Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

Ditto here with iMac 24, 13 month old .. grey smudges + APP = LCD promptly replaced, but, with a tongue-in-cheek mention of 'environmental effect' clause .. DVD drive replaced too. Sweet, ness!

Still battling 'sudden' shutdowns (shut-off's actually) ... not necessarily temperature related, but definitely caused by partly-intensive audio/video scrubbing AND strangely, since the LCD replacement a couple days ago - every time that 'quicktime' or QT 'new movie recording' is launched .. waiting for some on-site TLC as promised by our friendly neighborhood 'Anything Mac' folks

Same story, different computer. We are now on our second computer with the same issues. Gray marks that start in the upper right hand corner and spread across the screen to the left and down the right side. PAID for the applecare and now they insist that it is not an issue with the computer, but it is an issue with our house! She said that they will service the computer one more time, but no more for this issue, an issue that has come up way too many times with other imac owners to simply be an "environmental issue" in our houses. It's my feeling that they know there is an issue with these computers and they keep telling us the same thing to put the blame on us and not their machines/design. I have a $300 air purifier with a HEPA filter in our house and she claims that it might be dust. If the air purifier doesn't take care of the dust issue, I don't know what apple expects from the environment of the people who are going to be using their computers. She also suggested that I could dust more....interesting. I'm taking it in today for service for "the last time" with 2 print outs of other posts just like mine (just a couple of the 14 pages here). I have a bad feeling that this will happen again, but I will cross that bridge if I come to it. Like most of the people here, I like this computer and want it to work. We paid a lot for our machines because we believed that apple made high quality products that they would stand behind (and not place the blame on us and tell us we need to dust more often- she didn't have much to say about the fact that we have a HEPA air purifier running 24/7). I understand that there will be issues with products and they will not be perfect, but when it happens I expect a company like apple to make it right, not pass the buck. Maybe a new product line: The ibubble- an overpriced plastic dome to create a sterile environment in which to use our imacs.

Late 2009 27" imac and the "smokey" grey smudges, so no warranty anymore. Also don't have Apple Care.

Bought the mac Dec 2009, noticed the smudges in April 2011, been using the computer everyday.

Looking for tips and information about how to go about this one. Contact Apple or go directly to authorized service? What's the European pricetag for this? Since this is a wide spread issue, wouldn't want to throw money at something that should be covered even when warranty is gone.

Updating my previous post. I did get the LED screen replaced through Apple Care. They gave me the same company line that they have given everyone else regarding Environment and Condensation problems etc.But they did agree to get it fixed. Here in Melbourne, Australia, Apple use Unisys for their Tech support and a Technician come out to my house to undertake the replacement. I asked him if he had done many replacements due to the Grey smudges,he reluctantly said he had done a 'few'. I watched him whilst he was dismantling my iMac and when he removed the LED panel, I took a look at the 'Guts' of the machine. Low and behold right where the smudges on the screen appeared they coincided with the Heat transfer Bar that runs from the Heat sink to what I believe to be the Video Card (on the right hand side of the iMac). There is also a similar arrangement on the left hand side. Could this be part of the problem that we all seem to be experiencing?

It is strange that we are discussing a major problem on an Apple discussion site and no one from Apple has attempted to give us an expanation.

If there is any one from Apple out there, please have the courtesy to respond to this problem and give us a valid explanation. The paying Public should not have to put up with this.

I have the same problem with my iMac 27" too and it is getting more and more prominent on the right side of the screen with each day passing by. I bought this machine a few months ago. I also see yellow tinge on the bottom right corner. Being a professional photographer, this is not acceptable at all and it majorly hampers my work. 😟

I will be contacting the customer care soon. I hope Apple comes up with a permanent solution for this problem asap!

Yet another person with this problem, noticed it the other day when I had a textmate window open in the top left hand side. Not too bad at the moment but as soon as theres anything with a light background you can notice it. Next time I'm near the Apple store I'm going to go in and mention it to them and see what they say, it's still under a year old so hopefully get a replacement display.

I have already posted on this thread explaing my same issues with this wide spread screen problem... Anyway I had my second lcd replacement in January this year although I had to fight for it and have a customer relations officer make an exception to have it replaced under warranty (extended apple care).

Two months later I noticed it happening again, rang apple care, sent photos and they asked for the computer to be taken to a service provider. I took the imac to the local service provider and the apple technical support team (not my local service provider) claimed the problem to be caused by the imac being kept on for exended amounts of time OR put into sleep mode thus attracting dust particles to the screen which has caused the contamintaion... What a load of crap! There is nothing warning of this in the manaul, infact the manual says to put the computer to sleep if its not going to be used for a few days!

The customer relation officer is looking into the case and is supposed to be calling tomorrow... Im not confident of them resolving this problem but I am not taking anything less than a replacement screen. In which case I will sell this imac and never buy one again! I have multiple apple computers and mobile devices and could imagine switcing to an PC so will probably just buy a Macbook Pro and external display.

Do not recommend buying an iMac to anyone!!!! There is a design fault that is causing this problem.

Goodluck to anyone else having the same problems!

BTW - I am dealing with Apple Asia...

London here. 27" iMac purchased February 2010. Nothing but issues. The first was a buzzing sound whenever the screen was dimmed, coming from the user's upper left hand side of the screen. This issue was "resolved" but one week after repair it has returned.

The grey smudge marks were not bothering me too much and indeed I thought I was imagining it at first as it wasnt too clear. It has since become progressively worse.

I have applecare, but its a total nightmare to haul a 27" imac in to oxford circus in central london to have someone repair it. Really trying to put this off as long as possible, but when you pay nearly £2,000 for a machine, you expect it to work.

Goodness! From reading this thread I feel really sad for everyone.

I got my new 24" iMac in 2009 just a few days later Apple released the ALL NEW IMAC 27". My iMac had never been out of the boxyet they would not swap it for me but gave me £50 credit.

I ordered a 27" iMac and it arrived but has been NOTHING but trouble since. Yellow screen, dust inside, failed hard drive, failed DVD drive, battery life on the keyboard of a couple of days. buzzing sound, heat problems, smudges on the inside of the glass, ruined DVD and CD collection because of the scratches from the part they call the SUPERDRIVE!

What have Apple done? NOTHING! I live on Orkney in the UK and to take it to an Apple retailer would involve a ferry ride of 13 hours a drive of 30 miles and a couple of days each time in lost work.

What have I done? I got the suction cups off of Amazon and the screw drivers too. Taken it apart and replaced the hard drive, taken out the broken Superdrive, cut ALL the sensor cables (after having it apart so many times the monitor one just snapped off by itself. I've now taken out the big fans, one for the processor and one for the Superdrive and cut the cables to the one for the hard disk fan. I've installed two SSD drives an use a £25 Samsung external drive. Which is fine for Windows but the iMac software doesn't 'support' the drive! So I've lost two thirds of my iMac software which uses the Superdrive.

My screen flickers as it's always done. It's Yellow and it's hot enough to fry an egg on as is the case itself. One day it will blow up I sure of that but, in a way, I'll be happy when it does.

So many people are Apple mad and have to have everything Apple and I just don't understand. They take a few componants and put them together and make a computer that people go crazy over. Windows has to work with millions of different componants and, if it fails, people moan.

OSX is a nice operating system but it's so tied in with the bad computers it doesn't deserve.

The new iMac was released yesterday and, as I'm now an expert on totally taking an iMac to part I have already considered buying a new model but for today have decided againt it. Two years of **** in which my iMac has produced nothing for me except pain, suffering and money has taught me to think before I jump on the next all new, singing, dancing, model.

I have talked to lots and lots of people and put them off buying an iMac. No talk is needed if they see mine anyway. The whole thing is a total disgrace and a con trick.

I didn't just have a bad iMac, search the internet and see how many people have had the same problems and more.

I don't know about Apple Care. All I do know is Apple just don't care.

The word Apple has taken out (****) was H.E.L.L. What's wrong with that word? It's not a dirty or swear word is it?

DC here and I ,too have this grayish smudges on the top left of my screen. iMac 21.5 in intel core 2 duo. 1TB.

I thought my screen was too bright or something that it had burned or heated something inside and behind the glass screen. Couldn't clean it off w/ what has been suggested by a couple of apple store associates.

The graphics/display chipset model# I have seems to be part of an issue as noted on Cnet, macrumors forums and techcrunch's websites.

I found out as I dug around the net this week since I've been home working.

And now I've noticed it about a week ago. Been working away from home for the last two months so this machine hasn't been used much except from coming back from locations , checking email via browser (not using mail) and watching netflix on and off.

I received this as a xmas present and dedicated this for Photoshop work and editing images.

I just recently upgraded to firefox 4 as my browser ( hardly use safari )and have used personas.

Now I seem to have some issue horizontally on the quarter part bottom

of my screen.

When I am viewing a page, site or document there's this little horizontal hairline blur.

This happens when I am scrolling up and down the pages or window.

Anyone else have this issue other than the grayish smudges?

I have other notebooks(3) and desktops (3) ..all macs that are for certain chores.

Mind you, I use this machine for editing and retouches. So it is obvious and bothersome to me.

Apple folks I mean apple worker bees and techies....HELP....pls.

And pls. at least TRY to get things right on your 1st gen machines.

I've already become your cult following puppet and I know i speak for myself, I don't care, just pls. address these issues and do the right thing. It's when there are more than a big lot of us that have issues also that shows, we can't always be the guinea pig testers.

Pls. give me a suggestion or any decent advise.

A hardly used nor abused mac shouldn't be doing this.

Even my g4 tiBook is still going strong despite its dent and being in bondage due to a little 2 ft. slip & fall on a wooden floor.

Thanks for the airtime.

iMac 27", 2009 manufacture year, display was replaced under warranty at Helsinki (Finland) Tector authorized servies, due to greyish smudges developing inside the LCD assembly.

now the replacement display has another widespread defect - yellow tint in the lower part of the screen area. So see you in the Yellow Tint discussion thread. What happenned to quality monitoring at Apple?

I honestly can not for the life of me understand why everyone keeps taking about smudges, dust, yellow tints and everything else to do with the 27" iMac. These problems have been around since it was introduced in 2009.

If it's under warranty then Apple might do something. If it's out of warranty then either pay up or do it yourself would be my advice.

Mine has been taken apart so many times the heat sensor cable broke. I've cut all the heat sensors off, taken out ALL the fans, replaced the failed hard drive with an SSD. Taken out the failed Superdrive and put in a SSD. I've totally taken it apart so may times and repaired it myself. It works fine even though I could fry an egg on it.

I'll be buying the new model soon and expect to have to do things to it. Those of you in America or who get educational discounts are laughing most of the time at folk who live outside America as your machines are USUALLY - NOT ALWAYS THOUGH- CHEAPER than in the UK and elsewhere. Especially me, because I live on a tiny Island in the UK and can't possibly get to an Apple store.

A second hand piece of glass (the screen) costs £150 and a second hand monitor £600. Why not buy one of those or throw the iMac away and buy another? May be try to clean the marks yourself? The assembly of an iMac is so very simple. The glass is only held on by a few small magnets and you DON'T need suction cups to get it off. Get your finger nail and gently insert it between the glass and case above the cam. Prise it a little and it will come away so easy.

I've seen postings that ask if they could send the iMac back because they care see a tiny hair inside. Wouldn't it be simpler to take the sceen glass off and clean it? Dust will get any where. The smudges will come off the glass if you want them to. As for the yellow tint... That's always been there since day one.

The monitors are made (mine is anyway) by LG.

Apple sold you a computer and do a good job on the whole on everything they do. You seem to think they sold you a baby and then want them to rear it for you?

Apple do make very average computers at above normal costs. The Parts and Service is where most of the money goes too. One third of the cost must surely be paid just because it says 'APPLE' on the box. I.E. You're paying for the name more than the machine. But you can honestly do it yourself. After all no one from Apple MADE you buy the machine. I hope you got it because you liked it and wanted it? If that's the case why not look after your baby yourself and stop ranting about Apple?

If you'd have had the iMac I received you would have certainly had something to moan about I can tell you that for nothing! But she's my baby and I love her! That's how a real parent should be. Loving no matter what's wrong with the child. 😉