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Are you experiencing this issue?


  • Total voters
    1,919

timeconsumer

macrumors 68020
Aug 1, 2008
2,135
2,173
Portland
They wont change anything to help a tiny minority. The "fix" may negatively affect more people. We need new oled tech that doesnr require pwm.
Good point. I believe microLED will be the solution, but who knows when that will be available. Until then, we have the 8/8+ and XR if you don't mind the 828p screen.
 

kerplunknet

Cancelled
Oct 8, 2006
836
1,885
They wont change anything to help a tiny minority. The "fix" may negatively affect more people. We need new oled tech that doesnr require pwm.
100% of people who use these iPhones with PWM are affected; it's just a matter of how much. I suspect most people are negatively affected in some way, but not enough to complain about it.

With that said, I would be surprised if the 2019 iPhones use PWM. I think Apple was stuck with it because 2018 is only an "S" year. Fingers crossed for a better solution in 2019.
 
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TDDM

macrumors 6502
Nov 25, 2017
490
634
KA
100% of people who use these iPhones with PWM are affected; it's just a matter of how much. I suspect most people are negatively affected in some way, but not enough to complain about it.

With that said, I would be surprised if the 2019 iPhones use PWM. I think Apple was stuck with it because 2018 is only an "S" year. Fingers crossed for a better solution in 2019.
I agree. I know that most people aren't affected to our degree, but I *can't* imagine it's good for anyone to be constantly staring at a flickering screen like that.

I'm extremely thankful for the XR, I'm gonna hold on to that until there's another solution (Assuming it has no PWM)
 

kerplunknet

Cancelled
Oct 8, 2006
836
1,885
I just reached out to Apple support and was able to get to a point where they created a case and emailed the engineering team asking the following questions:

1. Is PWM used in the iPhone XR?
2. Will PWM be used in future iPhone models?

I know that TDDM already had great success with contacting them about these questions, but I hope that more support cases created around this issue will bring more attention to it internally. Also, a second response from the engineering team to confirm what we know will be nice. I will let everyone know what I hear when they call me back later this week.

p.s. Apple support is AMAZING! Super nice people and easy to deal with.
 
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TDDM

macrumors 6502
Nov 25, 2017
490
634
KA
I know that TDDM already had great success with contacting them about these questions, but I hope that more support cases created around this issue will bring more attention to it internally.
Definitely, the more people that let them know about the issue, the better.

Also, a second response from the engineering team to confirm what we know will be nice
A response from the engineering team would completely put my mind at ease regarding the XR. Thanks for letting us know, hope you hear back soon :D
 

janeauburn

macrumors 65816
Nov 22, 2015
1,315
2,234
I read the previous reports and did not believe them. Now that I've been using an XS Max, I see what they've been saying. Reading text for any length of time on the screen makes my eyes hurt.

I switch back and forth between the XS and the 8 Plus, and I notice that the LCD screen is significantly easier on the eyes.

So weird. What's going on?
 
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eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,672
28,463
I read the previous reports and did not believe them. Now that I've been using an XS Max, I see what they've been saying. Reading text for any length of time on the screen makes my eyes hurt.

I switch back and forth between the XS and the 8 Plus, and I notice that the LCD screen is significantly easier on the eyes.

So weird. What's going on?
Tip for you…don't buy an iPad.
 

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
13,570
26,282
PWM flickering on OLED can result in eye strain.

One way to reduce the flicker is to manually increase brightness past 50%.

Otherwise, you can wait for the iPhone XR.
 

movieator

macrumors 65816
Sep 17, 2009
1,398
1,064
LA, CA
81919953-cartoon-illustration-of-eye-lifting-weights-training-.jpg
 

Proteinaceous

macrumors regular
Dec 4, 2004
198
215
This is definitely a real issue. I never get headaches. I've had an iPhone since the very first one came out. On Friday I noticed that I had an odd headache in the evening. I didn't think much of it. On Saturday evening it happened again. I again just thought it was nothing. Then on Sunday I got another headache in the evening. That's when I noticed it was a trend and that something was causing them. I thought of what could possibly be causing the headaches. I noticed they started exactly when I got the iPhone Xs Max, so I did a google search and here I am.

For those of you that got headaches with the iPhone X, did they go away after time. I like my new iPhone, but I cannot put up with daily headaches. If they continue, I'm going to need to return it.

BTW, headaches for me are extremely rare.
I got the X last year (I posted in this thread last year after the X was first released). Your situation sounds similar to mine. I rarely get headaches. I used the X for a week and had a headache each day. The only way the headaches went away for me was when I stopped using the phone.

I’ve been following this thread since it first started last year and I don’t recall anyone that said they got used to it over time.
 

77sunsetstrip

macrumors member
Dec 31, 2009
68
60
I got the X last year (I posted in this thread last year after the X was first released). Your situation sounds similar to mine. I rarely get headaches. I used the X for a week and had a headache each day. The only way the headaches went away for me was when I stopped using the phone.

I’ve been following this thread since it first started last year and I don’t recall anyone that said they got used to it over time.
[doublepost=1537837639][/doublepost]I had the iPhone X. I would use it at night with the brightness turned really low. It really messed up my vision. It just felt wrong. It was the flickering I guess. So I went back to the 7 Plus which had no such problem. But here’s the thing. I also have a problem with the amount of motion on the iPhone X screen like when pulling up from the bottom to go to the home screen when the icons move. That makes me feel nauseous too. Same with moving between apps by sliding along the bottom of the screen. I wonder if people who have a problem with PWM flicker also have a problem with too much motion?
 

grandM

macrumors 68000
Oct 14, 2013
1,520
302
It takes a little time to adjust to OLED from LED. I know when I switch between my 7 Plus and my V30, sometimes my eyes get a tad strained. It might just take a little adjustment for some with more sensitive eyesight.

Edit: It could also be the way iOS runs? The gestures might be causing motion fatigue on your eyes?
if that is the lg v30 how does battery life compare to the 7+
 

iCP3

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2016
20
9
I was on my XS Max for hours this weekend and no eyestrain or headaches whatsoever. So far so good.
 

benh911f

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
428
449
I’ve been noticing it the most reading sites/forums like Macrumors. Sites on white backgrounds and with smaller text. The text to me looks smaller now on this phone than it did on my 6S, or at least it’s more difficult for me to read. I’ll also look at this phone for a few minutes then look at a computer screen and the computer screen looks completely off, almost like I’ve been staring at the sun for a few minutes.
 
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TheBoxer

macrumors newbie
Oct 21, 2014
28
17
I just reached out to Apple support and was able to get to a point where they created a case and emailed the engineering team asking the following questions:

1. Is PWM used in the iPhone XR?
2. Will PWM be used in future iPhone models?

I know that TDDM already had great success with contacting them about these questions, but I hope that more support cases created around this issue will bring more attention to it internally. Also, a second response from the engineering team to confirm what we know will be nice. I will let everyone know what I hear when they call me back later this week.

p.s. Apple support is AMAZING! Super nice people and easy to deal with.

Thanks, this will be very useful since I'm most likely going to need to return my Xs Max. I'll probably end up getting the XR. This is pretty depressing since I do love the phone, minus the headaches. I was planning to upgrade my iPad this year and to buy an iwatch. Both use oled, so I won't be able to buy them. If the XR uses PWM, I'll probably just use my old iPhone for another year. *Sigh*

Today I experienced another headache in the evening. That's 4 nights in a row now. I plan to use it for about 10 days to see if I'm able to adjust to the oled screen.
 

filmak

macrumors 65816
Jun 21, 2012
1,418
777
between earth and heaven
Thanks, this will be very useful since I'm most likely going to need to return my Xs Max. I'll probably end up getting the XR. This is pretty depressing since I do love the phone, minus the headaches. I was planning to upgrade my iPad this year and to buy an iwatch. Both use oled, so I won't be able to buy them. If the XR uses PWM, I'll probably just use my old iPhone for another year. *Sigh*

Today I experienced another headache in the evening. That's 4 nights in a row now. I plan to use it for about 10 days to see if I'm able to adjust to the oled screen.
iPad uses IPS led not oled. You can go for it.
 
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dazz87

macrumors 68000
Sep 24, 2007
1,631
1,710
Today I experienced another headache in the evening. That's 4 nights in a row now. I plan to use it for about 10 days to see if I'm able to adjust to the oled screen.
Wait four straight nights of headaches and you still going to used and hopefully your eyes will be used to it? Use a phone is more important than your health?
 

TheBoxer

macrumors newbie
Oct 21, 2014
28
17
Wait four straight nights of headaches and you still going to used and hopefully your eyes will be used to it? Use a phone is more important than your health?

Well, its not just the Xs Max. Apple plans to use OLED in everything in the near future. I was going to return it today but decided to wait a few more days because if Apple doesn't change their oled screens, it essentially means I won't be able to buy future Apple products.
 
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user1234

macrumors 6502a
Mar 3, 2009
854
683
Sweden
Thanks, this will be very useful since I'm most likely going to need to return my Xs Max. I'll probably end up getting the XR. This is pretty depressing since I do love the phone, minus the headaches. I was planning to upgrade my iPad this year and to buy an iwatch. Both use oled, so I won't be able to buy them. If the XR uses PWM, I'll probably just use my old iPhone for another year. *Sigh*

Today I experienced another headache in the evening. That's 4 nights in a row now. I plan to use it for about 10 days to see if I'm able to adjust to the oled screen.

You have gotten a reply aldready but I just wanted to confirm that the iPad uses IPS-LCD and not OLED. You should be fine.

The Apple watch does use OLED, but I have heard that many PWM sensitive users don’t have a problem with the watch. The screen is small, only viewed for short moments, and it’s mostly a black UI (black = pixels off, no light. Light that doesn’t exist can’t flicker) so I’m hopeful that I will be able to use the watch, and I want to give it a try. I’ll be a few months before I can afford one though after buying the XR.
 
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