iPhone Screen Checkered Pattern

[unity]

AWESOME photo. I angled mine like yours and moved it all around at varying brightness levels. I assure you I do not see this pattern at all. I even tried several re-boots and nothing.

Defect? Maybe. Potential failure waiting to happen? Maybe. Normal? I would think not.

 

[unity]

I just realized something....

I don't think this is the capacitive grid. It looks more like the "converted gif" effect. Anyone who does web design/graphics knows what I mean. Like taking a perfect shade of grey, but then converting it to 256 indexed colors for web/pc. Suddenly a weird checker pattern is created.

If you have all noticed, the iPhone does not support thousands of colors - oddly. It only displays 256 it appears. You can see so in all the icons used at the home screen (look at YouTube) or better yet, in the photo directory - especially with a gradual gradient like a photo of the sky. The thumbnails show it best, but when you zoom into the pics they have it also.

I wonder is some iPhones use a different graphics processor since a restore apparently did not do the trick to fix one. And maybe on these phones, it cant render the black right.

edit: I cam to this theory by looking at the test of the home screen icons, notice the dots do align near the letting in the grid pattern.

I made some quick pics:

First is a jpg, second is the reduced gif of the same image:

 

[sjb]

That's an awesome photo, and it is showing exactly what mine is experiencing. I called Apple earlier today and my phone is being sent in for repair. They are sending a 'loaner' phone for the time being, so we'll see what happens.

I feel like I'm looking to closely and just trying to find things wrong and was starting to regret calling Apple and scheduling a repair. This was until I was listening to the iPod and album art that was mostly black came on the screen. All I saw were white dots. At that point in time, I was happy I'm sending it in.

Hopefully they'll just send me a new one or replace the screen. As long as I don't get one with a dead pixel in the middle of the screen (and white dots), I'll be happy.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

-Steve

 

[elg23]

it is exactly what mine looks like as well...

as long as the screen isnt going to die on me and start to fade, i dont care... i dont know if its worth it for me to return it... it works fine, just those dots... as long as they dont hurt the functionality and they are just there, i dont care... what about the person who said it could be damaging?

 

[iFreQuency]

that picture looks very suspicously photoshopped....where is the clock screen it looks like there are 3 icons in the bottom row before the "home row" not 4, just looks a little "iffy" in my opinion.

and for the record I do NOT have those white dots in my screen at ANY angle
so yea something is ****ed up if that is not fake. And I dont think everyone is faking it could be and is a known problem, i just dont think that picture represents it truthfully.

 

[Dawei]

Mine also has it too. I never noticed this until I read this thread and so I just checked. Yep, it was there alright. :s hopefully this is normal because I don't want to send it in or even head down to the nearest Apple store which is in Glendale, WI.

 

[elg23]

my guess is, that one set of panel manufacturers have panels that appear like this... some people have ones that have the spots, some dont... but i dont think the display will break or something like that... if there is a problem with one manufacturers panels, im sure apple will do a recall or fix it without a problem.. im just going to wait it out, if i hear that apple suggests we return them, then i will, if i hear nothing about it, and nothing bad happens to my phone, im fine with that too... its is annoying me now though because its all i look at since i read this thread..

 

[Spiroid]

Man i kept refreshing after posting my photo... waiting for other comments, i finally noticed the page 2 link.
1st off. it's not photoshoped i did adjust the exposer a bit, the reason there is no clock and only 3 icons is because it's CROPPED. Geez...

I'm kind-of disappointed to here that some of you don't see this at any angle. i was kinda hoping they all had it and because of some variations just didn't notice it.

I looked closer by zooming my full rez photo, looks like the dots are spaced evenly with 3 normal pixels in between alternating each row making as described earlier a checker pattern.
Also at the top of the screen there are fewer rows or dots... i can't really tell it's harder to see at the top. EDIT: I just realized it's not a checker pattern... there all lined up in rows the perspective threw me off. At the top of the screen the dots do alternate and are more widely spaced. I realize non of this really matters but, i'm a lil crazy.

I'm not so sure about my layer angle theory anymore. i think the reason i see it more at a lower angle, is that the screen gets more washed out as you look at it at that angle. tilting it down makes the screen darker and therefor the dots are harder to see.

Anyway just further analyzing the dots.... it's gotten so i see them every time i close my eyes.

 

[Spiroid]

I found this link through googleing the dots
Apple's iPhone Dissected: We did it, so you don't have to

On this page they say
The final piece, the one closest to the motherboard, has a faint pattern of dots laid out in a grid. They go on to say that it's necessary for the touch screen.
I don't know if thats the same kind of dots, they look too big. But the pattern looks similar. It also wouldn't explain why you only see them a few seconds after the iphone is Turned on.

Just figured i would through it out there.

 

[phoneorpda]

Same here.

I returned my previous iPhone because of 6 dead pixels and got one with the white dots.

I really don't want to go back.

Are we sure it is not a software issue?
I am just asking cause the geniuses at my store arersally picky and took me forever just for them to exchange the old one.

Can I just call apple?

Thanks in advance for your help.


A>

 

[MACsimus19]

I too have these dots....i always thought that this grid effect was normal on the iphone.

I have a hard time believing that all phones dont have this matrix, every iPhone I've seen has one. I'll call up apple and head over to 5th avenue to check out whether or not this is call for concern.

Hope not, I thought I was done worrying about the darn thing once I got my crystal screen protector and case set up. Arg!

 

[phoneorpda]

I too have these dots....i always thought that this grid effect was normal on the iphone.

I have a hard time believing that all phones dont have this matrix, every iPhone I've seen has one. I'll call up apple and head over to 5th avenue to check out whether or not this is call for concern.

Hope not, I thought I was done worrying about the darn thing once I got my crystal screen protector and case set up. Arg!

Yeah, i can confirm my previous iPhone didn't have it.

I am 100% sure.


A>

 

[sjb]

Yeah, i can confirm my previous iPhone didn't have it.

I am 100% sure.


A>

I am also 100% certain my old iPhone did not have this issue. Nor does a replacement iPhone my girlfriend got just last night from an Apple store. I should have just swapped mine then. I don't know what I was thinking, but the store was already closed and we were still swapping hers.

I called Apple and they were very nice about it. I have to give them the utmost credit for taking care of these issues quickly and without trouble. I really hope when I send mine in for repair I don't get one back with the same problem.

I would take a picture of mine, but my digital camera has a bad battery and won't last long enough to take any pictures. However, when I look at album art that is all black, the white dots stick out like crazy, especially if the brightness is all the way up.

For those going to the store or calling Apple to get them replaced, please post what Apple tells you when you call them or when you go in there. I'd like to see what they say.

-Steve

 

[phoneorpda]

I am also 100% certain my old iPhone did not have this issue. Nor does a replacement iPhone my girlfriend got just last night from an Apple store. I should have just swapped mine then. I don't know what I was thinking, but the store was already closed and we were still swapping hers.

I called Apple and they were very nice about it. I have to give them the utmost credit for taking care of these issues quickly and without trouble. I really hope when I send mine in for repair I don't get one back with the same problem.

I would take a picture of mine, but my digital camera has a bad battery and won't last long enough to take any pictures. However, when I look at album art that is all black, the white dots stick out like crazy, especially if the brightness is all the way up.

For those going to the store or calling Apple to get them replaced, please post what Apple tells you when you call them or when you go in there. I'd like to see what they say.

-Steve

Steve,

will do.

I called the store right after i got home and noticed the white dots.

for obvious reasons the rep told me i had to make another appointment, since one of the geniuses needs to see it first.

But he confirmed he had the same issue on his, and that he was wondering if it's normal or not.

Anyway, just to make sure, i made an appointment at 2 different stores, in case i can't solve it at the 1st one.


I am going crazy.

Wish i wasn't so picky...



A>

 

[MACsimus19]

Steve,

will do.

I called the store right after i got home and noticed the white dots.

for obvious reasons the rep told me i had to make another appointment, since one of the geniuses needs to see it first.

But he confirmed he had the same issue on his, and that he was wondering if it's normal or not.

Anyway, just to make sure, i made an appointment at 2 different stores, in case i can't solve it at the 1st one.


I am going crazy.

Wish i wasn't so picky...



A>

I posted this problem over at the apple discussion forums as well.

I have a meeting with the good ole genius bar tonight, so we'll see how it goes.

Can anyone confirm that apple has acknowledged this as an actual problem?

 

[elg23]

while you guys are at the apple store, take a look at their demo iphones, see how many have screen like this.. i am trying to see if a lot of phones are like this or just a select few... it might be tough to see the dots with the strong lighting in the store.. mine show up big-time when it is in a dark room...


let me know how it goes... thanks

 

[taphil]

It is NOT normal. I have two iPhones in front of me. One screen has that checkerboard pattern and one doesn't. This is my 4th iPhone (2 had dead pixels), and only one has had it. It is not the grid for the touch sensor, as it appears only half way through the boot process and than constantly afterwards on any kind of dark screen.

I think it's more of a mis-calibrated screen. When it is being charged, the green glowing battery icon has way too much contrast and the very slight glow is very washed out when compared to the other iPhone that does not have the checkerboard pattern.

 

[phoneorpda]

It is NOT normal. I have two iPhones in front of me. One screen has that checkerboard pattern and one doesn't. This is my 4th iPhone (2 had dead pixels), and only one has had it. It is not the grid for the touch sensor, as it appears only half way through the boot process and than constantly afterwards on any kind of dark screen.

I think it's more of a mis-calibrated screen. When it is being charged, the green glowing battery icon has way too much contrast and the very slight glow is very washed out when compared to the other iPhone that does not have the checkerboard pattern.

All phones at thw glendale store have the chrckered screen.

Therefore they wont change mine...

Off i go to try and get my old one back


A>

 

[elg23]

It is NOT normal. I have two iPhones in front of me. One screen has that checkerboard pattern and one doesn't. This is my 4th iPhone (2 had dead pixels), and only one has had it. It is not the grid for the touch sensor, as it appears only half way through the boot process and than constantly afterwards on any kind of dark screen.

I think it's more of a mis-calibrated screen. When it is being charged, the green glowing battery icon has way too much contrast and the very slight glow is very washed out when compared to the other iPhone that does not have the checkerboard pattern.

i noticed the washed out glow during charging as well... i was looking for the famous "glow" and noticed that there was sort of a bubble around the battery.. i thought it was just the graphic... but if you say other phones display the graphic correctly then maybe it is something wrong with the screen or graphic chip in the phone...


so its seems a lot of phones look like this? maybe it is a software issue with the driver of the chip... if it is not im not sure what we could do.. it seems there are mixed reactions from apple workers.. some exchange, some say nothing is wrong... anyone else talk with apple or see more iphones...

 

[taphil]

Yeah, I was surprised that others have this issue as well. The phone with the checkerboard LCD doesn't have any real dead pixels otherwise, the the pattern is noticeable, especially in a dark room or at night, I can make it out easily. When watching videos, things that are dark show the pattern, and same when using coverflow. It's a shame, the screen is good otherwise. I suppose a firmware update could identify such bad screens and fix the problem (as it doesn't appear during the first half of the boot screen), but who knows if that'll happen.

 

[brwnbooger]

Normal, not a problem

Just got back from the apple store... the Genius told me that this IS normal and it is the multi-touch creating this matrix of white dots. Every phone on display also had the checkered pattern of white dots. For those that can't see it... turn up the brightness all the way up and go in a dark room... if you still can't see it then go to the eye doctor

 

[MACsimus19]

Just got back from the apple store... the Genius told me that this IS normal and it is the multi-touch creating this matrix of white dots. Every phone on display also had the checkered pattern of white dots. For those that can't see it... turn up the brightness all the way up and go in a dark room... if you still can't see it then go to the eye doctor

That is exactly what I thought in the first place.

 

[sjb]

Just got back from the apple store... the Genius told me that this IS normal and it is the multi-touch creating this matrix of white dots. Every phone on display also had the checkered pattern of white dots. For those that can't see it... turn up the brightness all the way up and go in a dark room... if you still can't see it then go to the eye doctor

I have seen several iPhones, and I can assure some have much worse symptoms of white dots compared to others. For instance, just on medium brightness I can clearly see them on mine. However, on another iphone at full brightness I have to look really really hard to make them out.

-Steve

 

[MACsimus19]

I consider myself something of an eagle-eyed pixel checker, show me a screen and I'll find the dead/stuck pixels where most would never notice them.

That said, I'm fairly certain that most people can't see the matrix on their screen because of brightness or visual capability. I'm going to go through them all at the 5th ave store with full brightness and compare to my own phone to see what's what.

SJB, if yours is that bad then you probably have recourse. Mine is only visible on the highest brightness levels.

 

[elg23]

I consider myself something of an eagle-eyed pixel checker, show me a screen and I'll find the dead/stuck pixels where most would never notice them.

That said, I'm fairly certain that most people can't see the matrix on their screen because of brightness or visual capability. I'm going to go through them all at the 5th ave store with full brightness and compare to my own phone to see what's what.

SJB, if yours is that bad then you probably have recourse. Mine is only visible on the highest brightness levels.

mine is visible at 1/2 brightness easily... let me know how the other ones turn out... if everyone has it, it just varies in intensity then i dont care... but if not everyone has it, then i have to think its a faulty screen