Some 2017 10.5-Inch and 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Displays Suffering From Bright Spot Above Home Button

[MacRumors]

Some 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models that were originally released in 2017 appear to be suffering from a display issue that causes a bright spot to appear right above the Home button on affected models.

The issue was outlined on the MacRumors forums, with complaints first popping up back in April 2018. MacRumors reader marmiteturkey explains the problem:

I have an approx 1in spot on my iPad Pro screen which is brighter than the rest of the screen - it's unevenly lit. The spot is about 2in above the home button, and although it has soft edges, I'm anal about my gadgets, and the difference in brightness could be described as 'minor', it's clearly there. It looks a bit like a pressure spot or similar. I always keep it in a case with a screen protector and the Smart Keyboard, so it's well looked-after.

According to iPad Pro users who have the problem, it appears to be an issue with uneven backlighting in that area. MacRumors can confirm the problem, as we have a 10.5-inch iPad Pro on hand that appears to be experiencing the same issue outlined on the forums.

Customers have been complaining of the problem for months now, though it continues to be unclear how many iPad Pro models may be impacted by the issue. It is not known if a similar issue will impact the new 11 and 12.9-inch 2018 iPad Pro models, as these devices are too new and the problem appears to surface after several months of usage.

Multiple users who were affected with the bright spot on their screens have been able to take their iPad Pro models to Apple for a replacement, but users who are no longer under Apple's one-year warranty or AppleCare+ have not had luck getting a free replacement device.

Out of warranty, Apple is asking customers to pay the display replacement fee, priced at $449 for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and $599 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Article Link: Some 2017 10.5-Inch and 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Displays Suffering From Bright Spot Above Home Button

 

[stephen1108]

This is a problem on the 10.5” models. My original AND my replacement both had the same issue.

I still have my replacement, with the bright spot, and no more warranty through Apple.

 

[Cobalt50]

Man, you need AppleCare as a necessity these days.

 

[SHIVERINGGOAT]

I am in UK and had this exact issue with the 10.5" Pro I bought last year. I've never dropped it and take care of it and so I took it to Apple 2 weeks ago and they swapped it after 15 months under EU consumer Law thankfully so no charge.

 

[Raineer]

I had this problem on my 2017, I wish I took a picture of it. My bright spot was crisper and substantially more noticeable than in the image shown in this article. I never thought to search if this was an issue anyone else, I assumed it somehow got damaged (though I never caused any discrete pointed damage in the area).

In the end I traded in my 2017 to Apple for a 2018. They paid me the price they stated they would - so I guess I won't complain.

 

[jimithing1]

I'm having this issue too with my 2017 10.5" iPad Pro. Haven't taken it in and don't have AppleCare. Hopefully they get enough people to complain and they start replacing them.

 

[Jiraiya]

Yup. Took it to apple and they wanted me to pay 50% of a new iPad Pro 10.5. Told them to shove it. I’m not paying any money for a manufacturing defect.

 

[Ma2k5]

Man, you need AppleCare as a necessity these days.

As Apple repairs most of the time end up as replacing your product with a refurb (hence the high cost of “repair”), it’s the rare case where the insurance policy is actually value for money. If someone told me Apple lose money on AppleCare (not saying that they do), I wouldn’t be surprised!

 

[Silver Idaten]

I'm having this issue too with my 2017 10.5" iPad Pro. Haven't taken it in and don't have AppleCare. Hopefully they get enough people to complain and they start replacing them.

Well if this is a problem that can crop up with all of them, rather than replace them with the same defect, I would hope that there’s a more permanent repair that could be done instead. Whether that means updating the production to fix this issue (they’re still being sold so this isn’t too far fetched) or just admitting it and replacing them with 2018 11” Pros (less likely).

An official repair program is needed for this, though.

 

[now i see it]

Accelerated aging. New models next year!

 

[Jiraiya]

View attachment 811633

Yup. Took it to apple and they wanted me to pay 50% of a new iPad Pro 10.5. Told them to shove it. I’m not paying any money for a manufacturing defect.

 

[Prometheus2047]

I brought my 10.5 iPad to the Apple Store experiencing this issue, and they indicated that it was a known problem with this particular model (likely due to battery swelling against the screen), but Apple has no official replacement program for it so a new model would be several hundred dollars.

 

[weup togo]

Man, you need AppleCare as a necessity these days.

AppleCare is getting increasingly useless with the number of shameful design defects Apple unapologetically ships.

 

[justperry]

More likely there's something behind the display causing this fault/issue.

 

[rmeulen]

Same issue here in NL with ipad pro 10.5 from June 2017. Very annoying spot on the screen! I count on Apple to start a program for this soon as this does not show quality at all.

 

[MrGimper]

Glad this has got front page coverage as there’s a massive thread and I’ve personally suffered it.

 

[justperry]

Man, you need AppleCare as a necessity these days.

Depends in which country you reside/live/bought this.

Same issue here in NL with ipad pro 10.5 from June 2017. Very annoying spot on the screen! I count on Apple to start a program for this soon as this does not show quality at all.

Return it, warranty last 2 years there.

 

[Silver Idaten]

Glad this has got front page coverage as there’s a massive thread and I’ve personally suffered it.

I also submitted feedback to Apple pointing to this story and that thread plus another on Reddit and on their own support forum, saying that AppleCare only replaces with another potentially defective device and pleading for an official repair program.

 

[Shark5150]

They replaced mine a few months ago. No questions asked. I also pointed the spot out on all of the display units as well!

 

[Westside guy]

This is very much like the white spot issue that was seen with many early MacBook Pros (including mine - Apple ended up replacing the screen twice). The engineering tolerances on these thin devices are extremely tight - doesn't take much variance to cause issues.

 

[Mdracer]

I have 2 spots on my 9.7 pro. They wanted $350 to exchange it for a refurb. I am getting so frustrated at paying premium prices and seeing these results months outside of the warranty.

 

[rmeulen]

Depends in which country you reside/live/bought this.




Return it, warranty last 2 years there.

Ok, good one! Will start planning a trip to Amsterdam or Haarlem!

 

[Silver Idaten]

I have 2 spots on my 9.7 pro. They wanted $350 to exchange it for a refurb. I am getting so frustrated at paying premium prices and seeing these results months outside of the warranty.

Damn, seriously? I was thinking of returning the 10.5 because I just got it and I have until January to return it, but where is there to go? The 2018 Pros are more expensive and could get this problem (and I always like waiting for the second iteration of a new design), the 2017 12.9 also has this problem even though it isn’t as widely reported, and now the 2016 9.7 does too? Very disappointing. Especially because the 10.5 is the perfect compromise of screen size and portability! Only the 2018 11” matches this but who knows if this will have the same problem in a year?

 

[Steve01234]

my original 10.5 IPP has 2 spots. thought it was just me, or something in content, not the screen itself. sad to hear this is a problem that will probably take a lawsuit to get apple to set up and deal with it free or cheap, not 50% of replacement.

 

[jimithing1]

I may end up going the route of filing a claim through my credit card company which offers an extra year of warranty.