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Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up

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Are you experiencing this issue?

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I've been using a Note 10+ since its release. For some reason this phone does not give me issues though its PWM is a low frequency. But, it will no longer be receiving security updates moving forward. So I'm going to need a new phone. Some have had luck with Motorolas so I will look into those. Perhaps the OnePlus phones. And of course the new iPhone. It appears Apple offers longer security updates than Samsung/Android. I just might be stuck with a phone that I will not be using more than necessary. Like Imprivata for work login, taking phone calls, online banking. If the new iPhones are like last year I just might go for that. Though it gives me headaches it is useable for short spurts. Tablet for everything else. I have both a newer iPad and the Samsung S7 FE. I can use those all the time without issue.
 
Here is a blasphemous thought that I'm considering....you can use this flip phone quite a bit while flipped shut. It has a big 'small' screen that one may end up using alot. Mixed results with people who are PWM sensitive according to reddit. First, I want to see the new iPhone and will probably choose between the Ultra and one of the Motorolas.


The video above showcases the difference in display flickering when Motorola's flicker reduction option is enabled and disabled. There's a palpable difference, to be sure, and it means that this is likely the only flip-type foldable phone that some flicker-sensitive folks will be able to use this year.

When the display uses PWM dimming, it runs at 720Hz, or triple the rate of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5. That means the Motorola Razr Plus has a more vision-friendly display.

www.cnet.com

Review: Motorola's Razr Plus Made Me a Flip Phone Believer

The Razr Plus 2023 proves that flip phones have a lot more to offer than just portability.
www.cnet.com www.cnet.com
 
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kargurin said:
Here is a blasphemous thought that I'm considering....you can use this flip phone quite a bit while flipped shut. It has a big 'small' screen that one may end up using alot. Mixed results with people who are PWM sensitive according to reddit. First, I want to see the new iPhone and will probably choose between the Ultra and one of the Motorolas.


The video above showcases the difference in display flickering when Motorola's flicker reduction option is enabled and disabled. There's a palpable difference, to be sure, and it means that this is likely the only flip-type foldable phone that some flicker-sensitive folks will be able to use this year.

When the display uses PWM dimming, it runs at 720Hz, or triple the rate of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5. That means the Motorola Razr Plus has a more vision-friendly display.

www.cnet.com

Review: Motorola's Razr Plus Made Me a Flip Phone Believer

The Razr Plus 2023 proves that flip phones have a lot more to offer than just portability.
www.cnet.com www.cnet.com
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! Very interesting, and just from this test, it does appear far better on the eyes than anything we have seen on the recent iPhones.
 
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Not sure if anyone has noticed but on iOS17 under Accessibility | Display & Text | Colour Filters you can now turn on the Gray scale option and now have an Intensity slider. Sliding it back to the left gives you colour back but much less saturation. Might help some of us.
 
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Abiyork said:
Just a quick reminder as to my situation.

An iphone 12 pro triggered a neurology issue. I now have a cronic condition called NDPH and take a variety of prescription drugs and botox injections into my scalp to keep my pain manageable. My neurologist stated he seeing a lot more cases in recent years and he believes excessive exposure to screens could definitely be a contributing factor.

I am a very rare case admittedly, but if you feel the burning/nausea etc, dont give the device any longer. Stop and return it.

Best of luck with the 15's, I'll be watching from the sidelines....
Click to expand...
I am concerned about consistent exposure, and I’m lucky enough that I don’t feel bothered by it now despite exposing myself to 24/7 headaches for several weeks with iPhone X, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

My only recurring issue is that I have a theory that exposure to these devices with intense sensitivity led me to become more sensitive to PWM in other devices, although I’ve only ever had a notable reaction from an Apple product.

Maybe it is best to hold off on the pre-order.
 
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jm31828 said:
Thanks for sharing! Very interesting, and just from this test, it does appear far better on the eyes than anything we have seen on the recent iPhones.
Click to expand...
Truth be told I would try a foldable smartphone, but I want to avoid PWM if possible. It’s equally concerning on the Android side, but I haven’t tried owning an Android smartphone. Maybe that’s my next experiment if I’m so inclined? To see if I.e. the Galaxy Fold causes the same intense reaction.
 
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now i see it said:
Any LCD screen of apple’s that touts “Wide gamut” color or “billions” of colors is using a cheat to fool the eyes into thinking they’re seeing colors that don’t actually exist.
That technique (cheat) is referred to as Temporal Dithering. (TD).

Much like PWM brightness dimming in OLED displays, TD flashes (flickers) adjacent colors on and off at a very high frequency to fool the eyes into seeing a color that’s sort of the average of the two. Example, flash an adjacent red and blue pixel on and of and the eyes see purple.
The screen isn’t projecting purple- just the eyes think their seeing purple.

To do this cheat requires color flickering. Most people can not detect it, while some people experience negative nervous system effects due to the high frequency flickering.

@MICHAELSD mentioned above that the 11” iPad Pro doesn’t bother him at all — so maybe check that model out.
Click to expand...
There is the possibility that temporal dithering bothers me slightly, but I think that’s in my head. iPhone SE third-generation causes no irritation whatsoever, and I thought I saw that it had temporal dithering but it’s difficult to find information online.

Either way I will accept the minor irritation of temporal dithering compared to the debilitation of PWM.
jimmy_uk said:
I’m getting cold feet over the 15PM. To date, all of the Pro models have given me the worst reactions - and almost immediately. Debating if I should just get the 15 Plus instead 😣😰 But I want a flagship and the titanium frame will be a benefit on weight (plus I prefer the brushed finish).
Click to expand...
It doesn’t hurt to wait and see what the PWM measurements are like first.

It sounds like iPhone 15/Plus will use similar displays from iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max, and Apple has been weird with the base iPhone PWM lately. iPhone 14 did bother me more than iPhone 14 Pro Max, it definitely wasn’t a unicorn DC dimming device.

I honestly don’t have my hopes up, but there’s the off chance that Apple will quietly fix this one generation without fanfare or an announcement.

Pro devices have a better chance of getting PWM-free displays first.
 
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PWM-free is a dream that OLED cannot deliver.

After a stressful day at work in an overly warm office yesterday, I ended up with a headache last night that is still lingering today. It has been a strong reminder that this always happens after using previous OLED iPhones and do I really want to feel like this again next week on release. Every year I tell myself: "Do not buy another OLED iPhone" after I make yet another return because the phone has given me aching eyes + a migraine. I'm telling myself to sit this out.

8yDN.gif


It looks like Samsung have reserved their next generation of OLED displays for the S24 series early next year. So I don’t see what will have changed for iPhone OLEDs, especially as they seemed to have focused on making all the screens brighter (like we’ve all been crying out for 2000nits!)
 
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jimmy_uk said:
I’m getting cold feet over the 15PM. To date, all of the Pro models have given me the worst reactions - and almost immediately. Debating if I should just get the 15 Plus instead 😣😰 But I want a flagship and the titanium frame will be a benefit on weight (plus I prefer the brushed finish).
Click to expand...
Try the phone you want the most, first. Otherwise you may second guess. If the Plus works, you may begin to wonder about the Pro Max. If the Plus doesn’t work, you likely try the PM anyways.
 
So I am in the Game this year again…
I have zero issues with my iPhone 12 Pro but absolutely could tolerate the xs before…
I tried the 14pro last year and I think it gave me slight headaches so I returned it…

I am thinking positive and hope for the best with this years phone…

I plan on fully use the phone for the 14 days and try it out and then decide on what to do…
I am just a little scared that I can’t return my apple fineWoven case and get all my money back after using it for 14 days…(if it shows some wear…)
I‘ll be sad enough as it is but loosing money on top of everything…
(But if I can use the phone I don’t wanna waste money on a cheap case…)
 
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I need to find whatever it was that the X had that didn't bother me. I had the X for 3 years and not a problem. Every OLED since has caused issues.
 
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In my case colors don't seem to be a contributing factor. The very first thing I do to check out a phone is go to a news story with text. The more the better. And then I compare the same story to my phone using same brightness and text size. The PWM phones show text that 'move' for me. Or is blurry.
 
Who else gets unreasonably excited once they realize new iPhone pre-orders started? I was making coffee and it perked me up a little bit.

Thankfully, iPhone 15 Pro models are sold-out until October/November. It will be much better to wait and if I’m so inclined to try one I’m sure picking it up at a local Apple Store won’t be too much of a big deal. Then again I’ll be hanging on to any inkling of hope, such as Notebookcheck stating “iPhone 15 Pro Max enters a 480Hz DC dimming mode above 25% brightness, which reduces the effect of PWM for all but the most sensitive users.”

Also hi, it’s me, one of the most sensitive users.
 
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jimmy_uk said:
PWM-free is a dream that OLED cannot deliver.
Click to expand...
I still don’t think that this is necessarily true as it’s technically possible to modulate brightness without PWM on an OLED panel, but I can see the concerns of potentially reduced power efficiency, slightly increased burn-in risk, and questionably diminished display longevity causing manufacturers to accept the drawback that there is a group of people that absolutely can’t use these devices.

Realistically at this point we may have to wait for a new display technology before getting our hopes up again, as five years of the same process has taught us that this is looking unlikely to be fixed on current OLED smartphone panels.
 
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