iPad Pro 12.9 light bleeding - covered by warranty?

[lars666]

EDIT: "spotlighting" would be the more correct term I guess ...

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Hi everybody,

I bought the iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) just over a year ago and recently discovered light bleeding on one side (when showing white/bright colors, not visible when black). As I am very anal about panel quality, I can't explain why this didn't catch my eyes much earlier – normally, I would assume that this light bleeding must have appeared much later and not haven been present before. However, as this seems very unlikely from a technical point of view (at least to me), I probably really – although I can't explain it – overlooked the light bleeding until a few weeks ago. Now I can't unsee it.

I am over the one-year Apple warranty, but the iPad is covered under an AppleCare Protection Plan (the "old" basic one which isn't sold anymore, notApple Care+). Apple support has always been good to me with my (although always covered by expensive AppleCare plans) Macs in the past, one or two times even better than they would have been obligated to – so I am not a guy shouting "Apple products cost so much so they have to be 100% perfect, give me a new iPad!" in this case. Instead I am looking for honest opinions if the light bleeding on my iPad (documented on the attached photos) justifies a warranty case at the Genius Bar or if – especially as I already own this iPad for a long time and didn't returned it when I had the 14 days chance – I now have to live with it. Which, again, I would be okay with, although I am annoyed by myself that I didn't discover it earlier. Now that I did, I always focus on it from the corner of my eyes when reading newspapers on my iPad.

Am I too picky? Or should I go to the Apple Store? The problem is that I would feel stupid either way – claiming that the light bleeding didn't appear until a few weeks ago (which is my subjective reality, but can't really be the case) or, alternatively, having to explain why I obviously was perfectly fine with it more than a year ...

 

[DeltaMac]

Why would it be difficult for you to say that it only appeared a few weeks ago.
You sound like someone who would have noticed that kind of screen issue from the beginning.
I suspect that it really has only started (or now is more visible) quite recently.

One way to find out an answer - call Apple, or simply take to an Apple store.

 

[lars666]

Can't really imagine any how such a spotlight bleeding could suddenly appear after a year. The only thing coming to my mind that even remotely could be a trace would be: The screen glue became dry, "opened" the gap under the glass a bit more and now lets too much light from the LEDs through – and even that is a real wild theory which probably only shows that I have no idea how the panel lightning is built. It simply seems much more probable that I somehow – although very sensible on those things – didn't discover this spotlight bleeding for months although it was already there.

Anyway, I'll probably should go and ask at the Genius Bar as you've suggested.

 

[mdewberry]

Hi Lars666,

I just recently bought my 12.9 iPad Pro last month, and when I was in the Apple store, I noticed that each and every 12.9 Pro had this backlight bleeding on the edges when looking at white screens. I was nervous about it and showed it to the store employee, who stated he had not noticed it before! I did not see it on the 10.5 inch Pros, but it was on all of the 12.9 inch ones.

He stated that if I still wanted to try one, I could buy it, and I had two weeks to return if there was backlight bleeding. I also confirmed that if this light bleed occurred later, it would definitely be covered under Apple Care (which I bought). I brought it home and no backlight bleed.

I was hoping that maybe it was that initial batch of new iPad Pros that were problematic, and that Apple had worked through the problem. Now, unfortunately, it seems that it is an issue that will most likely surface over time.

 

[lars666]

Hi mdewberry, thanks for the info! Guess I should just try to have the iPad exchanged - hoping that AppleCare will really cover my lightbleeds ... Really annoys me more and more now that I am writing about it, lol.

 

[kazmac]

Hi mdewberry, thanks for the info! Guess I should just try to have the iPad exchanged - hoping that AppleCare will really cover my lightbleeds ... Really annoys me more and more now that I am writing about it, lol.

Another poster here just got their iPad Pro swapped out when theirs exhibited backlight bleed, so you shouldn't have a problem if you have Apple Care.

 

[lars666]

Sounds promising - thanks for the info, kazmac. After reading the responses here, I'll probably make an appointment at the Genius Bar within the next weeks and hope for understanding from Apple's side.

 

[kazmac]

Here is a link to that thread

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-this-backlight-bleed-should-i-take-to-apple-store.2127484/

 

[lars666]

Here is a link to that thread

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-this-backlight-bleed-should-i-take-to-apple-store.2127484/

That indeeds looks almost identical to my problem - thanks for the link!

 

[musicpenguy]

If you do this within your first year of ownership you should get a replacement iPad free of charge - this just happened to me and thankfully I was days before it was too late.

 

[lars666]

Unfortunately, my iPad is over one year old – however, I have AppleCare so that I hope they will exchange it nevertheless in my case. Do you have an AppleCare plan, too, and were told that they won't have exchanged it nevertheless in the second year?

 

[musicpenguy]

Unfortunately, my iPad is over one year old – however, I have AppleCare so that I hope they will exchange it nevertheless in my case. Do you have an AppleCare plan, too, and were told that they won't have exchanged it nevertheless in the second year?

No AppleCare on my iPad, you should be fine with AC

 

[lars666]

Thanks for the info – in this case, I am relieved!

 

[MrGimper]

I would probably suggest that your conversation with Apple should be around the fact that this clearly visible light bleed exists, rather than when it happened. Whether it happened just now, or a while back and you are bringing it in now, should be irrelevant.... it's a fault.

 

[danmart]

I had mine replaced recently outside the official warranty period and with no AppleCare, so take it the store, be polite and hope for the best!

My problem was an unresponsive screen, but it also had a backlight bleed visible at the edge of the screen. Apparently this can indicate your screen is starting to delaminate!

 

[lars666]

That was my only possible explanation as well: That somehow the glue inside dried out, "widens" the screen and causes these LED spotlights. (Horribly explained, but I don't have better words for it.)

Will probably have a visit at the Genius Bar on Friday.

 

[lars666]

Just coming back from the Apple Store - the lightning defect was acknowledged without any problems and the iPad exchanged for a new/refurbished one which looks good (for now).

However I had an interested look at the demo units - it was scary to see that (as someone here already wrote) they all have the bleeding too, and even MUCH worse. I was unsure with mine if I should ask to have it exchanged or not, but boy - I would DEFINITELY give me iPad back with the bleeding on the demo units. Seems to be a 12.9 problem, didn't see it on the smaller ones ...

Happy for now with the new unit, hopeing that the replacement is from a later, optimized batch than my old "day 1" / Store display iPads so that light bleeding won't occur on this one. Thanks again for the input!

 

[danmart]

However I had an interested look at the demo units - it was scary to see that (as someone here already wrote) they all have the bleeding too, and even MUCH worse.

I wonder if being on charge for long periods of time is a factor? Demo units would probably experience this more than any other typical usage?

 

[lars666]

My guess wouldn't be the charge, but usage time of the display (probably most of the time on 100% brightness) which would surpass every "normal" usage when it comes to the Apple Store demo units ...

 

[danmart]

Good point

 

[Proteinaceous]

I want to thank you for starting this thread. My 2017 12.9 inch has developed an identical issue. I’m not sure if my “spots” are quite as bright/noticeable as yours, but it’s definitely “spotlighting”...and it’s in almost the exact same locations as yours. I’ve had ipads since the original and have never had this issue on any of the others (including the original 2015 12.9, which my wife still uses).

Like yours, mine also seemed to have developed over time. It definitely didn’t look like this when I purchased it (launch day). I noticed it a few months ago and it does seem be be getting progressively worse...first it was one spot, now it is multiple spots, and the original spot seems to be getting brighter. So, you’re not the only one that has seen this develop over time.

I will probably return it at some point, but might wait to see if it gets a little worse. I have AC+ so there is plenty of time left on the warranty. Glad you were able to get yours replaced without issue.

 

[mcpryon2]

I noticed spotlighting on my 2017 12.9" iPad Pro (8 spots along the left side), which definitely wasn't there until recently. I sent it in yesterday and got the notification that they shipped a replacement today. Thankfully I got AC+ on mine since it's just over a year old.

 

[lars666]

@mcpryon2: Good to hear about your replacement. @Proteinaceous: You should be fine with your AC+ plan, too. I had a check with CoconutBattery which shows me that my replacement was manufactured in May this year. Hopefully, something was optimized when it comes to the screens - otherwise, it may very well be that the bleeding starts again in a few months ... Fingers crossed that this won't happen. Judging by the responses here, it definitely seems some kind of problem specifically attached to the 12.9 version ...

 

[iRaynor SK]

Same issue here.

I'm from Slovakia, should I go to Vienna to official iStore? It's over 250 km.

I still got warranty, I purchased it at 22. september 2017.

Thanks

 

[lars666]

If the fault is clearly visible, you could also send the iPad in for replacement, I guess. Still, im comparison to going to the Apple Store, there's the risk that that you are not there to explain and argue if the Apple guy on the other side doesn't see and/or acknowledge the problem and sends the iPad back without repair/replacement.