iphone 3g and buy again maybe in a month or so; hopefully the quality will be better then.

 

[slicecom]

I had a minor light leak by the volume buttons and firmly but carefully pushing the glass screen over toward the volume button side, it's completely eliminated the leak!

I used the bottom of my mouse pad to push the screen, for better grip, to spread out the force and to protect the phone. Worked great!

 

[Ferris23]

My first phone had it, my new one has none. Not sure if I posted in here already or not.

 

[ec51]

I have a launch day white 16gb.......it's near perfect.

 

[sallythemac]

I took my light-leaking iPhone back yesterday. The genius said that he acknowledged there was light coming through, but said that he had checked other stock and they displayed the same. He argued that the defect was aesthetic and therefore not covered by warranty. He also argued that the iPhone could perform all the functions an iPhone is advertised to do, with the defect.

My response was that i was not aware of a disclaimer when purchasing an iPhone that it couldn't be used in the dark as the light leaks out, i said that it was not too much to expect the iPhone to have an enclosed case, like all other mobile devices do, and that if "all" iPhones have this problem and it was "normal" then i was mislead when sold the iPhone as i was not told that one of the features was "torch through side of phone".

He gave in in the end and gave me a new iPhone (number 4), and would you believe, no light leak! I must admit i was very sarcastic afterwards, jiving about how he'd managed to find the only iPhone in the world without a light leak, what a stroke of luck.

So, moral of the story: you can argue yourself a new iPhone.

 

[NiroshanMan]

God dammit!!!! i have it too, I just put on the invisible shield yesterday though!!! crap i noticed it tonight. I'm sure i can get it fixed, but i don't want to pay for a new shield nor take the fricken time to put it on, its perfect on there right now. But i was looking at it at night and saw the light!

Is it possible to take off the invisible shield and reuse it? If so ill bring it back to the store to get a new one.

 

[marksman]

So I did a scientific experiment to see how widespread this is.

I went in to my local Apple Store and with the help of my friend who on my cue dropped a blackout curtain over the entire outside of the store as I cut the power inside, and every 3G iPhone you could see in the store, be it a demo, an employee or a customer was leaking light out the side. Every single one.

I will have more to say when i get released from jail, but that is all for now. Can someone phone my mom for me too?

 

[bmonster]

Anyone with a white phone have light bleeding through the back plastic? I have none bleeding through the front where the chrome meets the black, but in pitch black light bleeds through the back of the phone through the plastic and looks stupid.

 

[MBHockey]

Mine has this 'light leak' but I can't believe it bothers people. It's not a sealed, waterproof unit. Of course some light will protrude from the crevices in the dark. My 1st gen iPhone did the same thing. You guys are nuts!

 

[NiroshanMan]

Mine has this 'light leak' but I can't believe it bothers people. It's not a sealed, waterproof unit. Of course some light will protrude from the crevices in the dark. My 1st gen iPhone did the same thing. You guys are nuts!

Yea im not gonna bother brining it in (yet), if other things happen like you get scratches or something on the phone might as well bring it in then so you can get a whole new one! it only bothers me at night and i have a case that covers the sides so i'll wait a while.

 

[prelag]

Mine has this 'light leak' but I can't believe it bothers people. It's not a sealed, waterproof unit. Of course some light will protrude from the crevices in the dark. My 1st gen iPhone did the same thing. You guys are nuts!

Care to explain why it is only leaking on the left side then? When i look at 9 out of 10 phones and they are all leaking light on the same side I would call that a manufacturing defect. Not only is it distracting but it allows dirt and grime to get under the screen. I guess if you don't mind dirt and grime under your screen due to a shoddy seal then its "not a big deal" and we are all "nuts."