Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I hope you are right on both accounts.

I have the auto brightness issue as well. On medium it dims nearly all the way down and it's impossible to see during the evenings. You either need to turn auto bright off, or pump up the brightness to 60% or so to counter act and leave auto bright on (like someone else mentioned). It's annoying. I am not sure if that was done on purpose to boost battery or if it's a real fluke.

I've never quite understood the brightness controls. How can you turn up the screen's brightness and still leave auto-on, won't it auto adjust to whatever you didn't like before if auto-bright is on? Regarding the screen color issue, I do notice my iPhone 3GS's screen being warmer then my original 2G. The 2G has a much more blue-ish hue to it. But at least mine is uniformly warmer unlike some others I've been seeing.
 
My screen is very much more yellow than my original iphone. But I give up, how do I find out where it was shipped from? I took it back today and tried to show them the difference between mine and the display models, some of which were much more blue (the way I like it), and they acted like they had never heard of it. They finally said they would swap it, but couldn't guarantee it would be better. I had to return home to get the box, and found this forum.
 
My screen looks like someone smeared piss inside of it. I was unhappy with the 3G's warmer screen, but it was still a nice screen and after a while I forgot about it. This one is yellow. YELLOW. Disgusting.
 
Okay, so yes it is yellow.
Bought in the Costa Mesa, CA store on Sunday.
Black 16GB.
921 - 21st week?

It's horrible. I'm so used to the blue white of my original iphone and my MacBook. Should I see a Genius? Will they open a new box for me to see?
 
That's how my first 3GS looked, my replacement looks fine.

Thats good to hear.

Odds on getting a replacement that is:

Not yellow.

& Has no raised bezel to annoy the **** out of me.

With regards to the 3g looking more uniform, its lighting isn't in that picture, but thats just the angle of the photo.

The color is more uniform IMO.
 
FWIW, I compared my original phone to a friends' new 3G S today.

The screen on the 3G S looked quite a bit better. It was definitely more yellow than mine, but it was good. The icons on the home screen looked so much brighter, so I immediately went to the brightness settings, but they were set the same. I brought up the keyboard and the keys actually looked ugly on mine when I saw the screens side by side.
 
...I immediately went to the brightness settings, but they were set the same.


I noticed this, too, but on playing with it, it just seems like the "curve" of the brightness slider is different on the 3GS and the 3G. At the extreme ends, they're about the same, but in between, they don't work on the same scale.

For a fair screen comparison, it doesn't matter so much where the slider itself is, physically. Just set the brightness so it looks the same to your eye, and see which you like better.

Sort of like how one radio with the volume set on "3" might be louder or softer than another one set on "3."
 
1. Does your phone have a yellow tint?
Yes

2. When was your phone shipped and from where?
Bought at the Apple store in Indiana

3. What model/color 3GS did you order?
White 32GB

4. When was it made? (check the third-fifth #'s of your serial number)
924
 
1. Does your phone have a yellow tint?
No, not at all. In fact it is cooler and whiter than my 3G.

2. When was your phone shipped and from where?
Bought at Apple.com shipped from China.

3. What model/color 3GS did you order?
Black 32GB

4. When was it made? (check the third-fifth #'s of your serial number)
924
 
1. Does your phone have a yellow tint?
Yes, much more thant my 3G.

2. When was your phone shipped and from where?
Apple.com shipped from PA

3. What model/color 3GS did you order?
Black 32GB

4. When was it made? (check the third-fifth #'s of your serial number)
923
 
I noticed this, too, but on playing with it, it just seems like the "curve" of the brightness slider is different on the 3GS and the 3G. At the extreme ends, they're about the same, but in between, they don't work on the same scale.

For a fair screen comparison, it doesn't matter so much where the slider itself is, physically. Just set the brightness so it looks the same to your eye, and see which you like better.

Sort of like how one radio with the volume set on "3" might be louder or softer than another one set on "3."

Brightness level won't affect or change the color temperature. I wish I had hooked up my colorometer to my yellowish 3GS before I swapped it out. It would have been interesting to see what the color of white was compared to the 3G and other 3GS phones.
 
Just went to an AT&T store to check their floor models of 3GS phones.

They had two 16GB black 3GS's, both with serials 924, both with non-yellow screens. Unfortunately, didn't have time to wait for a AT&T rep but would probably be more successful speaking with someone at an Apple store anyway. Going to try to call Apple later today to get a replacement but not very hopeful they'll do it over the phone without me shipping mine back first.
 
Ugly warmish tint (especially compared against my 1st gen Touch).
Apple store in California.
16 GB white 3GS.
Week 21.

What will the pro photographers think of previewing photos at this color temperature?

I don't think Pro Photogs will be using the iPhone to preview images for their colour balance. I'm sure they will still use it to show off images, but will know that it isn't necessarily colour accurate.

That said, my 3G is way warmer (but had much better contrast) than my 1st gen iPod touch. It was distracting at first, but I got used to it, as you kind of do with any display profile. I only really notice it if I go back and look at my touch. Interestingly, Apple at the time said it was deliberate, but on comparison to more recent 3Gs, my screen is definitely warmer than those.

Lastly, I think the warmness on MY iPhone 3G is more colour accurate. It better matches my colours on my profiled MacBook Pro.

I think people are too 'used' to unprofiled monitors, so when they see something that isn't the strong blue/green, they think it's wrong. That's not to say there isn't an issue, as there definitely is variation among iPhone screens.
 
Could it be the new coating they put on the phone thats giving it a yellowish color?
 
I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if this has been mentioned already.

Anyway, can it be the result of Apple's multi-sourcing? Toshiba and LG both supply Apple iPhone display module and there could be 3rd and 4th suppliers as well. So, perhaps that is the reason for different color temperatures.
 
You know... I thought my screen was a little off until I looked at a friends 3G. He must of had a really bad one because my 3GS is much brighter and a lot less dirtly looking at full bright and no auto adjust.
 
There is the warmness due to auto brightness,which is normal, but there is also yellow tint, only on the bottom/one side, which the genius said is unacceptable. I suggest you contact apple so they know something is wrong...if you have this issue...
 
I have a black 32GB, and I do have a slight yellow tint. It does seem (very) slightly more yellow at the bottom, but I notice that my 3G also has a slight screen variation in the same area, so I put that one down to the backlight.

Although it does have the tint, and the colours seem slightly washed out when compared to my 3G, I have to say that when comparing a photos (from the same source) on both devices, the 3GS seems to have more accurate colour reproduction, with much more natural looking shades.

I won't be taking it back unless Apple says that there is an actual fault, as the rest of the device is perfect......no raised bezel, no dead/stuck pixels, and no mushy buttons...and after having to exchange my 3G 4 times last year, all for very good reasons I might add, I have no intention of sending back a perfectly good handset.

Edit - Forgot to say I have a week 22 :)
 
I have a black 32GB, and I do have a slight yellow tint. It does seem (very) slightly more yellow at the bottom, but I notice that my 3G also has a slight screen variation in the same area, so I put that one down to the backlight.

Although it does have the tint, and the colours seem slightly washed out when compared to my 3G, I have to say that when comparing a photos (from the same source) on both devices, the 3GS seems to have more accurate colour reproduction, with much more natural looking shades.

I won't be taking it back unless Apple says that there is an actual fault, as the rest of the device is perfect......no raised bezel, no dead/stuck pixels, and no mushy buttons...and after having to exchange my 3G 4 times last year, all for very good reasons I might add, I have no intention of sending back a perfectly good handset.

I have the exact phone and problem. I went and exchanged the iPhone again and it still has the same problem. First phone was built 25th week and then two and three were both built 24th week. I spoke with Apple on the phone and they were helpful, but going to the genius is an ordeal. My guy acted like this was such a stupid issue to complain about. He also pushed the brightness all the way up to compare it to other phones. I explained to him that I don't run my phone that way so wouldn't it be better to compare them at a lower level. He shrugged...

I have another call into Apple. I don't know how this will be resolved. I'm tired of going to the Apple store.
 
I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if this has been mentioned already.

Anyway, can it be the result of Apple's multi-sourcing? Toshiba and LG both supply Apple iPhone display module and there could be 3rd and 4th suppliers as well. So, perhaps that is the reason for different color temperatures.

I brought this up too. If this is the case though it is up to Apple to have the phone firmware interrogate the display, find out what kind it is and set the color profile appropriately.

Instead of saying that the display is potentially "warmer" or "cooler" than previous models Apple should just say that they've set the display to a standard color temp like D65K and then have a setting that lets users change it if that bugs them too much.
 
1. Does your phone have a yellow tint?
Yes, yellow gradient at the bottom to the top.

2. When was your phone shipped and from where?
Bought from an Apple Store.

3. What model/color 3GS did you order?
Black 32GB

4. When was it made? (check the third-fifth #'s of your serial number)
925
 
Took some photos of mine. 3GS on the left. 2G on the right.

3651805240_2612790e00.jpg


3651007569_82a8d9d137.jpg

So I went to the apple store to compare mine to the display models. They all looked about the same, and the warmness was not very noticeable because of the daylight coming into the store. So I haven't made a Genius Bar appointment yet because I don't think they will be able to see a difference. I think I'll bring in my 2G iPhone and show them using that one.
 
For the images above - that screen looks perfect. The problem - especially with my phone - is that the bottom is yellow and the top is blue. Wish mine looked like the phone above (left).
 
I would have liked to swap the black phone for a white one, since they seem to have less issues. The genius stated "no way" since they consider it a different item. So unless I'm wrong, I would have to pay full price to get a white one ($700) and then return the black one (which I paid $299). I don't think I can do it.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.