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Trust me it will be agent dependent, and there will be no "escalation" or "software fix" or anything like that.

If you have a yellow screen, retail return within return window. Do NOT cling on to some idea that Apple will make this right eventually. They will not.
No point to return right now.
 
I'm really trying to ignore it, but every time I pick up my 12 mini the color difference is quite noticeable. With true tone on it's a super aggressive yellow (this part can probably be tweaked with software), and without it looks more washed out and sometimes looks like a yellow-greenish hue. The lower contrast combined with the smaller text is just not ideal.

It's difficult to perfectly capture in pictures, but it's noticeable. Below is an SE1 (that has always had a yellow hue at the top of its screen), the 12 mini, and a X. It's 1:21pm here, so night shift is not active:

This is pretty much a 1:1 situation of my Mini compared to my X. Everything from the description to the pictures.
 
I just got home from comparing iPhone 12 display models at four different stores (with auto brightness, True Tone, and night shift all turned off), and I've come away with some interesting information.
  1. I've compared 14 iPhone 12s now, and all of them had very similar color temperatures when viewed head on, which was a little warmer (more yellow, less blue) than my old iPhone X.
  2. The largest difference I've noticed between screens is the color tint when viewed off angle... some screens tint green (non-Pros with serials C7C (1) and C7D (1), Pros with serials F2L (1) and F17 (1), and all models with serial G6T (3)), and some screens tint blue (non-Pros with serial F17 (2), and all models with serial DNP (5)), which looks much better in my opinion. It's possible the green vs blue tint is completely random and not tied to the serial / manufacture facility, but there sure seem to be some strong trends, especially with green tint for serial G6T and blue tint for serial DNP. I wonder if the different off angle tints represent different display manufacturers.
  3. Pro Maxes with serial G6T have noticeably lower max brightness than my Pro Max with serial F2L, so much so that the brightness looked more similar to screens in non-Pro models.

Here's my notes if you want to draw your own conclusions. I'll probably go to the Apple Store sometime this week to get some more data.

----Displays with blue tint when viewed off angle, which looks better----

--Displays that are brighter--
  • Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
  • Costco 12 Pro DNPDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
--Displays that are dimmer--
  • Target 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Costco 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Walmart 12 DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Costco 12 DNPDF - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
----Displays with green tint when viewed off angle, which looks worse----

--Displays that are brighter--
  • My 12 Pro Max F2LDN - a little warmer than my iPhone X, but still acceptable; very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
  • Wife’s 12 Pro F17DK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; same very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
--Displays that are dimmer--
  • Costco 12 Pro Max G6TDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; slightly less green off axis; less bright than my PM (similar to non-Pro models)
  • Best Buy 12 Pro Max G6TDG - very similar to my PM, but less bright (similar to non-Pro models)
  • Best Buy 12 G6TD9 - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Mini C7CDK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Mini C7DDL - nearly the same color temp as my PM; slightly more green tint than my PM; less bright than my PM
 
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very interesting review. my first f17 and second Dnp both tint yellow off angle. hate it
My original phone and two out of three replacements were very yellow off-angle. The first replacement only slightly. But still the same warmer screen issue.
 
I'm leaning toward returning my mini right now but I'm not convinced this is an issue that will be solved with time or via software update, which makes me just as worried for next year's phones. I wish The Verge or some other shop would write about this but I guess everyone just doesn't care.
 
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My original phone and two out of three replacements were very yellow off-angle. The first replacement only slightly. But still the same warmer screen issue.
yeah so many of the displays ones i saw all tinted yellow off angle so the chances of finding one that doesnt is too rare for me to keep exchanging imo
 
Haven't posted anything on this forum for ages but I have to say I'm glad I'm less fussy about these things than I used to be.

My 12 Mini is definitely warmer than my X was but I'm really not bothered, the phone is in Dark Mode 100% of the time and the screen seems like an improvement in almost every other way to me. Both seem warm compared to my 2018 iPad Pro.
 

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Maybe I'm crazy, but here's the reason the yellow screen is really bothering me. I can accept yellow-y webpages (hell, I use night shift), but it make photos look sickly. (Comparison is X with a 12 Mini, both using true tone)
 

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Maybe I'm crazy, but here's the reason the yellow screen is really bothering me. I can accept yellow-y webpages (hell, I use night shift), but it make photos look sickly. (Comparison is X with a 12 Mini, both using true tone)
that mini is horrendous , replace that at least once
 
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Maybe I'm crazy, but here's the reason the yellow screen is really bothering me. I can accept yellow-y webpages (hell, I use night shift), but it make photos look sickly. (Comparison is X with a 12 Mini, both using true tone)
That mini is yellow-green at the off angle.. exchange it!
 
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Maybe I'm crazy, but here's the reason the yellow screen is really bothering me. I can accept yellow-y webpages (hell, I use night shift), but it make photos look sickly. (Comparison is X with a 12 Mini, both using true tone)
How is it with True Tone off?

totally acknowledge there’s a problem; just curious to see how much ground you gain back with it off.
 
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My iPhone 12 Pro which I bought in Germany has the same ugly yellow tint. Today I noticed that it also has the known issue with gray/green flicker at low brightness and dark sceenes. What kind of junk is that? I don't think Apple can fix this with a patch. These seem to be the cheapest displays that could be found in a hurry.
 
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Maybe I'm crazy, but here's the reason the yellow screen is really bothering me. I can accept yellow-y webpages (hell, I use night shift), but it make photos look sickly. (Comparison is X with a 12 Mini, both using true tone)
That’s how my 12 mini screen looked! (Without True Tone, by the way) I did send it back yesterday because of the green tint.
 
What are everyone’s thoughts on this? I mean it pretty much contradicts what most people here seem to think *edit* including myself *edit*. I’m confused.
I noticed that the absolute color accuracy plot shows a reddish shift, and that the maximum color error is over twice the Just Noticeable Color Difference. However I have no idea really how that relates to what I personally perceive as "just noticeable" ;). Note that when they tested the iPhone 7 it was "the most color accurate display that we have ever measured" as well, with almost the same absolute color accuracy as now for the 12PM, except shifted towards blue instead of red. I wonder how that particular 7 and 12PM would compare side-by-side.
 
You guys do know that OLED will cool down over time, right? I remember my 11PM was pretty yellow, especially off angle when I got it. It's perfect now.
 
You guys do know that OLED will cool down over time, right? I remember my 11PM was pretty yellow, especially off angle when I got it. It's perfect now.
I’m starting to put more stock into this.

My X, as some have you have seen has quite a blue hue with True Tone off; that phone needs True Tone to be on to be honest.

The thing is - I started turning True Tone on about a year ago or so. Had the phone since Jan 2018; maybe this was why?
 
Using my 12 at the same time as my 19' MBA makes it seem that much more horrendous. It's like I dropped it in the toilet while peeing and the pee got into the screen and created a filter.
 
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I just got home from comparing iPhone 12 display models at four different stores (with auto brightness, True Tone, and night shift all turned off), and I've come away with some interesting information.
  1. I've compared 14 iPhone 12s now, and all of them had very similar color temperatures when viewed head on, which was a little warmer (more yellow, less blue) than my old iPhone X.
  2. The largest difference I've noticed between screens is the color tint when viewed off angle... some screens tint green (non-Pros with serials C7C (1) and C7D (1), Pros with serials F2L (1) and F17 (1), and all models with serial G6T (3)), and some screens tint blue (non-Pros with serial F17 (2), and all models with serial DNP (5)), which looks much better in my opinion. It's possible the green vs blue tint is completely random and not tied to the serial / manufacture facility, but there sure seem to be some strong trends, especially with green tint for serial G6T and blue tint for serial DNP. I wonder if the different off angle tints represent different display manufacturers.
  3. Pro Maxes with serial G6T have noticeably lower max brightness than my Pro Max with serial F2L, so much so that the brightness looked more similar to screens in non-Pro models.

Here's my notes if you want to draw your own conclusions. I'll probably go to the Apple Store sometime this week to get some more data.

----Displays with blue tint when viewed off angle, which looks better----

--Displays that are brighter--
  • Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
  • Costco 12 Pro DNPDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
--Displays that are dimmer--
  • Target 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Costco 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Walmart 12 DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
  • Costco 12 DNPDF - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
----Displays with green tint when viewed off angle, which looks worse----

--Displays that are brighter--
  • My 12 Pro Max F2LDN - a little warmer than my iPhone X, but still acceptable; very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
  • Wife’s 12 Pro F17DK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; same very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
--Displays that are dimmer--
  • Costco 12 Pro Max G6TDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; slightly less green off axis; less bright than my PM (similar to non-Pro models)
  • Best Buy 12 Pro Max G6TDG - very similar to my PM, but less bright (similar to non-Pro models)
  • Best Buy 12 G6TD9 - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Mini C7CDK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
  • Best Buy 12 Mini C7DDL - nearly the same color temp as my PM; slightly more green tint than my PM; less bright than my PM
Wow that seems like it took a lot of time haha!

I don’t think factory has anything to do with yellow tint. It’s all a lottery. My 12 Mini has serial C7CD... and is nice white with minimal blue shift off axis.
 
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Thought I’d post some pictures of my 12PM, G6TDK, compare to my previous iPhone X. I think the key difference compared to the X is it goes green/yellow when viewed off angle, even though this occurs at a far greater angle than my iPhone X, which shifts almost straight away.

The 12PM is slightly warmer obviously.

I have a call with Apple tomorrow. At this point I’m undecided on what to do - for one I keep wondering if the screen I had on the X was too cool?

Regardless of the above, True Tone kills any whites on the 12PM.
 
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