iPhone 3G S has yellowish tint

AntonioMX5 wrote:
_Discerning-Eyed 3GS Owner_: States the truth emphatically from direct, personal experience & often posts pics to prove the point...

_Typical Apple Employee Response_: "I can't see any difference", "It's within spec", "This is the first I've ever heard of this concern"...

_Biased Fanboys_: "No way! You clearly Photoshopped those fake pics!" (I was accused of doing this myself)...

You forgot to include one growing group:

_Overly critical hysterics_: "I read this huge thread on the Apple forum about my new 3gs and now I'm 100% certain my phone has a problem even though I never noticed anything wrong before!! ZOMG, I'm going to return it 5 times even though it's actually just fine and if I took 5 seconds to look at it objectively I'd realize it's just a PHONE and it actually works great as is! Anyone who criticizes me is an idiot or an Apple plant!!!!"

Cue flamers.

I think a lawsuit is in order here. Whether it's class action or not depends on how many people are involved.

So much wasted time, money and energy by anyone that has had to deal with this issue that Apple needs to be held accountable for it. I am on my sixth phone now. My fifth one was fine - except for the crap battery life. My new phone that replaced that one today, seems to fine, except for the crap screen. It's so yellow, it hurt to look at it - literally. Which is another thing that can be brought up in the suit.

Apple needs to respond and fix this - or it's going to become a bigger problem. Seems the only time companies listen is when it gets legal. Perhaps if they fixed it or responded beforehand it would not have to go that far.

I personally think that Apple store workers were told about this issue and were told to say that they can't see any problem with a screen. It is pretty obvious at this point as when I showed them 2 3GS phone one with a perfect screen and one with big time yellow screen they couldn't see the difference. Unless Apple hires color-blind people I'm pretty sure most of this people know about this issue and that's why they replace phones for us... otherwise if Apple sees not issue with a phone they would not be replacing phones for everyone with a yellow screen.

I have been following this thread silently as I too was plagued with this iPhone 3GS yellow screen issue. Finally my 5th replacement iPhone 3GS 16GB Black (Factory 85 Week 29) has a perfect screen with great whites and good contrast; as good as the ones in store display.

Here’s the history of my iPhone replacements:

1. Factory 87 Week 25 – Slight yellow dull screen; difficult to use in bright and dark light conditions.
2. Factory 86 Week 27 – Dingy yellow dull screen; difficult to use in bright and dark light conditions.
3. Factory 86 Week 28 – Dingy yellow dull screen; returned it on spot for full refund.
4. Factory 87 Week 30 – Screen half white and half yellow. It also had had chrome blemishes and a scratch at the back.
5. Factory 85 Week 29 – Perfect white screen with good contrast. However, this one also has some very minor chrome blemishes; but I think I can compromise for the good screen.

This is my first Apple retail store purchase experience and it has been very disappointing.

Apple wins.

I am on my 10th and final phone. There are no more after it unless I want a refurbished phone from Apple. Best Buy is getting harder to convince even though I have been to 3 different stores.

I HAD a great phone. My 8th phone was perfect. Until the battery life showed it's ugly head and made the phone useless. The 9th replacement had a pee yellow screen. Literally. Just like the photos posted a few messages up. Horrible to look at, dirty, dingy and hurts the eyes. Took it to the Apple store for a screen replacement. Screen was replaced. It was no better and the home button was tough as all **** now. I told them to put my screen back and I will be done. They have no answer to why my brothers screen that is nice, crisp white and perfect. They say that yellow is normal and Apple designed them that way. He showed me another "genius'" phone that was **** yellow and said see, they are all the same. I told him they are not. He could not give me an answer as to why some are right and some are not. He shrugged his shoulders. I left and noticed they managed to scratch the **** out of the back - tons of scratches. Nice. 1 hour old phone ruined by Apple "genius'" who can't even fix my crappy screen.

Back to Best Buy for 1 final exchange. Got the phone exchange after some hassle and went home to activate it. It's much better than the last one but again, still off the mark.

What's interesting is all the phones at Best Buy are factory 86, week 30 phones. I have had 2 phones exactly the same and each one was different. One better, one worse. Please tell me how that is possible?

I can tell you one thing - I will be very hesitant on purchasing another iPhone next year. Not unless the screen has changed and I know for sure I will be holding on to my current gen phone just in case.

I really despise Apple for this and their idiot "genius'". To sit there and tell me the day before that I have too many services and features on and it was draining my batter and to turn them off and turn down my brightness.. then the next day tell me that on lower brightness settings the "yellow" will be more visible and that I should turn the brightness up .. *** kind of BS is that? Seriously?


Thanks Apple. Next year when you decide to #*$#$ me over, at least use some lube.

Spurt, I'm sure you're a great guy. Wait....no....I'm not sure your are but you probably are. I hope.

I love your screen name you dirty little monkey!

TEN phones Spurt? TEN phones?

Maybe Apple INTENDED the warm screen and the cool tone blue ones are the defects.

Huh?

Spurt....enjoy your phone. White is white whether its warm tone or cool tone. And its NOT **** yellow. **** yellow is like lemon lollipop yellow. Its warm toned.

Please Spurt. Don't make yourself nuts. I almost did myself. Enjoy your phone.

you're wrong... I'm on my second iPhone 3GS, and this one I'll keep. You say white is white, and I'm guessing you're phone is that way, but my first 3GS was yellow not white, period. I'm know yellow when I see it, and others to, so I returned it and glad I did. I've bought lots of Apple hardware over the years and this is the first time I ever returned anything,

My second iPhone 3GS is definitely warmer than then my first gen and I consider this one white not yellow. It will take some getting used to, as I think text is harder to read, with the warmer screen producing better video and images, but less contrast when reading email or browsing, such as on the BBC site were its text is more of a dark grey than black, the text is just not as easy to read with a warmer screen. Images though are better. That seems to be a design decision by Apple. If Apple just provided some sort of options for the display, to set it cooler or warmer, probably most people on this thread would be happy with the first phone they get, and not have any problem.

its not just a phone, its a computer thats cost hundreds of dollars with a two year commitment including higher monthly costs than the original iphone. When the iPhone 3G came out it was the same issue with yellow screens that Apple fixed with firmware, this should not be an issue once again with a 3rd generation of the hardware.

I'm about to go in for the first replacement on my 3GS have only had it three days, the contrast is all wrong. blacks are greys and whites are browns, incredibly hard to read and contrast and gamma tests have proven that the screen isn't showing a true representation of colour thus being defective. I'm hoping that the apple store (2 hours away) being the only shop i can find with 32Gb's in stock can replace it with a fucntioning one, I'm taking my laptop to test them one the spot, however if they are unable to help me i was wondering if anyone has been able to swap their 3G screen into the 3GS is it the same circuit layout in there? I'm also thinking could be a driver issue so a board problem and not at all the LCD.

FTRUCK- the 3G from what ive read, has a different connection than the 3GS...GS is designed to be able to easily swap the screen (how convenient for apple), the 3g is not... if you are quite good with electronics i would suppose you may be able to make it work..but for a new phone why should you have to.

this is the way to get a replacement... keep asking for a new phone. do not waiver. they do know of this problem, but they will not admit it. if you stay persistent about your issue you will get a replacement. i had the lead tech compare my screen to EVERY iphone display in the store and then explain why mine looked like sh*t... he could not, i got a new phone, after two replacements i still had a crappy phone so i had him swap off the display phone screen. it has minor scratches that im not too happy about but the color is much better. it does appear to fade across the screen slightly but i can live with it until new screens are produced...then you can bet i will be back at the store... good luck and remember to be persistent. just repeat what they say and then say "i hear whay youre saying and i would like a replacement." let us know how it works out

I am going to attempt to get my previous, previous phone back from Best Buy. I think my efforts will be futile, however that phone had the best screen thus far. Only issue was the battery was terrible. I was thinking if I could get it back, I could have Apple swap it for another phone to fix the battery issue, but swap my old screen onto the new phone. Good screen, good battery = win. It's pretty sad it has come down to that.

Again, I am praying I can get my old phone back. If not, I will probably return my phone for a refund and go without one. Pains me to say that but whats the point of a device that you can't legibly read in low lighting without cranking up the brightness to compensate for irregularities?

I just can't accept this level of quality. It is wrong for anyone to "just accept" this problem. Not to mention the Apple store is just throwing their hands up and shrugging their shoulders. Absolutely terrible.

ieonjunas: i thought they may have different connections i just hadn't been desperate enough to look into it yet, if worse comes to worse it could be a possibility. thanks for the advice i just hope the apple stores here are as helpful as yours.. Apple australia is typically a mile behind i usually just deal with apple care but as this is an issue where i have to see the product before i take it, a retai loutlet is the only real option.

FTRUCK

believe me it hasnt been easy...ive had to visit my 2 closest stores and take several days time to finally get an "ok" replacement. i have had conversations with store managers and lead geniuses from both stores. in fact i am in the process of working with an apple head genius from another store in search of that Perfect screen. i am very careful with my toys and am not satisfied with this scratched display model, though it is far superior to my previous 5 replacement screens. and to think this all happened because i had a friend swap out my battery deficient first 3gs... otherwise i would have demanded my first screen back... good luck in Australia...

does anyone know if i was to plug an un-activated iphone into my laptop without an internet connection, would it register that it's plugged into itunes and take me to the home screen but not activate. I was just wondering because not activating them to test them might remove some of the "genius'" gripes with trying multiple until i get a good screen .

I agree. I purchased 2 iphone 3gs's and one has a sharp bezel, the other a slightly yellow display. The local store was a total waste because they felt that it was not a big deal, and that it wasn't fair to switch it out and keep others who wanted to buy one from getting one.

I am dealing with apple's customer support and they are trying to take care of me. But the store's lack of customer service is so horrid that I refuse to shop there anymore. I am more guarded about my money now with the economy and this latest rash of quality control, or lack there of, has me rethinking doing business with apple. I dropped over 10 grand with them in the last 10 months and the service is becoming bad.

Apple, I really hope you get your act together. Cause I really do not wish to go back to PC's, but if this persists, what other option do I have? Pay more for less, or pay less for less. I already expect crap service from MS. That was the reason I switched and have embraced apple. It would seem as though they are quickly losing the customer if the focal point mentality.

Don't cover things up, admit you were wrong, make it right, and move on. I don't need a "genius" to tell me what I am seeing is in my head or "is within spec". It's like saying, my car's steering wheel is shaking violently going down the road, but the tires must be balanced because the wheels haven't fallen off. Complete rubbish!

Is there any evidence that Apple will fix this?

I've been holding off my purchase hoping that the "yellow tint" units will "fade away" over time.

I do not like the yellow screens, and I don't have the time to go through ten iPhones to get a good one.

I would prefer to get an iPhone, however my friends with BlackBerrys do not have yellow tinted screens.

With so many people trying to swap out phones or screens, Apple has got to be working on this.