Other Here we go again, yellow tint Xs /Xs Max

[symphony]

I'm been reading all 41 pages and Just got my phone swap out at apple, I cant tell if my new one is any better but my new S/N starts with F2 and my previous one started with FF

does that mean I have a good one now or the S/N dont really matter?

I don’t think S/N matters, since someone here stated they had a perfect display but they had the same serial number as me.

If my spotify and clock apps are grey, not black, does that mean my display is faulty? Seems like they are actually grey now...

Clock should be nearly black. I had a bunch of models with washed out black levels which made things look grey (check page 33/34)

 

[davec25]

Clock should be nearly black. I had a bunch of models with washed out black levels which made things look grey (check page 33/34)

Yeah, it's just not true black. Images that are supposed to be true black look correct, so I guess it's ok.

 

[4254126]

Yeah, it's just not true black. Images that are supposed to be true black look correct, so I guess it's ok.

Clock app is a gray-ish tone. But in photos or when videos are cropped (or even when displaying a pure black picture from Google pics), it's really BLACK. So I assume its an iOS thing and not a display problem. Same with bedtime / lockscreen.

 

[kre62]

How do you think mine looks? It is definitely warmer than my girlfriend's X, but it seems quite uniform.

According to this pic, and the temp of the monitor I'm using to look at it, it looks great, but its hard to say for sure without a comparison to a known good screen.

 

[tcdav26]

Be interesting to see if 12.1 beta 2 makes a difference for those suffering, as my screen looks a little “different” since I installed it....

In what way?

 

[bevsb2]

How is my screen? View attachment 791456 View attachment 791455

Looks good to me.

 

[Smoothie]

In the comments to the Ars Technica review of the XS, one poster took issue with any contention that the displays could be less than perfect. He claims that they must be accurate since Apple calibrates each one. Of course, we know there's a sample variation. Whether a particular copy is acceptable is ultimately up to the user.

Here's a video by a guy who had to replace his XS Max because the original one had scratches on the screen out of the box. The only reason I'm linking to it is that he compares the original and the replacement, and you can clearly see a difference in color temperature and color shift when they're held side-by-side. It's a good example of the sample variation since the ambient lighting is uniform and he's able to move the phones around to demonstrate color shift.

Edit: I tried pasting the link with the correct start time for the comparison, but it still starts at the beginning. So you should just skip to 9:30 unless you want to watch the entire video.

 

[TheRealAlex]

What’s the consensus on the screens cooling over time? I swear my iPhone X cooled dramatically over time. It felt super yellow when I first got it, and now it looks super crisp next to any other phone. I’ve got 3 days left to return/exchange, so I’m curious of others thoughts on this.

I think it’s Your eyes adjusting.
I used to think my S8 Plus was prefect now I can see how Blue it was compared to neutral white on my XsMAX

 

[DanPH77]

I think it’s Your eyes adjusting.
I used to think my S8 Plus was prefect now I can see how Blue it was compared to neutral white on my XsMAX

I think they should have a slider for preference. That way everyone is happy. I would like to know what true white looks like and if the XS MAX screen is indeed more accurate than so be it...but I am def use to the cooler color temp and it just feels like whites are actually correct from that.

 

[andreipavel]

This morning I visited multiple retailers to compare my warmer XS screen. So, I tested about 12-15 XS and XS Max for a couple of hours (auto brightness disabled, max brightness, w/ and w/o TrueTone).
These are my conclusions: About 30% had the warmer hue exactly like I experienced with mine, and the rest were a bit cooler, but not as cool as the X. Seeing this I was thinking about returning mine, hoping for a cooler screen. However, upon further inspection, the white point shift at an angle was considerably less pronounced for the phones with warmer displays (at least for the phones I have tested). Considering this and the fact that I do not plan on using TrueTone (in my opinion even the X is too warm with TrueTone on) I will be keeping my warmer tinted XS.
PS: I have not seen any XS or XS max screens which are warmer with TrueTone off than the X with TrueTone on; a member posted some pages ago that his XS w/o TrueTone is warmer than an X with TrueTone enabled. If that would have been the case for mine I would probably get a replacement.
And another thing to clarify about the color shift that I mentioned: all the OLED iphones I tested (X, XS, XS max) shift the white point even with the slightest movement (some around here say 1-2 mm). However from about 10 degrees and up the warmer displays shift a lot less.

 

[maka344]

Clock app is a gray-ish tone. But in photos or when videos are cropped (or even when displaying a pure black picture from Google pics), it's really BLACK. So I assume its an iOS thing and not a display problem. Same with bedtime / lockscreen.

This is what I meant in an earlier post were I said that Apple hasn't fully optimised iOS for OLED tech!

 

[garymontague]

I really don't know what to do.

My screen is quite uniform but on the warm side but I do have quite a blue shift when tilting at the slightest angle which I know is an OLED trait (It shows especially within the settings, messages and WhatsApp). The warmness doesn't bother me too much it's just the shift in colour. On comparing with my X from last year the blue shift is very similar but because the screen was on the cooler side on the X it was less noticeable than my XS Max when it shifts from the warmer colours to the cooler blue colour. I hadn't really noticed it on the X until I compared the two.

I really wish Apple would allow us to alter the white point or give a true dark theme as this would solve the issue for most people.

I have until Friday to decide to keep it in the hope that i will become used to it or return and re-buy and risk getting a worse screen. I am loving everything else about the phone.

 

[andreipavel]

I really don't know what to do.

My screen is quite uniform but on the warm side but I do have quite a blue shift when tilting at the slightest angle which I know is an OLED trait (It shows especially within the settings, messages and WhatsApp). The warmness doesn't bother me too much it's just the shift in colour. On comparing with my X from last year the blue shift is very similar but because the screen was on the cooler side on the X it was less noticeable than my XS Max when it shifts from the warmer colours to the cooler blue colour. I hadn't really noticed it on the X until I compared the two.

I really wish Apple would allow us to alter the white point or give a true dark theme as this would solve the issue for most people.

I have until Friday to decide to keep it in the hope that i will become used to it or return and re-buy and risk getting a worse screen. I am loving everything else about the phone.

I have the exact same type of screen. Look up my post above. I wouldn't change it if I were you. I actually think the warmer display is better. You can also see the more aggressive white point shift the cooler displays have in the review just above my post.

 

[AdamA9]

Be interesting to see if 12.1 beta 2 makes a difference for those suffering, as my screen looks a little “different” since I installed it....

They should just say they've fixed the yellow screens. Most people will start seeing whiter screens then.

 

[MVallee]

I went in to the Apple yesterday and tried a fourth XS Max. My third one isn't yellow, but it's warmer than I'm used to. I figured I might as well try one more time, but the fourth one was really bad. Yellow tint when looking at it head on and it almost had a yellow shimmer when moving it that was very distracting. The left edge by the keyboard also looked pink. It was probably the most uneven of all the ones I've received. I returned it to the store immediately and told the employee what was happening but he didn't seem to care. He barely glanced at it and said it looked normal to him. I tried to show him the color shift and the phone next to a display model in the store where you could really see the difference but he didn't even take the time to look. He just said that "the difference is probably within spec".

So I returned it and I'm sticking with my third for now. It's warmer than I'd like but it's even when looking at it straight on and after using it since Saturday I don't find the tone as distracting as. It has a bit of blue shift, but nothing crazy and that seems to be normal for OLED. It's sad that there has to be this level of hassle when purchasing a $2000 phone.

 

[Zaft]

I went in to the Apple yesterday and tried a fourth XS Max. My third one isn't yellow, but it's warmer than I'm used to. I figured I might as well try one more time, but the fourth one was really bad. Yellow tint when looking at it head on and it almost had a yellow shimmer when moving it that was very distracting. The left edge by the keyboard also looked pink. It was probably the most uneven of all the ones I've received. I returned it to the store immediately and told the employee what was happening but he didn't seem to care. He barely glanced at it and said it looked normal to him. I tried to show him the color shift and the phone next to a display model in the store where you could really see the difference but he didn't even take the time to look. He just said that "the difference is probably within spec".

So I returned it and I'm sticking with my third for now. It's warmer than I'd like but it's even when looking at it straight on and after using it since Saturday I don't find the tone as distracting as. It has a bit of blue shift, but nothing crazy and that seems to be normal for OLED. It's sad that there has to be this level of hassle when purchasing a $2000 phone.

Do you do this every year?

 

[MrGimper]

I went in to the Apple yesterday and tried a fourth XS Max. My third one isn't yellow, but it's warmer than I'm used to. I figured I might as well try one more time, but the fourth one was really bad. Yellow tint when looking at it head on and it almost had a yellow shimmer when moving it that was very distracting. The left edge by the keyboard also looked pink. It was probably the most uneven of all the ones I've received. I returned it to the store immediately and told the employee what was happening but he didn't seem to care. He barely glanced at it and said it looked normal to him. I tried to show him the color shift and the phone next to a display model in the store where you could really see the difference but he didn't even take the time to look. He just said that "the difference is probably within spec".

So I returned it and I'm sticking with my third for now. It's warmer than I'd like but it's even when looking at it straight on and after using it since Saturday I don't find the tone as distracting as. It has a bit of blue shift, but nothing crazy and that seems to be normal for OLED. It's sad that there has to be this level of hassle when purchasing a $2000 phone.

So you exchanged it, and then they let you keep the old device? Wow, they wouldn't allow that over here in the UK. Once you swap it, the old one is considered faulty and you can't have it back. Only way to do that is to purchase a second and return the worst under the 14 day return window.

 

[Harthag]

Requested a return of my original XS and will plan on sending back to Apple. Not buying again anytime soon. I have until Oct 17 to send it back which is interesting because it delivered on launch day. I guess by requesting a return online within the return window it gives me 2 more weeks to send it in? I will stick with my iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 XL. I can't justify keeping the XS anymore, when the Pixel has far less color shift (to slight blue only) at an angle. The viewing angle is just so narrow on the XS before whites and grays get really thrown off and turn pinkish. There is a pink tint at the left ear, less on the right, when at an angle which is so annoying. Combined with the lag, earpiece speaker bug, poorly implemented true tone, half baked Waze/Google maps in CarPlay, and crap battery, it isn't yet worth $1000 to me. If after a few months all these things get ironed out, especially the crappy screens, I may try again. Right now it isn't worth the hassle, if I'm not happy after trying two XS I likely won't be happy with a third.

I went in to the Apple yesterday and tried a fourth XS Max. My third one isn't yellow, but it's warmer than I'm used to. I figured I might as well try one more time, but the fourth one was really bad. Yellow tint when looking at it head on and it almost had a yellow shimmer when moving it that was very distracting. The left edge by the keyboard also looked pink. It was probably the most uneven of all the ones I've received. I returned it to the store immediately and told the employee what was happening but he didn't seem to care. He barely glanced at it and said it looked normal to him. I tried to show him the color shift and the phone next to a display model in the store where you could really see the difference but he didn't even take the time to look. He just said that "the difference is probably within spec".

So I returned it and I'm sticking with my third for now. It's warmer than I'd like but it's even when looking at it straight on and after using it since Saturday I don't find the tone as distracting as. It has a bit of blue shift, but nothing crazy and that seems to be normal for OLED. It's sad that there has to be this level of hassle when purchasing a $2000 phone.

For $2000 you'd better be 100% satisfied. Shouldn't have to "tolerate" anything.

 

[jonstatt1]

So you exchanged it, and then they let you keep the old device? Wow, they wouldn't allow that over here in the UK. Once you swap it, the old one is considered faulty and you can't have it back. Only way to do that is to purchase a second and return the worst under the 14 day return window.

He owned two at once. You can just buy 6, open them all, pick the best and return the other 5. I don’t approve of this but Apple has a no fuss return policy in the first 14 days so there is nothing to stop this except your credit card limit!

 

[jonstatt1]

A guy at the office just showed me his Xs and it has identical gradient to my Xs max. More yellow towards the bottom. I mean it was so close in colour temperature, shift and gradient, just smaller. This is why I am not swapping again. The chances of a near perfect one in terms of uniformity is so low that it’s just not worth it. Incidentally he struggled to see the gradient even though it looks obvious to me. We really do see things differently.

 

[thelead]

What are the chances that True Tone is broken? I’m outside with True Tone turned off and the screen looked more yellow than ever... then I turned True Tone on and the screen returned to a minimally yellow white.

 

[Harthag]

What are the chances that True Tone is broken? I’m outside with True Tone turned off and the screen looked more yellow than ever... then I turned True Tone on and the screen returned to a minimally yellow white.

It isn't broken. It's just not optimized for OLED. Apple treats OLED the same way as LCD. Was the same on the X. Apple would rather put R&D into animojis and other worthless crap than optimization of OLED. There's no excuse to not at least offer a toggle for always on display or notifications on the lock screen. Among other features OLED can really take advantage of.

 

[Shadowbech]

Requested a return of my original XS and will plan on sending back to Apple. Not buying again anytime soon. I have until Oct 17 to send it back which is interesting because it delivered on launch day. I guess by requesting a return online within the return window it gives me 2 more weeks to send it in? I will stick with my iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 XL. I can't justify keeping the XS anymore, when the Pixel has far less color shift (to slight blue only) at an angle. The viewing angle is just so narrow on the XS before whites and grays get really thrown off and turn pinkish. There is a pink tint at the left ear, less on the right, when at an angle which is so annoying. Combined with the lag, earpiece speaker bug, poorly implemented true tone, half baked Waze/Google maps in CarPlay, and crap battery, it isn't yet worth $1000 to me. If after a few months all these things get ironed out, especially the crappy screens, I may try again. Right now it isn't worth the hassle, if I'm not happy after trying two XS I likely won't be happy with a third.



For $2000 you'd better be 100% satisfied. Shouldn't have to "tolerate" anything.

Correct when you purchase online, you have this Otiopn and Apple gives you additional 14 days when you click on that return button. So even if you did it on 10/5 then you’d have till the 19th to Return it. I’ve done this before on day 14 when I found a defect that I wasn’t happy with and immediately clicked the return button and gave me an additional 14 days.

 

[thelead]

It isn't broken. It's just not optimized for OLED. Apple treats OLED the same way as LCD. Was the same on the X. Apple would rather put R&D into animojis and other worthless crap than optimization of OLED. There's no excuse to not at least offer a toggle for always on display or notifications on the lock screen. Among other features OLED can really take advantage of.

This screen seems VERY sensitive to environmental lighting too which, IMO, is a big problem.

 

[MVallee]

Do you do this every year?

This is the first time I have ever exchanged an iPhone after purchasing it.
[doublepost=1538590809][/doublepost]

So you exchanged it, and then they let you keep the old device? Wow, they wouldn't allow that over here in the UK. Once you swap it, the old one is considered faulty and you can't have it back. Only way to do that is to purchase a second and return the worst under the 14 day return window.

I bought a new phone and checked it first before I did a return. It was not an exchange so much as purchasing another phone outright and then returning the one I felt was subpar.