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On my iPhone 11 Pro vs 12 Pro, I get the reverse result. Lol I must have gotten a bad launch day 11 Pro.

But I like using Tru Tone and just can’t on my 12 Pro. It’s like looking through pond water and gives me eye strain.

My daughter is going from an Xr to the 12 Pro and has complained her screen is yellow. I’ve not gotten to really check it out to see if hers has a problem yet. I was hoping to be free of worrying about this topic in my house since I’m good with my display (as long as TT is off). But I don’t know yet what may be going on with her iPhone.

So far everyone has been talking about 12 Pro models. What’s going on with the regular 12 displays?
Yes very good point, I am also interested to know if the regular iPhone 12 has the same issue too since I am not too sure if the panel manufacturer is the same for both.
 
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you would be correct if the issue were solely yellow tint, however the issue is worse.

the yellow panels also have reduced contrast and brightness compared to good units. This is the case every year.

Its almost like a yellow film is deposited in manufacturing that sits between you and the content.
In addition the yellow panels color shift neon blue off axis.

lots of defective characteristics that make using the screen cringy and displeasing to the eye

Interesting observations though. I’m keen to see any measurements on peak brightness variations. The older OLED iPhones had horrible colour shifts then but it’s greatly improved with the iP12. I am using a “horribly yellow” iP12 Pro but don’t see any off axis shift.

Also keen to hear what do you mean by other defective characteristics, and what is displeasing to the eye.

Neil, the HCFR calibration video is interesting, thanks for sharing.
 
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Great points 👍🏼 I does make me wonder where the line can be drawn though on what is unacceptable? 5% more yellow? 10% more yellow? There comes a point where customers can't be expected to put up with a difference, particularly when it seems this yellow tint is not the norm and the vast majority of phones have cooler white points across multiple product generations ...
We can go all scientific by setting numerical thresholds, but frankly I would say go with what makes you comfortable. If a yellow screen really peeves you to no end, then get it changed. It’s a matter of preference. However, I would wait for a few months before trying again.
 
I don’t think the screens are calibrated... at least from my understanding.

iPhone screens have been calibrated at the factory for years now.


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I was really worried about this... I even created a thread sounding the alarm about it, but I legit didnt know you could decrease the size of text on safari until recently (the reader dropdown button next to URL). Seems to 'fix' it.

Same with text size in settings, if you want to see more of your iMessages and settings options on the screen

But I havent adjusted the latter. and the former only for some sites (since its on a per site basis)

You can also adjust the global text size for safari in settings/safari
 
iPhone screens have been calibrated at the factory for years now.

Thanks for sharing. Based on the article, the sample devices they tested were calibrated at D65 white point. If that’s the case, there‘s no way a blue screen is accurately calibrated.

On the flip side, my iPhone 12 Pro definitely looks warmer than D65, with TT turned off. Not sure if a reboot is needed.

 
Interesting observations though. I’m keen to see any measurements on peak brightness variations. The older OLED iPhones had horrible colour shifts then but it’s greatly improved with the iP12. I am using a “horribly yellow” iP12 Pro but don’t see any off axis shift.

Also keen to hear what do you mean by other defective characteristics, and what is displeasing to the eye.

Neil, the HCFR calibration video is interesting, thanks for sharing.

I'll correct you there - Some older iPhone OLEDs had horrible color shift. Some older iPhone OLEDs also had reduced brightness. Some older iPhone OLEDs also had a yellow tint.

See where this is going?

Each year you have a batch of good phones, and a batch of bad phones. Each year, the bad phones display the exact same characteristics. Each year the good phones have the same characteristics.

You can find examples of the iPhone X, XS, 11, and now 12 with the exact same issues - same tint, same color shifting, same reduced brightness.

But guess what? You can also find examples of the 3G, 3Gs, 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 6, 6s, 7, and 8 with the Exact. Same. Issues. Exact.

See what i mean? think of it like a pie chart. One portion is bad, yellow, not bright, etc. The other is crisp, clear, beautiful. At launch the bad slice of the pie is bigger than it is 6 weeks after launch.
 
I'll correct you there - Some older iPhone OLEDs had horrible color shift. Some older iPhone OLEDs also had reduced brightness. Some older iPhone OLEDs also had a yellow tint.

See where this is going?

Each year you have a batch of good phones, and a batch of bad phones. Each year, the bad phones display the exact same characteristics. Each year the good phones have the same characteristics.

You can find examples of the iPhone X, XS, 11, and now 12 with the exact same issues - same tint, same color shifting, same reduced brightness.

But guess what? You can also find examples of the 3G, 3Gs, 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 6, 6s, 7, and 8 with the Exact. Same. Issues. Exact.

See what i mean? think of it like a pie chart. One portion is bad, yellow, not bright, etc. The other is crisp, clear, beautiful. At launch the bad slice of the pie is bigger than it is 6 weeks after launch.

I agree there’s a possibility of QC variation. After all, we are looking a production cycle of millions of screens, being produced across multiple manufacturers. It is impossible to have the same panel quality being produced at such scale, at least not for what you’re paying. Perhaps one day we’ll have a Pro Display XDR/Eizo quality-level type screen with ColorSync ICC profiling, for the true Pro users. I doubt the accuracy of Apple’s display calibration, judging from the earlier HCFR video. Based on real world samples, there’s no way all screens are calibrated at D65.

It might be true that one manufacturer’s panel might be better than the others. That’s why we have a concept called the panel lottery. However, your definition of a defective panel (simply by attributing the screen color) is grossly misleading to the community. Not to mention that you’re comparing products across 10 years with different display technologies. Perhaps you’ve seen many yellow screens w/ off-axis shifts that led you to this conclusion. To dispute that, I’ve got a yellow screen 12 Pro with that looks visually stunning with zero shifts. Apart from off-axis shifts, you’ve not highlighted what are the cringy bits about yellow screens.

Many of your conclusions are against visual cues. Display color accuracy is a data-driven science. Take a look at the video below on what constitutes as a real review. Until then, what you’re saying is simply your conjecture with your anecdotal observations and inference.


Yellow or blue screen, go with what you’re comfortable with. You paid for the phone anyway. I’m getting out of here.
 
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Has anyone on this thread received a cool white crisp iPhone 12/pro? Or does everyone have a jaundice yellow one?
 
Has anyone on this thread received a cool white crisp iPhone 12/pro? Or does everyone have a jaundice yellow one?

Without TT on, my display is very white. Probably too blueish for me even.

With TT on though, it shifts very warm. Much more aggressive than my old X.
 
Without TT on, my display is very white. Probably too blueish for me even.

With TT on though, it shifts very warm. Much more aggressive than my old X.
Would you be able to photograph it side by side with another iPhone screen or an iPad? If there are cool blue displays in existence I will know mine is definitely defective
 
On my iPhone 11 Pro vs 12 Pro, I get the reverse result. Lol I must have gotten a bad launch day 11 Pro.

But I like using Tru Tone and just can’t on my 12 Pro. It’s like looking through pond water and gives me eye strain.

My daughter is going from an Xr to the 12 Pro and has complained her screen is yellow. I’ve not gotten to really check it out to see if hers has a problem yet. I was hoping to be free of worrying about this topic in my house since I’m good with my display (as long as TT is off). But I don’t know yet what may be going on with her iPhone.

So far everyone has been talking about 12 Pro models. What’s going on with the regular 12 displays?
If I'm not mistaken, the regular 12 is the same display that the Pro is using. iFixit mentions they are interchangeable.
 
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Does anyone else find the yellowness improves if you view a white webpage (wikipedia for example) and leave it on max brightness for a bit, then reduce it down to normal?
 

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I agree there’s a possibility of QC variation. After all, we are looking a production cycle of millions of screens, being produced across multiple manufacturers. It is impossible to have the same panel quality being produced at such scale, at least not for what you’re paying. Perhaps one day we’ll have a Pro Display XDR/Eizo quality-level type screen with ColorSync ICC profiling, for the true Pro users. I doubt the accuracy of Apple’s display calibration, judging from the earlier HCFR video. Based on real world samples, there’s no way all screens are calibrated at D65.

It might be true that one manufacturer’s panel might be better than the others. That’s why we have a concept called the panel lottery. However, your definition of a defective panel (simply by attributing the screen color) is grossly misleading to the community. Not to mention that you’re comparing products across 10 years with different display technologies. Perhaps you’ve seen many yellow screens w/ off-axis shifts that led you to this conclusion. To dispute that, I’ve got a yellow screen 12 Pro with that looks visually stunning with zero shifts. Apart from off-axis shifts, you’ve not highlighted what are the cringy bits about yellow screens.

Many of your conclusions are against visual cues. Display color accuracy is a data-driven science. Take a look at the video below on what constitutes as a real review. Until then, what you’re saying is simply your conjecture with your anecdotal observations and inference.


Yellow or blue screen, go with what you’re comfortable with. You paid for the phone anyway. I’m getting out of here.
Reading comprehension is tough, I get it.

I never said its solely based on a warm calibration. The bad screens have much more wrong with them, including (again): reduced contrast, reduced brightness, and with OLED massive color shift off axis.

Thats 4 things. Not one.
 
I see everyone is just comparing a white screens with previous gen’s, but has anyone tried video play back with HDR?

I played several movies using the Apple TV app playing HDR content. The X def blows the 12 pro out of the water when comparing black tones, color depth, and brightness. Example: in a street night scene, the street lights are brighter in the X and blacks on the 12 Pro are not as deep as the X. I used max brightness and True Tone off for both phones.

This is all elementary comparisons, but clearly the color depth in the 12 pro is a downgrade from my X (which is over 2 years old). Maybe someone with more HDR content availability can chime in?

Top: 12 pro
Bottom: X

photo taken with iPhone 8.
 

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Without TT on, my display is very white. Probably too blueish for me even.

With TT on though, it shifts very warm. Much more aggressive than my old X.
Do you have a regular iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 Pro?
 
Reading comprehension is tough, I get it.

I never said its solely based on a warm calibration. The bad screens have much more wrong with them, including (again): reduced contrast, reduced brightness, and with OLED massive color shift off axis.

Thats 4 things. Not one.

Well then. Pretty ironic your first post goes on a tirade solely checking the screen for yellow hues, with zero mention on luminance and shift issues. And leading everyone to think all yellow screens are defective.
 
Has anyone on this thread received a cool white crisp iPhone 12/pro? Or does everyone have a jaundice yellow one?
That’s a good question and all I can say is that we won’t be able to answer it. It really depends on your perception of a „white crisp iPhone“. In my opinion the screen is more yellow, but I compared it to a friend of mine who said that his has no yellow tint. And guess what: his 12 Pro was slightly more yellow than mine. But I would say he’s just used to it. He also used True Tone on his past devices - I haven’t used True Tone on any of my devices, so my eyes are more used to a blueish screen. And I also only realized it by having my X side-by-side or when I’m switching to/from my iPad.
I then compared it to two 12 Pro and one 12 and all had the same color tint as mine. I’m currently tending to the „keep it“ side, rather than try my luck in the screen lottery.

Furthermore you have to say that the people who don’t see a problem or don’t mind a slightly change (in their eyes), will not look for threads like this one or complaints in general just to post „everything’s ok with mine“. So you will mostly find people posting about problems, rather than people posting about not having a problem.

And finally: What makes you think that a blueish iPhone is not a defective device? Only your current perception of a nice color tint (mainly based on your old or other devices)

Would you be able to photograph it side by side with another iPhone screen or an iPad? If there are cool blue displays in existence I will know mine is definitely defective
You won’t really be able to tell if the white from a picture is more or less yellow than the white on your iPhone, because it’s really hard to capture these effects. I tried my luck in photographing the yellow tint and all I got was a picture where the compared iPhone X and 8 looked more yellow than my 12 Pro - when it’s really the other way round.

I don’t want to say that there may not be some (or even a lot) defective iPhone 12 out there, all I’m trying to say is that it may also be your idea of a perfect white, which is preventing you from enjoying a lovely device (... which is also why I’m here, in my eyes I would like a blueish screen more than a yellowish)
 
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Well then. Pretty ironic your first post goes on a tirade solely checking the screen for yellow hues, with zero mention on luminance and shift issues. And leading everyone to think all yellow screens are defective.

Yellow is the easiest symptom to diagnose. The display phones don't look like that. Therefore, anything not matching the display phone, blue or yellow, is defective.
 
I see everyone is just comparing a white screens with previous gen’s, but has anyone tried video play back with HDR?

I played several movies using the Apple TV app playing HDR content. The X def blows the 12 pro out of the water when comparing black tones, color depth, and brightness. Example: in a street night scene, the street lights are brighter in the X and blacks on the 12 Pro are not as deep as the X. I used max brightness and True Tone off for both phones.

This is all elementary comparisons, but clearly the color depth in the 12 pro is a downgrade from my X (which is over 2 years old). Maybe someone with more HDR content availability can chime in?

Top: 12 pro
Bottom: X

photo taken with iPhone 8.

Symptoms of these bad panels. Reduced contrast and brightness, distorts colors and you lose the "infinite blacks" that oled provides. Instead blacks look yellow-gray
 
Symptoms of these bad panels. Reduced contrast and brightness, distorts colors and you lose the "infinite blacks" that oled provides. Instead blacks look yellow-gray

im curious are people with bad panels seeing even the blacks on UI elements with dark mode enabled that should be true black, not being? Is that how bad the situation is?

It's not just near-blacks that are blown out?
 
Would you be able to photograph it side by side with another iPhone screen or an iPad? If there are cool blue displays in existence I will know mine is definitely defective
Here they are side by side with true tone on and off. Left is 12 pro, right is X. The 12 Pro is definitely warmer and I'd say in person it is more pronounced. But if I turn off TT, the 12 pro is almost perfect white while the X is too blue with TT off.

Photos taken with iPad Pro 2020.
 

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