Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max users are reporting cases of OLED burn-in

[midian182]

Facepalm: Just after Apple released an update that addresses the iPhone 15 Pro's overheating issues, a more serious problem has appeared in Cupertino's expensive handsets: OLED burn-in. There's been a slew of reports of image retention on the iPhone 15 Pro Max phones, with ghostly outlines of home screen icons and the keyboard visible on the displays.

Burn-in, which occurs when an unmoving image is displayed on part of a screen for too long, has been a concern with OLED panels for years. Manufacturers have introduced ways to mitigate the problem in recent times, making it less of an issue, so it's a surprise to see reports of burn-in on the iPhone 15 Pro Max just weeks after it launched.

Owners of Apple's latest flagship have been highlighting instances of burn-in on Reddit, X/Twitter, Apple's own community forum, and elsewhere.

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max is reportedly experiencing screen burn-in issues, adding to a growing list of problems for the company this year.#iPhone15Series #iphone15pro #Apple pic.twitter.com/HDsQ0iccHw

– Tarun Vats (@tarunvats33) October 11, 2023

A MacRumors forum user writes that he discovered burn-in after just 14 days of using the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The poster said he did have the optional Always On mode enabled, but the timer was set to turn the screen off after being idle for 2 minutes.

The user took his handset to an Apple Store for an appointment with someone at the Genius bar. The engineer informed him that the phone was experiencing "ghosting." The usual solution was to replace the screen, but there were no parts available given that the iPhone 15 Pro Max had just been released. Instead, a replacement was to be ordered, but being so new meant there were none available. As such, the customer had to wait for another device to arrive.

A Redditor whose iPhone 15 Pro Max also suffers from burn-in said they just used it "normally." Strangely, the screen also shows the ghostly image of a thumbnail from a YouTube video the person had watched.

Posts from the iphone
community on Reddit

Several other people have confirmed the burn-in problem on their iPhone 15 Pro Max handsets - it appears this is the only model affected – and that Apple has agreed to replace the phones, once there are some in stock. It's unclear just how widespread the issue is right now.

Reports that Apple's latest phones were overheating arrived just one week after their launch, something that analyst Ming-Chi Kuo blamed on the thermal design. Earlier this month, Apple released iOS version 17.0.3 with an included patch that addressed the overheating issues. But it looks as if Cupertino now has something else to worry about in its latest flagship.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/100512-apple-iphone-15-pro-max-users-reporting-cases.html

 

[FaTaL]

2 things I never buy at initial release. iPhone and Windows.
Caviat emptor

 

[DubiousFishHook]

The only thing better with expensive phones is the camera, they sell the most because people are stupid.

 

[Watzupken]

This is the real always on display feature.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

The only thing better with expensive phones is the camera, they sell the most because people are stupid.

And more powerful processors, and faster storage, better displays and more RAM, ece.

I like my cheap phones but I acknowledge there's a lot going for flagships.

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

And more powerful processors, and faster storage, better displays and more RAM, ece.

I like my cheap phones but I acknowledge there's a lot going for flagships.

It's a freaking phone. Text, call and watch a few videos if you want. Nobody needs all of this packed into a handheld phone.

 

[Uncle Al]

Looks like Apple has unleashed a real dog on consumers this time .... when is the recall coming???

 

[colossusrage]

It's a freaking phone. Text, call and watch a few videos if you want. Nobody needs all of this packed into a handheld phone.

Some don't sit at a desk all day. Phones can be an office on the go without the need for a laptop.

 

[colossusrage]

The iPhone 15 Pro is the first iPhone I bought since the original iPhone SE. I mostly wanted the A17 once I saw it playing RE4 Remake and AC. So far I haven't had overheating or burn in occur. I wonder if the same phones that had the overheating issue are also having burn in. Like a bad batch of phones.

 

[p51d007]

New software (x.0 release), new model car, new electronic device...many reasons to not buy a dot zero release, but wait a few weeks to a couple months.

 

[Gastec]

"at the Genius bar."...There is no end in sight to the celebration of mediocrity and the promotion of entitlement!

 

[Theinsanegamer]

It's a freaking phone. Text, call and watch a few videos if you want. Nobody needs all of this packed into a handheld phone.

Correction: YOU dont need all of this packed into a handheld phone.

Which is great for you! Buy your cheap phones and enjoy saving money! That's what I do, and I dont regret it.

But just because that works for you doesnt mean other's opinions are invalidated.

 

[m4a4]

The iPhone 15 Pro is the first iPhone I bought since the original iPhone SE. I mostly wanted the A17 once I saw it playing RE4 Remake and AC. So far I haven't had overheating or burn in occur. I wonder if the same phones that had the overheating issue are also having burn in. Like a bad batch of phones.

Headline says the "Pro Max" has the burn in problem, not specifically the "Pro" (man, what a stupid naming convention).
Seems that the Pro did also have the overheating problem, but that's been patched.

 

[Darth Zurath]

Maybe stop rushing out a "new" phone every year and actually spend some time properly developing and testing it?

 

[waclark]

It's a freaking phone. Text, call and watch a few videos if you want. Nobody needs all of this packed into a handheld phone.

You're out of touch. More people are using handhelds, ie phones, than ever before for their primary computing. This is one reason why screens have gotten larger, because people are surfing the web, running apps that benefit from larger screens and more. I'd say for many, making phone calls is the least important use of their phone. Messaging and social media apps dominate.

 

[Darth Zurath]

You're out of touch. More people are using handhelds, ie phones, than ever before for their primary computing. This is one reason why screens have gotten larger, because people are surfing the web, running apps that benefit from larger screens and more. I'd say for many, making phone calls is the least important use of their phone. Messaging and social media apps dominate.

Then get a freaking tablet. Phone must remain reasonably compact. It's not a shovel.

 

[bexwhitt]

Clearly they are using it incorrectly.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

iPhone 15 Pro, the gift that keeps on giving. What a fluster cluck this has turned out to be Oh well I guess this is what you expect from a bargain basement phone.

 

[Burty117]

It's a freaking phone. Text, call and watch a few videos if you want. Nobody needs all of this packed into a handheld phone.

Bill Gates once said "640K [of RAM] ought to be enough for anybody."

I'm just saying, You don't actually know if there's a use for such processing capability until you make it happen.
Besides, the R&D for these higher end phones trickles down to cheaper phones after a few years anyway, it overall makes all offerings better over time.

 

[wiyosaya]

Maybe stop rushing out a "new" phone every year and actually spend some time properly developing and testing it?

That would make too much sense for Apple; after all, they have stockholders to keep happy with their churning of their phone market.

I bet they will tell users valued customers that experience the problem "You're looking at the screen wrong!"

 

[Jon Tseng]

Burn-in after just 14 days seems a bit strange. Don't you need months or years of use for this to occur?

Dunno if this is a software/driver issue (fixable via update?) but just feels a bit weird to be burn-in?

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

"at the Genius bar."...There is no end in sight to the celebration of mediocrity and the promotion of entitlement!

Quote of the day. Nicely done

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

That would make too much sense for Apple; after all, they have stockholders to keep happy with their churning of their phone market.

I bet they will tell users valued customers that experience the problem "You're looking at the screen wrong!"

They are counting on the sheep to buy the vision pro for profit.