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Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up
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I had migraines and seizures!
Edit: to be specific I had eye aches and head aches with the iPhone X that I had for almost a month. I found it hard to focus on text as well. It was hard on the eyes as well as giving me headaches.
I only lasted about 3 days with the iPhone XS Max. I thought the display looked okay but something about the display set off migraines and one seizure migraine and an extreme sensitivity to sources of pwm that didn’t bother me previously.
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Well it sounds like you need to get a Pixel 4 once it launches with its FaceID equivalent to find out whether it's a contributing factor. For science, you know
Thanks for the nomination 🙃
Here’s a basic list of things I think we can all agree on:
1. The iPhone X and XS lines have PWM ranging from 60 to 240hz, the iPhone Pro line has it at 60-290hz
2. The majority of people are not affected by PWM flickering. I’ve seen a few articles citing a “1 in 10” number, but I’m not sure if that’s reliable
3. All OLED iPhones have PWM flickering at every level, even 100% at max brightness settings
4. PWM flickering is generally worse at lower brightness levels
5. This blog does not help, no matter how many times it’s posted 😉
6. Face ID may be an additional factor for some people, but the main issue is the PWM flickering.
7. The main symptoms of PWM flickering sensitivity are nausea, headaches, eye strain, etc. May also trigger migraines or other similar issues
8. The relatively low Hz (240-290) is what causes issues for the most part. For example, MacBooks have PWM at 100,000+ Hz, and most of us probably wouldn’t notice it whatsoever.
Here are some other theories that aren’t confirmed:
1. PWM with a low Hz may be harmful for everyone’s eyes, regardless of if you notice it
2. DC Dimming may be a fix, but it’s not a 100% known cure as of right now
3. Some people are affected by the PWM on iPhones only, they have no issues with other phones. This may suggest that Apple implements their PWM differently than other companies.
4. Some people are also affected by the XR/11 screen, no idea if this is related or just a coincidence
Finally, here are some helpful links:
1. General information about PWM
2. Review site that has dedicated section in their reviews for PWM
3. A huge list of devices and their PWM info
I probably missed some stuff, but this should be a decent basic summary of the past 100+ pages of discussion.
I didn’t quote your entire post in order to save space but wanted to say thank you. That was a fantastic summarization of what’s been covered. I wish there was a way to keep it from possibly getting buried. You nailed it!!
@TDDM YOU ARE AMAZING! You nailed it! Including #5 is validation of you hitting every point. Greatly appreciated. Let’s all be sure to reference TDDM’s post for any new people who ask the same questions or bring up the same old points.
I wish MacRumors would acknowledge this in an article or something. It’s been going on for 2 years and yet they cover much more minor issues and never fail to post an article praising the iPhone’s displays...
Thank you for this write up
now that i think about it, im pretty sure its not the proximity sensor because my iphone 6s has a proximity sensor as well and doesn't have this blinking light/laser
Great summary!
I’m confused about the 60-240/60-290 Hz numbers. Have I somehow missed that they have implemented variable PWM frequencies or is refresh rate and PWM rate confused? PWM frequency is usually a static value. It’s absolutely true that the refresh rate can be seen as flicker in an OLED display too in some circumstances, and if the two aren’t in sync that can cause heavy irregular flickering. Just wan’t to make sure I didn’t miss something.
Thanks for taking the time to summarize the contents of this thread!
It does have the blinking light, it may be a slightly different wavelength so it may not be seen as easily through cameras with strong IR-filters. It may also not be on when not needed, whereas it seems to be on a lot more on the X and 11 series phones. The flood illuminator is not on after unlocking the phone if attention aware features are turned off, with the exception of any experiences that use face tracking, like animoji.
The flood is quite a bit stronger. Look at them head on using a camera, preferably one with a weak IR filter.
I tested this last year and made a video showing the results. I will also add that the proximity sensor isn’t visible in the video due to the angle. It’s very directional.
”iPhone XR Face ID - IR Flood and Dot Projector (invisible to the eye)”
For anyone who is having symptoms with an iPhone XR or iPhone 11, take these steps and see if it gets better:
1. Disable Face ID (use passcode only)
2. Disable "Require Attention for Face ID"
3. Disable "Attention Aware Features"
These steps should stop most/all of the IR that is blasting your eyes when using any of these phones.
1. Disable Face ID (use passcode only)
2. Disable "Require Attention for Face ID"
3. Disable "Attention Aware Features"
These steps should stop most/all of the IR that is blasting your eyes when using any of these phones.
I agree. Make sure everyone uses the "submit a tip" to MacRumors about this, if you haven't already. This issue needs more visibility.
actually it is the proximity sensor. i covered it with a sticker and now my display stays on during a call when put to my ear. lol.
In addition to this I’d also recommend using the “reduce white point” setting. That’s located in Settings -> Accessibility -> Display & Text Size -> Reduce White Point.
FWIW, my eyes have fully adjusted on the 11 Pro. No signs of eye strain or migraines and I’ve logged significant screen on time with it by now under a variety of circumstances. I’m definitely keeping it and packing up my Xr for trade in.
It’s a lot better especially now that I’m only using Face ID to unlock the phone and not trying to authenticate all of the accounts I transferred over when I started this up fresh.
It’s a lot better especially now that I’m only using Face ID to unlock the phone and not trying to authenticate all of the accounts I transferred over when I started this up fresh.
Glad to hear! The only thing they changed is the frequency of the pwm, a little bit higher, or that is what they say...
I would like a smaller and lighter phone than the LCD 11, but the weight this year is too close to the 11 Pro... maybe the size make it feel better. I´ll buy one on Amazon and check the eyestrain, specially in low light conditions with the bright really low on the screen.
Not to sure about this. I bought my Pro Max with excitement and hope. I used it on a free day where I had no plans or stress. I was well rested and hydrated and used the phone like I would use any device not thinking about PWM. But I could feel me eyes going screwy and within 20mins to an hour the backs of my eyes were screaming at me and later that day it manifested into a headache. Back to an lcd and no issues. 3rd year of trying Apples (Samsungs) OLED with the same results. For me it's the phone.
That makes total sense. The only reason I brought up the mental aspect is due to my own personal case where I was aware of the PWM issue before ever actually owning an OLED display iPhone. I created my own anxiety before I ever even had the phone powered on. So now I am having a very difficult time discerning Whether I am truly experiencing issues with the phone or if it is in my head. In the past, hyperfocus has caused me to bring on symptoms that otherwise would not have been there. Unfortunately I can’t flip a switch and make my mind no longer do it.
I got that info from notebookcheck’s iPhone X review:
“We can measure a comparatively low frequency of 240 Hz as soon as the luminance is at 50% or below. Sensitive users should get the iPhone 8 / 8 Plus with an LC display, where we did not determine PWM. In addition to the 240 Hz PWM, we can also measure a slight flickering at 60 Hz (see screenshots below) at higher brightness levels (even at the maximum).”
Interestingly, they don’t seem to mention this “60Hz above 50% brightness” in any other iPhone review. Should I remove it from the list? I’ll admit I don’t know much about the specifics of this 😅
It didn’t really make sense to me either, but I can definitely see flickering at max brightness through the slow motion camera thing. Unless I’m missing a setting to get to max brightness, it seems that there’s no way to get rid if the flickering altogether.
Just ordered the 11 128gb black. Would have bought the 11 pro if only my eyes were fine with the OLED. The 11 pro has the perfect size and i hate my Xr for being a tad too big and heavy.
just a shame the didnt make a smaller iphone 11 like 5,5 or even 5.2 inches.
Hope Apple does some trick with PWM that will make it usable for the other 10%
just a shame the didnt make a smaller iphone 11 like 5,5 or even 5.2 inches.
Hope Apple does some trick with PWM that will make it usable for the other 10%
On their site they talk about new display drivers and some changes they made to get the new cinema specs. I don’t really know what exactly has changed to alleviate my particular circumstance, but I am glad it is different enough for me.
However, I do feel badly for the people who are still experiencing problems. I am very glad that Apple didn’t deny too many desirable features to the iPhone 11.
The 11 Pro is just small enough and light enough to be a little bit more pocket friendly and easier for me to hold. But my XR isn’t too bad, either.