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Gamo-X

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 19, 2017
6
3
I haven't seen anybody mention about white spot problem on iPad Air 3 only on iPad Pro. Unfortunately, my iPad Air 3 has this problem, it happened around a month after use. Anyone with the same problem?
 

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EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
14,904
12,879
Is that on the home button side?

So, it looks like the people getting the Air 3 over the 10.5 Pro to avoid the white spot problem are going to be disappointed.

Fortunately, you should be able to get a replacement for this.
 

Gamo-X

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 19, 2017
6
3
Is that on the home button side?

So, it looks like the people getting the Air 3 over the 10.5 Pro to avoid the white spot problem are going to be disappointed.

Fortunately, you should be able to get a replacement for this.


Yes it is a bit above the home button.
 

kkng

macrumors member
Apr 22, 2018
37
52
I honestly don't know what to say. Bought the Air 3 although I wanted to have the 10,5" Pro 2017, only to avoid the bright spot issue. The iFixit teardown of the Air 3 convinced me, that Apple took some measures to fix this issue. Now I read this.

Apple, are your customers a joke to you? Why is nobody officially addressing this issue? I was about to buy AppleCare+ a few hours ago, but don't know what to do now.

I once trusted this company, but I just feel betrayed right now.
 

Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Mar 11, 2009
1,925
1,373
Chicago suburbs
This looks like the infamous 10.5 that often had issues like this, especially near or around the home button. But in my opinion, all these white spot and light bleed issues come hand in hand with laminated displays. This is the main reason I stick with the regular iPad non-laminated, which rarely have reports of such issues.
 
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EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
14,904
12,879
This looks like the infamous 10.5 that often had issues like this, especially near or around the home button. But in my opinion, all these white spot and light bleed issues come hand in hand with laminated displays. This is the main reason I stick with the regular iPad non-laminated, which rarely have reports of such issues.
What about the laminated Air 2? Our two units have gone 4 and 5 years with no white spots, and it doesn’t seem to be a significant issue with the Air 2.
 
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Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Mar 11, 2009
1,925
1,373
Chicago suburbs
What about the laminated Air 2? Our two units have gone 4 and 5 years with no white spots, and it doesn’t seem to be a significant issue with the Air 2.

I'm not saying all laminated. But you look at the reports of when these issues do occur, it's almost always laminated.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,919
13,261
I'm not saying all laminated. But you look at the reports of when these issues do occur, it's almost always laminated.
Actually, so far, it seems to be primarily Pro 10.5. This is the first Air 3 reported with this issue and I think there might have been one or two 2017 Pro 12.9.

I don't believe this was a prevalent issue with the Air 2, Pro 9.7 and 1st gen Pro 12.9. At least I've never heard even a single report of it on those models.
 
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*~Kim~*

macrumors 65816
May 6, 2013
1,178
470
UK
I was about to say it’s any iPad larger than the standard, though there haven’t been any on the 3rd Gen Pros that I know of. I think I read one or two on here of the 1st Gen 12.9”.

I also don’t think there have been any on the laminated Mini 4.
 

Torty

macrumors 65816
Oct 16, 2013
1,239
944
This looks like the infamous 10.5 that often had issues like this, especially near or around the home button. But in my opinion, all these white spot and light bleed issues come hand in hand with laminated displays. This is the main reason I stick with the regular iPad non-laminated, which rarely have reports of such issues.
For me this kind of issues come with lcd displays. Had 2 Air 2s with book spine effect. Hope to see OLED on iPads soon.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,919
13,261
I was about to say it’s any iPad larger than the standard, though there haven’t been any on the 3rd Gen Pros that I know of. I think I read one or two on here of the 1st Gen 12.9”.

I also don’t think there have been any on the laminated Mini 4.
Wasn't it on the 2nd gen Pro 12.9 and not 1st gen, though?

Lol, I forgot the Mini 4. I kinda barely use mine.
 

*~Kim~*

macrumors 65816
May 6, 2013
1,178
470
UK
Wasn't it on the 2nd gen Pro 12.9 and not 1st gen, though?

Lol, I forgot the Mini 4. I kinda barely use mine.

It was definitely more prevalent on the 2nd Gen (though not to the same extent as the 10.5”) but I seem to recall a couple on the 1st Gen 12.9” too.
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,405
13,290
where hip is spoken
Actually, so far, it seems to be primarily Pro 10.5. This is the first Air 3 reported with this issue and I think there might have been one or two 2017 Pro 12.9.

I don't believe this was a prevalent issue with the Air 2, Pro 9.7 and 1st gen Pro 12.9. At least I've never heard even a single report of it on those models.
That is my recollection as well.

This issue is not due to laminated vs. non-laminated, or even screen size, but seems to be based on form-factor.... any new form-factor after 1st gen 12.9 Pro (2nd gen is the same form-factor but w/pro-motion) seems to suffer from this of one extent or another:

That would include, the 10.5 Pro, 11.0 Pro, 3rd gen 12.9 Pro, and 10.5 Air 3 (essentially the 10.5 Pro)

If my theory is correct, then the 2017 and 2018 9.7 iPads, and Mini 5 won't be affected.

Thinner glass on those newer form-factors? Less (or no) gap between the screen and the other components. I haven't heard reports of those newer form-factors "breathing" like the older iPads.
 

Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Mar 11, 2009
1,925
1,373
Chicago suburbs
I maintain it is ultimately laminated related. Expect perhaps since the iPad 3 (frequent light bleed and annoying yellowish tint), I don't recall seeing any complaints about white spots, colored bands, or light bleed with subsequent, basic non-laminated iPads. Perhaps there are degree differences of these issues with the various laminated versions, but the common thread is laminated, one way or another IMO.
 

sakurarain

macrumors 6502
Jul 26, 2018
325
242
Shanghai
That is my recollection as well.

This issue is not due to laminated vs. non-laminated, or even screen size, but seems to be based on form-factor.... any new form-factor after 1st gen 12.9 Pro (2nd gen is the same form-factor but w/pro-motion) seems to suffer from this of one extent or another:

That would include, the 10.5 Pro, 11.0 Pro, 3rd gen 12.9 Pro, and 10.5 Air 3 (essentially the 10.5 Pro)

If my theory is correct, then the 2017 and 2018 9.7 iPads, and Mini 5 won't be affected.

Thinner glass on those newer form-factors? Less (or no) gap between the screen and the other components. I haven't heard reports of those newer form-factors "breathing" like the older iPads.

That happened on my 1st. gen. iPad Pro as well. Approx. 2 cm above the home button. Luckily my parents’ iPad Air and iPad Air 2 do not have this issue
 

jpiszcz

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2010
413
76
Starting last year buying an iPad became a true lottery, bravo Apple!

It’s bad though when apple doesn’t acknowledge it and doesn’t take care of their existing customer base.

If they offered a replacement with no charge that would make most customers happy I think.

Look at the other thread iPad Pro 10.5 many posts about it there.
 

Digitalguy

macrumors 601
Apr 15, 2019
4,647
4,469
I think all this is little more that pure speculation on the cause of the issue. So far the white spots have been a rare exception outside the 10.5 pro. So whatever is the cause (or set of causes) it's probably much stronger for that model (since problems with older devices are much more rare or non-existent).
 

Gamo-X

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 19, 2017
6
3
Maybe I am just unlucky because there seem to be none or so few iPad Air 3 with this issue.
 

DragonX

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2013
352
221
Thankfully, there's always the exchange solution. But then exchanges become a lottery too!

You're right! I was unlucky enough to get a faulty device and then a faulty replacement from Apple that stopped working normally right after warranty expired.

It’s bad though when apple doesn’t acknowledge it and doesn’t take care of their existing customer base.

If they offered a replacement with no charge that would make most customers happy I think.

Look at the other thread iPad Pro 10.5 many posts about it there.

Yeah they stopped admitting their hardware problems after 2013. They produce faulty devices and many of them develop serious issues 1-2 years. And they just deny it because it's more profitable to force customers to play in the lottery again and again.
 

Rylior

macrumors member
May 27, 2019
30
2
My first ipad air 3 had it too but hardly visible, it was there from the beggining. I got it replaced becouse of stuck pixel/white dot in the corner month after i bought it, new one has any issues yet
 

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Mc0

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2017
188
369
Oh crud! Here I am thinking that my iPad air 3 is just an isolated case. My unit also has a faint white spot few inches above the home button. I think it's already there from when I bought it. I just didn’t notice it until recently. Going to have it replace tomorrow. I hope this is not as widespread as the pro 10.5. These are not cheap products!
 
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