Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

They also need to admit that the lower 1/3rd yellow tinge problem hasn't been solved. I've never seen Apple ignore so many problems with a Mac product before. I still have the late 2009 model, but it has all the same issues as current models. They should have done a mass recall two years ago and just re-designed the hardware.

I'm sure they've already finished the next re-model, and they've probably fixed a lot of the issues with the current generation, but they will likely ignore everyone who has bought a defective iMac these past few years. Several people on here can testify that getting the screen replaced several times by Apple doesn't work. There are only some rare cases that I've seen where an iMac model has had no screen or hard drive issues at all.

All I know is that I'm never buying another iMac again and I advise others to just stay away until Apple fixes these issues.

Big accusations and recommendations Omek! I think they've sold way more than 100,000 iMacs (the approximate number of this thread) and many have been fixed.

Their silent treatment is the issue at hand!

The problrm with the P3t1t10n is that it is only in regards to screen replacement. Even if you're out of warranty and don't have Apple Care what good is getting a replacement LCD when you have to continually get them. I'm on my 3rd replacement LCD in less than 2 years and that's with putting up with a yucky screen most of the time until I can't stand it anymore. The underlying cause is the problem. Something in these iMacs such as heat or something is messing up the LCD. I'll only be satisfied with getting a replacement that is a Mac mini or laptop.

Most people don't notice the yellow tinge until someone points it out to them or until they see their screen on a plain white or grey background. But, like I said, I rarely see someone who has an iMac with absolutely no issues. And if they haven't had issues with their machine, they eventually will. I have seen countless people on here and in other forums state that they have had their screen replaced several times, see DeepRoot's comment above. It doesn't actually fix the problem.

There is a hardware design problem here, either with the screen itself or with how apple designed the entire system. And Apple is knowingly not owning up to it. Like I said, I think they have a re-modeled iMac ready for release sometime next year where they've fixed most of these issues, but they will probably never acknowledge the problems with previous iMacs.

Hold on a sec guys...I need to correct myself there are only 409 replies to this thread at the moment. The viewing is 100,000+, so I'd have to say that it is not a majority issue....lets move on and hope the problems are resolved on way or another....

It's an issue to the people it's happening to matey! I spent best part of a month's wages on this machine and I expected it to do its job. I feel you are trivialising things somewhat.

@bill33 This is a huge majority issue. Just because everyone doesn't comment or voice their concerns does not mean that this is a trivial problem. Not to mention this is just one of many forum topics discussing problems associated with this iMac. If you look through the entire Apple forums as well as others like Macrumor's forums, you will find thousands of complaints that involve this smudge issue as well as yellow tinge displays and constant hard drive failures.

And check out the views of this forum topic alone: 106,063 and counting.

I think Apple should do a complete recall with a full refund, even for those who have purchased the late 2009 models. But, it's more likely that they will ignore people who bought this model of iMac and just pretend like nothing ever happened.

And the thing is, it doesn't need to be like this. We have a pretty kick-*** way of making ourselves heard, and if you just google my nickname you will see how it's not hard to find me.

I think that if enough people complain about this in public, Apple will do the right thing, they end up being pretty good about this kind of stuff but it usually take a bit of prodding from our part. I think it's time to do some prodding :-)

Just out of curiosity, is anybody else in this thread on twitter? If you look for my nickname you will find me very, very easily.

Keep in mind, it seems like the latest version of the panel actually fixes the problem for good, but Apple seems to be using older panels to contain costs.

I haven't heard of anybody getting the new panel experiencing the smudges again, so a complete and final fix is actually available (as far as I can tell, if I'm wrong please let everybody know).

Well the greyish mark is back. it's only slight but it's on the top right hand corner. I'm just over ringing apple and their bs with trying to blame my enviroment. I've wasted so much money in phone calls to them that I'm sick of it. the warranty runs out in a few months anyway and unless it turns into a technical issue then I'm not going to waste my time pursuring it any further but I won't recomend apple products to my friends and my next upgrade will consist of two components. not one and I won't use an apple screen.

Yesterday i have cleansed my 2010 iMac 27 (with cloth dipped in Hama LCD screen cleansing liquid and water) and in horror noticed just afterwards these marks as on the photos. (Maybe they were present before but I haven't noticed).

These strange marks can be seen when the display is off.

I did not dare to turn on my imac (in hope not to worsen the situation if these marks are from the liquid vapour that entered behind the glass) so i do not know if they will remain visible when on.

Please advise as to what is this. (it is not a reflection on the screen)

many thanks in advance!!

Hi!

Well to me, it seems as though it's the remains of cleaning fluid. I can't make out if you mean you cleaned the inside or the outside of the screen so may be you could let me know.

I've now had 3 27" iMacs in as many years and have had the same sort of problem. I have taken each iMac apart as soon as it has arrived and then put it back together again so I kind of know them inside out.

This thread will keep on going about faulty screens and, to be honest, drives me mad. The iMac is a beautifully designed computer and is a credit to Apple.

The iMac is so easy to take apart and people seem so frightened to do it in case they damage it. That really stems from the fact of the cult status of the whole Mac thing. People who use an iMac or whatever seem to worship it and be frightened to death to touch it almost like it was a religious icon.

I had a 2011 model as soon as they came out and on receipt took it apart and, on putting it back together, tried a few tricks and the most fantastic bang and blue spark come off of the motherboard. I'd cut all the wires to the power on the hard drive and connected them back wrongly! I fried the hard disk and had to throw it away which was no bad luck as I didn't want it there anyway.

I fitted 2 new SATA 3 (600Gb sec) SSD's in which I got from America (OWC) and now when I turn it on I have a dual boot system with each OS on it's own SSD and the iMac is ready to go as soon as I press the power button from COLD. I can't see a computer ever booting as fast because it takes just a few seconds for the machine to go through it's tests and the OS is loaded in a fraction of a second. OS Lion is just there. If I put it to sleep and then wake it up it is instant.

There's nothing you can't do even if you know nothing about computers... It's just the fear of opening it up and the fear of entering holy ground! I've never used suction cups or any tool to get the screen off. Fingers are quite enough and free too!

The biggest problem is getting grease and dust on the screen and the glass and this takes the most time.

Don't use cleaning solutions and don't use canned air whatever you do.

Use my method and I believe your marks will go away just fine.

1. Obtain a good qualitity NEW chamois leather (used for cleaning cars) and a dust brush (used in the decorating trade) if you can't get hold of a dust brush then use a real hair paint brush of about 6"

2. Wet a NEW SOFT COTTON tea towel with warm water and add some washing up liquid so the towel is a mass of bubbles, rinse it with warm water until the bubbles go. wring out the towel as much as you can.

3. Clean the screen (inside or out) with the rung out tea towel to remove all grease from the glass.

4. Wet the chamois leather and ring it out so it's almost dry and get the dust brush to hand.

5. Go over the glass with the chamois leather until it is squeeky clean with no water residue then take the dust brush and brush the screen with it quickly back and forth to get rid of any tiny hairs or dust... DONE!

Well unless it's the inside! If it's the inside of the screen then without any time loss place it back into place and let the magnets suck it on, check for hairs and streaks and if all's OK your done. If there's a few fine hairs or dust take the screen off and do it again.

Also don't forget to use this method to clean the LCD panel itself too.

If you need any more help just ask!

Enjoy your iMac! Good luck!

That's very helpful advice mate - if the marks are on the glass. It would appear that virtually everyone (myself included) on this forum has suffered from marks appearing BEHIND the front layer of the LCD panel itself. Clearly this is not an easy to fix issue, and clearly it's also one that Apple are in denial over. If screens were that easy to fix, I'm quite sure that Apple wouldn't be replacing them. But they are.

But your advice is very helpful for anyone with a dirty screen.🙂

DITTO on the advice for 'A Dirty Screen' or glass cover plate from Mike. It is a delicate process but if you are patient, careful, and clean the screen diligently with the proper supplies, anyone can succeed !. I have had my iMac serviced undr warranty for another problem, the technician from 'Apple Approved Service ' came to my house and even left me a loaner when my machine had to go to the shop, but when I giot my iMac G5 back it had smudges on the inside or the plate glass. I logged on to the 'Apple' site, downloaded a set of instructions on how to remove and clean the glass plate as well as the screen, upgraded my hard drive while I had the screen off, and that's all she wrote !