Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

Except that it doesn't really fix the issue. The grey smudges will continually re-appear. Not to mention, the average user is not going to be able to disassemble their iMac without destroying something. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for fixing computers yourself. But when you start introducing percise knife incisions and such just to fix a screen problem, that's a bit extreme for me, and I'm sure sever others on here would be hesitant to attempt that deconstruction process. And taking apart the 2009-2011 iMacs is immensely more complicated than acessing the hardware in a Macbook Pro or mini or Mac Pro tower.

If you guys really want to make a difference, google this issue and look for actions being taken online. And contact tech media blogs and insist that they cover this issue. Also include a link to this forum to show how many people it has effected so far.

The new iMacs look like they have properly-shielded screens, so if they are better, we at least deserve some sort of recall/trade-in offer for the newer models.

I have the LCD fail three times. Currently what Apple has told me is forget about the computer as it is meant to be disposed every three years. Unfortunately I have spent over three years days and days wading through support technicians disbelief disinterest and downright rudeness that I cannot see my myself coming past that to buy a new iMac.

I don't use the iMac in a dusty room near the sun. In fact tried everything. Best place is probably in the box it came and back to Apple so that they can dispose it off as they recommend.

Apples engineering and quality control with the Imac is below industry standards. Humidity is a normal environmental issue they should anticipate when they design and build a computer.

http://consumerist.com/2012/12/18/apple-the-midwestern-united-states-is-too-humi d-for-the-imac/

Sorry guys, I tried. I submitted my experience to Consumerist for the link that was posted. I tried to answer questions in the Reddit thread, but I got down votes on every post I made/question I answered except for 1 or 2.

It's hard to have a discussion when there's so many people who are convinced Apple has never made

a mistake. I love my Apple stuff, but they messed this up.

Hi Eric,

Your image isn't displaying. Never seems to work on forums for me either, but I've posted a couple of images side by side on my own site:

http://www.handprintwebdesign.co.uk/imac/

The one on the left is a very bad example of how it was, but it was a bit of a moveable feast. Some days worse than others (presumably dependent on heat), and the wiggle would shift and vary. On occasion it would be straight, as shown in the image on the right. Not exactly vertical, but pretty straight, at an angle.

The only thing I could think of would be that some magnetism was controlling the movement, which pulled in equal amounts sometimes, making it straight. I say that, but really I don't have a clue!

The image on the left does look as though something is cracked, but obviously cracks don't tend to move around!

And I suspect there are different issues - my case was less of a smudge, and a much more definite line.

I have just noticed a grey mark on my MacBook screen. It can only been seen on dark/black images and appears to be behind the LCD itself. It's almost a rectangle box around where the Apple logo is on the outside of the aluminium lid. It almost looks a bit blotted. It certainly doesn't follow the shape of my screen backdrop or anything graphical so sure it's not screen burn and something more inherent.

The thing is my MacBook is a few years old now, but that said it has been looked after with the utmost care and here in the UK the Sales of Goods Act does cover manufacturer defects for up to six years, so I might have a chat with Apple about this to see what they say. Whether they are forthcoming about this is another matter but something like this is clearly a defect in construction as far as I can see.

Well I took the MacBook in today so they could look at the marks, which from other discussions is agreed to be from glue holding the badge in place.

The guys took it to the back room to take a further look and have said they think it's 'probably' from compression is they say it lines up with the solid bar along the top of the trackpad, all of which I disagree with as the vertical smudges on the screen don't line up with anything. They are of course only going by their technical database and are refusing to replace it as part of the fit for purpose etc..

I feel rather sad by this as today I feel I have lost all faith in the 'quality' of the product, even the guy agreed that £1200 for a laptop, you expect it to last.

<Edited by Host>

Had my Mid 2012 27" iMac fixed last summer. I started noticing the smudges coming back a month ago, and noticed last night it is forming on the right side of the screen 1/4 of the way from the bottom all the way to the top of the monitor. I'll get it reaplace agian, but I'm not looking forward to lugging this beast through the mall again. FUBAR Apple.

THIS IS HILARIOUS!

So i take my iMac in to the store. They agree to replace the screen. No problem. Three days later i receive a call. "sorry, we have no screens available, please come and collect your mac and check back with us at a later date to see if we have any in stock".

SO now it is MY responsibility to check Apple's stock levels??? I asked them why they could not hold on to the iMac until the part was available... "we dont have space". COME ON. This is the APPLE STORE REGENT STREET, the flagship UK store... and you cant order an LCD display for my iMac and replace it? Instead I am to make do with my faulty product, and call you back periodically to find out when you have maybe got some available?

To make things worse, I have called to complain, written, emailed and NOTHING. Outright refusing to go in and collect my mac and I am taking this to the highest level possible.

Apple - an absolute disgrace.

Thanks to the "quality" Apple is producing, I now run Windows 8 on my previous computer again.

The machine is 5 years old and nothing ever broke on it. HP is reliable for me.

When I got my iMac in 2009 I was EXCITED!

Fast forward 3 years.

Faulty screen, faulty hard drive (as a developer, that was a mess but thanks to two external backup drives still managable) faulty wireless antena ($150 Canadian) ....

I still like the machine but the point of my post is this. When it is time to buy a new computer, what can I get?

Apple is too expensive because if I lose two weeks of work and two weeks of my personal time, the real cost for a 27" iMac is between $5000 - $10000, depending what fails.

The other day I saw a computer which came with a 24 month warranty.

IF Apple increased their out-of-the-box warranty to 3 years, I would buy apple again.

Actually, no. It is still not worth it. A lausy product should be given away for free.

My iMac is a ticking time-bomb and the next disaster is brobably just around the corner.

On a side note. Windows 8 is stable and who knows, between the two machines I might be alright for a while.

I no longer recommend Apple because the Apple has fallen from the once big tree.

For all the apple fans out there who have made Apple what it is today, I'm ashamed right now to have an iMac.

1. My screen has greyish smudge marks, that I had replaced within a year of purchasing the iMac. Then a year later on the new screen, there are more smudge marks and the Genius Bar knowingly shrugs it off and quotes me $1,200 for a replacement screen.

Thanks. For nothing.

2. My harddrive is now failing (Seagate ST31000528ASQ, late 2009 iMac i7 27") and of course, my serial number states that I'm not covered under the widely publicized replacement program.

Thanks. For nothing.

SEKnight - my issue was exactly the same as yours per the picture above from 02/2013. Cloudy grey smudging behind the glass on the top right hand side of the screen. I took it back to apple and after endless to-and-fro with them, they fixed it. But when I got it home, the display failed. Could hear things playing in the background and so on but the screen itself was pitch black. Took it back again, so they have it and are "looking into it".

Finding apple progressively harder to deal with and the level of customer service has certainly dipped in the last 3 years. Will seriously be considering whether my next computer is a move back to a high end PC instead of putting up with this trash where you are expected to just replace the thing after 3 years. The products seem to have a life span of 3 years maximum after which you're just expected to upgrade.

Shocking.

Throw me the barrel with the rest of the "greyish smudge" 27" iMac users.

I have cleaned the outter glass (inside and out) without any effect on th smudge ... definately, a LCD problem.

What is Apple doing for us?

This LCD issue is beyond ridiculous my friend purchased the iMac 3.4 i7 july 2011 carrying the 1 year factory warranty. Apple replaced screen due to this notorious screen smoke condition that more than enough users have experienced for it to be consider a recall incident. I purchased it threw him and he doesnt smoke and he lives in a very clean "ENVIRONMENT". After I purchased the imac from him last decmber well aware the apple care had ran out. Over a span of five months i noticed that it has started to reappear but my concern was questionable to wether my mind was seeing things or not. My symptoms are almost opposite to the typical description reason being. Smoke shades that look like a mountains ridge appear across my LCD when started as the LCD/ Machine warms up it disappears. Im well aware of cold start consideration dealing with LCDs but this is a issue of bad LCD's point blank period. Honestly I have bought apple product after apple product to the point that im sure apple should be able to realize if im complaining its not a matter of a indivual overreaction. I have numeous apple products registered with my account. Point being this is about the sales of equipment thats not durable and knowing it. There should be a recall for all LCD's with smoke symptoms. This isnt caused by smoke , debris or environment by what ever that means. This is a build flaw and any one that has payed nowchas to suffer. Thats not a good look Apple. Shame on you.

I just took my late 2009 27" iMac in for the Seagate hard drive recall to my local third-party Apple-authorized retailer. I had an interesting conversation with one of the repair guys about the screen. He asked if I had any other problems besides the hard drive. I told him about the yellow tinge on the bottom third and the grey smudges and that everyone who has replaced their screens either had the same problems or worse. He basically agreed with me, and it seemed this wasn't anything new to what he has seen with several 2009-2011 iMacs. But he said the newer iMacs don't seem to have these problems. And I said, "That's because the screen is properly shielded." And he agreed again. So, this problem is prolific, and these Mac specialists just basically confirmed to me that they and Apple are aware that they sold defective hardware. These problems affect ALL 2009-2011 models. The only fix is getting the newer model that was completely re-designed. But Apple should definitely be doing a recall. However, the pessimistic side of me says that isn't happening.