Tim Cook calls Samsung’s OLED screens “awful”, is he right?

[Krimsonmyst]

Tim Cook sounds like he is losing confidence in his own product, and therefore has to lash out at other competitors.

I have a Galaxy S3, a Nexus 10 and an iPad 3. I will agree that the PenTile matrix on the S3 does detract from the display, but its certainly not as horrible as everyone is making out.

The displays on both the iPad and the Nexus 10 are superb, but I'm not a fan of the washed out looking colours (worse on the iPad as opposed to the Nexus 10, due to the PLS arrangement).

I went into my screen mode settings on my S3 and changed it from Dynamic (saturated) to Movie (truer colours), and it just looked horrible and flat. Blues looked more grey, and while whites looked better, all the colours just looked...off.

For games, videos, pictures and other such media consumption, a saturated display is amazing. The colours really pop and look so vibrant and alive. I just don't get that same 'life' from an LCD display.

The Note 2 has an OLED screen without the PenTile arrangement, and it looks amazing. Personally I am hoping that the same kind of technology is used on the S4 - if it packs a 1080p display, then I think it'll look great.

At the end of the day, each technology has its advantages and disadvantages. While OLED struggles with whites, it's blacks are so, so much better than LCD. LCD inherently shows light bleed with blacks, due to the pixels actually being lit. Happens on both the iPad and the N10.

It's odd how many people will disparage OLED displays because of the poor whites, but won't make mention of the blacks - which arguably is more important. When you buy a new TV, no-one looks at the whites, it's the true blacks that are the selling point.

I don't see why mobile displays should be any different.

 

[Tinmania]

Tim Cook sounds like he is losing confidence in his own product, and therefore has to lash out at other competitors.

I have a Galaxy S3, a Nexus 10 and an iPad 3. I will agree that the PenTile matrix on the S3 does detract from the display, but its certainly not as horrible as everyone is making out.

The displays on both the iPad and the Nexus 10 are superb, but I'm not a fan of the washed out looking colours (worse on the iPad as opposed to the Nexus 10, due to the PLS arrangement).

I went into my screen mode settings on my S3 and changed it from Dynamic (saturated) to Movie (truer colours), and it just looked horrible and flat. Blues looked more grey, and while whites looked better, all the colours just looked...off.

For games, videos, pictures and other such media consumption, a saturated display is amazing. The colours really pop and look so vibrant and alive. I just don't get that same 'life' from an LCD display.

The Note 2 has an OLED screen without the PenTile arrangement, and it looks amazing. Personally I am hoping that the same kind of technology is used on the S4 - if it packs a 1080p display, then I think it'll look great.

At the end of the day, each technology has its advantages and disadvantages. While OLED struggles with whites, it's blacks are so, so much better than LCD. LCD inherently shows light bleed with blacks, due to the pixels actually being lit. Happens on both the iPad and the N10.

It's odd how many people will disparage OLED displays because of the poor whites, but won't make mention of the blacks - which arguably is more important. When you buy a new TV, no-one looks at the whites, it's the true blacks that are the selling point.

I don't see why mobile displays should be any different.

I totally agree about the blacks. I really love the blacks on my Note 2--as well as the vibrant display.




Michael

 

[siiip5]

Its true. Every app only ran at that resolution until 2010. The os has no DPI scaling at all nor a flow layout that scales to different screen sizes and ratios.

As I recall, Apple added scaling into iOS in late 2010 (presumably to prepare developers for an eventual screen size change), but every single developer chose not to utilize this feature until they were forced to with the iPhone5.

 

[blackhand1001]

As I recall, Apple added scaling into iOS in late 2010 (presumably to prepare developers for an eventual screen size change), but every single developer chose not to utilize this feature until they were forced to with the iPhone5.

It only works for vertical scrolling lists. It does not help for a width change.

 

[sjinsjca]

I personally find them terrible. I've never seen one with correct white balance, the saturation is over the top and the contrast is weird as well.

Nasty burn-in behavior too.

 

[wlossw]

Every time I pick up a Samsung phone I want to like it but the colors are so alien looking! My friends say that I am crazy and they don't notice the strange colour balance of the Samsung phones.

I don't think I would ever choose an OLED screen over IPS.

 

[Stuntman06]

Even if Tim Cook thinks that Samsung's OLED screen is the most amazing screen in the world, he can never say so publicly. It is his job to downplay any competitor's product. Whatever Tim Cook thinks, he will only say publicly what will benefit his company.

 

[dkersten]

Its true. Every app only ran at that resolution until 2010. The os has no DPI scaling at all nor a flow layout that scales to different screen sizes and ratios.

Hmm interesting. I assumed that Apple would have planned for a different resolution if they had been working on a tablet before they had even considered a phone. That seems odd to me. You think they would have thought that out in the beginning stages of developing a touch screen based OS

 

[blackhand1001]

Hmm interesting. I assumed that Apple would have planned for a different resolution if they had been working on a tablet before they had even considered a phone. That seems odd to me. You think they would have thought that out in the beginning stages of developing a touch screen based OS

They have no native app dpi scaling mechanism. That's why the switch from the iphone 4s to iphone 5 had black bars and why it it will be even more difficult for them to offer a larger iphone. Android on the other hand tackled this issue at version 1.0 ( aka since the beginning) and was designed with multiple resolutions and screen sizes in mind which is why it doesn't have the same limitations.

 

[throAU]

They have no native app dpi scaling mechanism. That's why the switch from the iphone 4s to iphone 5 had black bars and why it it will be even more difficult for them to offer a larger iphone.

Apple could offer a larger phone no problem. They were first to market with the iPad (yes, yes tablets existed before, but i'm talking smartphone derived, not tablet PC) which is now available in 2 form factors and 2 resolutions.


The interface is all openGL, it could be scaled just fine, with fairly minor work.


It's just scaling ends up ugly (due to the way bitmaps work), and apple's policy is not to do "ugly".

 

[blackhand1001]

Apple could offer a larger phone no problem. They were first to market with the iPad (yes, yes tablets existed before, but i'm talking smartphone derived, not tablet PC) which is now available in 2 form factors and 2 resolutions.


The interface is all openGL, it could be scaled just fine, with fairly minor work.


It's just scaling ends up ugly (due to the way bitmaps work), and apple's policy is not to do "ugly".

Android doesn't simply use bitmap interfaces like iOS. It uses xml layouts which is why it can scale to different resolutions without loss of quality.

 

[throAU]

Android doesn't simply use bitmap interfaces like iOS. It uses xml layouts which is why it can scale to different resolutions without loss of quality.

XML is not what the icons are made of.

The icons are bitmaps.

The drawing surfaces in OS X and iOS are all GL, and can/could easily be scaled in hardware.


Bitmaps (the icons themselves in both iOS, OS X along with Windows and Android) don't scale-up well.

Apple COULD scale just as easily as android. The point is, scaling bitmaps doesn't work well due to the inherent nature of them. Unless you do what OS X has done and include them at massively higher resolution than required and scale DOWN to suit (rather than scaling small bitmaps UP), but this takes a lot more storage.

There's no real technical reason apple don't scale like that. It is purely a shiny/pretty thing.

 

[Technarchy]

Been saying that for nearly a year.


Funky blue hue
Incredibly dim
Pentile artifacts
Image persistency (aka burn in)
Image degradation

Among the flagship devices, the AMOLED screens are all among the worst.

If you want to see a good screen for comparison sake there is the HTC One X, Lumia 920, Atrix HD, and the iPhone 5.

Hopefully Samsung dumps that display tech in the GS4 or has a technological breakthrough where it sucks much less.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Although I was surprised to hear him issue a cheap shot, what can you expect from any Apple executive.

Narcissism & arrogance is baked into Apples culture. It was modeled & encouraged by Steve himself.

I think both companies are guilty of taking cheap shots at each other. Tim Cook is obviously not going to suggest a rivals technology is better than their own. Samsung on the other hand are also not innocent in regards to having a pop at Apple. Remember the marketing for the S3?

As I said they entered into a tit for tat war of words a long time ago and it would be naive to take offence purely on something Cook has said. They are both as bad as each other IMO.

 

[maxosx]

I think both companies are guilty of taking cheap shots at each other. Tim Cook is obviously not going to suggest a rivals technology is better than their own. Samsung on the other hand are also not innocent in regards to having a pop at Apple. Remember the marketing for the S3?
Image
As I said they entered into a tit for tat war of words a long time ago and it would be naive to take offence purely on something Cook has said. They are both as bad as each other IMO.

I most certainly agree. It's just that Apple is already established as a once classy company with premium products. They don't have to act this way any longer. Jobs was the ultimate narcissist, I expected better from Tim.

 

[tekno]

I'm very impressed with my OLED screen - iPhone screens look washed out to me now.

The only negative I find is it's not quite bright enough in direct sunlight, but that problem may also exist with LCD screens of course.

 

[Tarzanman]

To be fair, they are awful from the standpoint of having poor white balance and calibration throughout their dynamic range.

They also don't do a very good job with minute differences between dark colors.

There are good points to the screens, though. They burn bright and saturated which looks very nice when you're gazing at photos or playing animated videos.

 

[onthecouchagain]

 

[chrfr]

It's odd how many people will disparage OLED displays because of the poor whites, but won't make mention of the blacks - which arguably is more important.

I never use my phone in a sufficiently dark environment where the difference in OLED vs. LCD black levels is significant.

 

[Tinmania]

I never use my phone in a sufficiently dark environment where the difference in OLED vs. LCD black levels is significant.

Presumably you are a lifeguard. Because I can see the difference in blacks in normal or even brightish indoor lighting. Outside in the sun? Nope.



Michael

 

[cynics]

I keep my screen on my iPhone at a low enough brightness setting that blacks aren't an issue. But I agree they are pretty bad if you use all that extra brightness that people brag about so frequently.

 

[lbhskier37]

I equate the preference to oversaturated OLED displays similar to how kids like Sunny D better than Orange Juice, or over-sythesized pop music over actual singing and acoustic instruments. I think there is a lot of that in our culture these days where some people prefer the WOW and the POP and the super sweet over the real.

Been saying that for nearly a year.


Funky blue hue
Incredibly dim
Pentile artifacts
Image persistency (aka burn in)
Image degradation

Among the flagship devices, the AMOLED screens are all among the worst.

If you want to see a good screen for comparison sake there is the HTC One X, Lumia 920, Atrix HD, and the iPhone 5.

Hopefully Samsung dumps that display tech in the GS4 or has a technological breakthrough where it sucks much less.

 

[Tig Bitties]

For Mr. Cook to speak out against Samsung says a lot. If they are so confident in their own product, you really shouldn't even acknowledge Samsung.

I like the AMOLED screen on my Note 2, and it can be calibrated when running CM ROM's, plus the blacks are super deep pure black, not washed out dark gray black. Can only imagine how nice the Note 3 will look with the 1080p Super AMOLED + screen.

I find the iPhone 5 screen nothing special, it's nice, but not super duper amazing. I still think HTC makes the best screens, the One X last year being better than the iPhone 5, and HTC's DNA even better.

Apple needs to increase the iPhone screen size on the next iPhone due this Summer / Fall, hopefully they go up to at least 4.3" / 4.5".

 

[hyteckit]

For Mr. Cook to speak out against Samsung says a lot. If they are so confident in their own product, you really shouldn't even acknowledge Samsung.

You must have missed all the Samsung commercials attacking Apple and iPhone users. Guess Samsung has no confidence in their products?

Besides, Tim Cook never even mentioned Samsung. He was just talking about OLED display technology, which isn't even a Samsung exclusive or invention.

My Note 2 display makes my eyes bleed when it shows red/orange colors.

 

[Rogifan]

Displaymate's Raymond Soneira agrees with a Tim Cook. But I suppose critics will argue he has an agenda or is a pro-Apple fanboy.

http://www.siliconbeat.com/2013/02/13/display-expert-apples-cook-is-right-oled-screens-are-awful/

Not sure why people care what Cook says. And as others pointed out its not like Samsung hasn't done their fair share of cheap shots. I haven't seen any Apple commercials out there making fun of Samsung customers or knocking their mobile phone displays.