iPad Pro Bright spot on iPad Pro 10.5 screen

[Itsen]

Thanks. I’m glad you found it interesting.

iFixit has just released the teardown of the Air 3 and there are a few changes compared to the Pro 10.5.

In terms of similarities, the Air 3 uses the same basic layout as the Pro 10.5. There are four connectors to attach the display to the logic board, unlike the three used in the Mini 5, and the connectors are still covered by a bare metal shield. The new wireless module is located in the same position as the old one, just above the connectors.

As far as changes are concerned, the material used on the back of the lcd panel, above the display connectors, is now different from that used to cover the rest of the logic board. The material looks like it's the same as that used on the underside of the shielding. I'm speculating that this material is more heat resistant -

iPad Pro 10.5
View attachment 830110
iPad Air 3
View attachment 830111
The shield covering the wireless module appears to be separate from the rest of the logic board -

iPad Pro 10.5
View attachment 830112
iPad Air 3
View attachment 830113

I can't see any reason why these changes couldn't have been incorporated into later versions of the Pro 10.5, but we don't know whether they have.

Teardowns -
Pro 10.5 - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad+Pro+10.5-Inch+Teardown/92534
Air 3 - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad+Air+3+Teardown/121759

The quickest way to find out if Apple fixed the problem on refurbished iPad Pro 10.5 is to tear down a very recent one!

If the fix or patch to this issue has been confirmed, I will be more than happy to purchase a refurbished pro 10.5 instead of air 2019 mainly because of quad speakers and promotion tech.

 

[MeltonMowbray]

1) That you want it to last a few years is perfectly logical. So do I, but I don't possess as much common sense.

2) I have no idea whether it will happen, but I do know that it may well happen.

3) If you are not prepared to take the undeniable risk, and you would not be able to live with a bright spot if one (or more) did occur, then, if you can, I think you should buy the 11" Pro.

That's my advice. I could be wrong, but it's the best I can do. If you were a close relative or really good friend, I would give exactly the same advice.

----------

BTW, your moniker always makes me very hungry.

I find it hard to justify spending 52% more on an 11" iPad that is still limited to 4 GB RAM.

Also remember that the 11" suffers from bending (even out of the box) and an unresponsive screen particularly if screen protectors are used. Neither has been an issue at all with the 10.5" Pro.

I suspect that the 2020 iPad Pro will have a reinforced frame design to deal with the bending issue.

Thanks for the replies, and I did almost pick up the 11" Pro for that exact reason. In the end I stopped myself, realising the amount I was adding onto my purchase I could pick up a 2018 iPad or a 5th Gen Mini brand new, and still have the 10.5" Pro now, which does everything I need it to and more.

Ended up receiving a Feb 2019 refurb this time around, with no white spot out of the box. The previous device was October 2018, so I'm hoping something's changed in that time.

I'm going to consider AppleCare+ in the meantime, although I do have insurance with my bank that would cover me also.

 

[Non-Polar]

This is so interesting. Thank you for the insights, AJB.

 

[mac4good84]

It would be interesting to run the serial number through that website to find out the manufacturing date of the display unit.

I just did and mine was November 2018.

 

[Lets Go]

I also bought a refrub with a February 2019 manufacture date. After the purchase I could have bought a new unit at Bestbuy for $30 less. But that one was manufactured in June of 2018. So I decided to keep the refurb in hopes that an update to the display had been made. Guess time will tell.

 

[Fenhalls]

Thanks for the replies, and I did almost pick up the 11" Pro for that exact reason. In the end I stopped myself, realising the amount I was adding onto my purchase I could pick up a 2018 iPad or a 5th Gen Mini brand new, and still have the 10.5" Pro now, which does everything I need it to and more.

Ended up receiving a Feb 2019 refurb this time around, with no white spot out of the box. The previous device was October 2018, so I'm hoping something's changed in that time.

I'm going to consider AppleCare+ in the meantime, although I do have insurance with my bank that would cover me also.

The very best of luck to you and Lets Go with your new iPads. I really do hope that they are and remain trouble-free.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Ended up receiving a Feb 2019 refurb this time around, with no white spot out of the box. The previous device was October 2018, so I'm hoping something's changed in that time.

The bright spot issue isn't something you can see right out of the box... It occurs within a year or so as many people have experienced.

 

[fernando7]

What about those white spots, which occurs on some other part of the screen (in corners) and not the centre?
As, I have read this thread entirely and many of them have found it on different areas.

 

[EugW]

What about those white spots, which occurs on some other part of the screen (in corners) and not the centre?
As, I have read this thread entirely and many of them have found it on different areas.

I’m am wondering the same thing. However it does seem that heat makes it more likely, although I don’t know if there are any other sources of heat that can account for those other locations. Can anyone elaborate?

 

[Tofupunch]

I just did and mine was November 2018.

I meant the production date for the iPad on display at Best Buy. Thanks for the info though. Mine is a nov '18 as well. Hope we’re in the clear!

 

[oghowie]

It's like Apple won't take this seriously unless there is a class action or something...

 

[mac4good84]

I meant the production date for the iPad on display at Best Buy. Thanks for the info though. Mine is a nov '18 as well. Hope we’re in the clear!

Oh crap you’re right! Read that too fast my mistake.

 

[MeltonMowbray]

The bright spot issue isn't something you can see right out of the box... It occurs within a year or so as many people have experienced.

Sure, I get that the issue usually occurs after around a year and I appreciate that the issue could present itself on my exchanged unit too.

Unfortunately my experience with the issue occurred shortly after purchase, so it most certainly can happen within a short space of time although that may be few and far between.

 

[jamesrick80]

Sure, I get that the issue usually occurs after around a year and I appreciate that the issue could present itself on my exchanged unit too.

Unfortunately my experience with the issue occurred shortly after purchase, so it most certainly can happen within a short space of time although that may be few and far between.

If you do a lot of video editing or gaming with intense streaming and you keep ya screen at 80% brightness or more...it comes within a few months or less...

This is based on my experience with three iPad Pro 10.5s that ALL got the bright white spot making anyone get to the point to switch to a entirely different iPad model. I do not recommend the iPad Pro 10.5 2017 to anyone but maybe the ones produced in November 2018 do not have this issue .......... but I wouldn’t trust it.

Apple likes their profit and most likely did not fix this manufacturing process on this iPad model but we do see that it appears fixed in the iPad Air 10.5 that was recently released based on the teardown.

 

[Trouble1]

Just received my refub iPP with a manufacture date of week 42 (mid Oct).

Makes me think. If it was manufactured that date or refurb'd that date?
Could Apple somehow have put a fix on all the returned ones and rebranding as refurb's?

There does not seem to be any sort of definitive evidence that the refurb's with a later (late 2018-early 2019) manufacture date have any sort of fix.
As someone else posted, this issue (generally speaking) will take at least a few months to surface.

Anyway, I think I'll order another one and if it comes with a newer date, I'll keep it, if not, they're all going back.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

There does not seem to be any sort of definitive evidence that the refurb's with a later (late 2018-early 2019) manufacture date have any sort of fix.

Obviously, because how can there be evidence when nothing has been done?

People who think that Apple secretly changed something in the manufacturing process of newer 10.5" iPad Pros to prevent the bright-spot issue to occur are just fooling themselves. You can't just slap on a new part or design something different on a device that has already been mass-produced for years and call it a day. These things take time, testing, and most importantly money, something that Apple isn't willing to invest on a device that they just discontinued.

Nothing has changed. Actually something has changed, Apple released the new Air and it seems like they "changed" something with the manufacturing process with that device compared to the 10.5" Pro according to the person who posted the comparison pictures.

 

[EugW]

Obviously, because how can there be evidence when nothing has been done?

People who think that Apple secretly changed something in the manufacturing process of newer 10.5" iPad Pros to prevent the bright-spot issue to occur are just fooling themselves. You can't just slap on a new part or design something different on a device that has already been mass-produced for years and call it a day. These things take time, testing, and most importantly money, something that Apple isn't willing to invest on a device that they just discontinued.

Nothing has changed. Actually something has changed, Apple released the new Air and it seems like they "changed" something with the manufacturing process with that device compared to the 10.5" Pro according to the person who posted the comparison pictures.

The may not have changed things mid-stream with this iPad Pro to address this issue, but Apple has changed the internals in some iDevices before as necessary.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

The may not have changed things mid-stream with this iPad Pro to address this issue, but Apple has changed the internals in some iDevices before as necessary.

Indeed they have, like the 2018 MacBook Pro screen flex cable. But who really knows, unless someone tears down a recently manufactured 2017 iPad Pro to check? I am betting anything that nothing has changed.

 

[Iceberg33]

Does anybody know what’s the latest production date for 10.5 Pro non refurbs? I haven’t seen anything beyond Dec 2018

 

[Fenhalls]

Does anybody know what’s the latest production date for 10.5 Pro non refurbs? I haven’t seen anything beyond Dec 2018

There must be for if you look above, you'll find two posters who have refurbs with a February 2019 production date. Here's the first:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...pro-10-5-screen.2115037/page-29#post-27251097

 

[simonb76]

Does anybody know what’s the latest production date for 10.5 Pro non refurbs? I haven’t seen anything beyond Dec 2018

I picked up a 10.5 IPad Pro this week for the Apple refurb store here in the UK and the manufacturing date was 2019 week 7 February, not sure what you’d get if it was non refurb.

 

[Johnny365]

Should have kept a database of affected SNs so we know if it's coming from the same manufacturing plant.

 

[Tofupunch]

Indeed they have, like the 2018 MacBook Pro screen flex cable. But who really knows, unless someone tears down a recently manufactured 2017 iPad Pro to check? I am betting anything that nothing has changed.

Agreed. Especially with the new iPad Air's just released. They probably figure most people will be looking at those rather than these (iPP 10.5).

 

[Trouble1]

My guess is they have not done anything to address the white spot issue in production or refurbs. It seems many don't know it's there unless they have white screen and turn up the brightness.

Obviously IF they didn't have any iPP 10.5 I'd buy the Air and be happy with it most likely... IF I had not read about the white spot, most likely would not be perseverating over it like I am... hahaha.

 

[txcoolio]

The white spot Hurts so bad each time I read webpages.
Out of warranty and out of luck