iPad Pro 12.9 Screen Light Bleed

MichelPM, thanks for the advice. I began a chat with Apple Support, wherein a case # was opened and I was directed to visit a local Apple Store. I made a Genius Bar appointment, and the Genius surprised me by stating that my only option, short of paying full price for a replacement latest iPad Pro, was spending $599 to exchange for another of the same product I had. I would have been quite happy with a repair, even at some cost to me despite the clear defect in the product. But Apple will simply not repair these, I was told at the Apple Store.

As at least one in this thread who replaced an iPad Pro with an identical model has stated, identical issues recurred (after the 90-day warranty period that I was offered with a replacement). That was evidence enough for me to decline an expensive replacement, as its usability is not so impacted by the defect as to justify a considerable outlay that may offer only temporary respite.

It seems that a replacement screen (apparently the entire screen must be replaced to fix this) can be had for ~$300, so I expect I will wait until the issue worsens before I search for a mall kiosk that performs such repairs.

My second- and fourth- generation iPads (still in use here) have perfect screens with no backlight bleed after many more years of use. I am, having been an Apple evangelist for about three decades, disappointed by its response.

If no one here keeps sending feedback to Apple or keeps calling Apple support and escalates this issue beyond 1st tier, first contact Apple customer support to more senior Apple customer support staff, which I encourage everyone here to do, there is no way Apple is ever going to do anything, as Apple will not have enough iPad models affected by this iPad backlight issue to have any incentive of trying to properly rectify this issue.

AND, if not enough users affected by this screen backlight delamination issue, a class action suit will be highly unlikely.

All of you need to keep sending regular feedback back to Apple and to call Apple support again and have this issue escalated up the Apple product customer service tiers/ladder.

Best of Luck to All of You!

I received this iPad on September 4th, 2019 (10 months ago) in Maine Mall (Portland, Maine) because my other iPad had some of this light bleeding in the borders of the screen. This first iPad was replaced as soon the Apple Employee noticed the light bleeding and told me about this hardware issue. How it is possible that in less than a year this new iPad I received from Apple is not covered anymore (even if I’m complaining about the same problem I had with the other iPad when I had Apple Care+) ? We all should escalate this issue since we paid a lot for this product and the Apple Care+.

Please all fill this feedback and send to Apple. Also call Apple support and report it.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

Unfortunately not uncommon enough for it to hit my overpriced iPad Pro too (in exactly the same location). Apple have pointed me at Curry’s when I threatened to make a claim under UK law (on the grounds that the expected life would be longer than 2.5 years for this device. I have far cheaper tablets that have lasted far longer with no issues. Not at all impressed with Apple on this.

No.

But you CAN trade that iPad in for a lower trade-in cost ( just like trading in a used car for a new one ) toward a new iPad model.

Apple Trade In - Apple

You may not get much for that iPad with the backlight bleed, though.

My followup is I have a rep on lock for if this 3rd unit should start acting up as I escalated it whomever is the topmost Apple support. I explained the entire scenario and the DC trip inclusive. Without making this long winded, stay on it and Ask for a supervisor. Keep track of everything related as best you can. Document names, times and resolutions or not. There’ IS a solution but you have to push past regular or bottom level support. I’m in the US and don’t know if international owners have the same rights but try anyhow.

As per Halliday --

Proper feedback channel for this issue: https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

It is Apple's recommended path for product feedback.

If anyone posting here hasn't used it, please do.

Unless you can provide repeatable means for reproducing the issue, SpectrumAmiga6128, there is nothing worth contacting you about.

Instead, it will simply be noted, and numbered among those things that Apple engineers will keep a lookout for, but, unless they can reproduce it, they cannot do anything about it: “mysterious”, intermittent issues/problems are notoriously the most difficult to fix, let alone even know that such has been even affected by various changes.

In almost all cases where I had reproducible issues, Apple engineers have contacted me for further information, records of instrumented runs, and files that reproduce the issue.

Subsequently, while the issue may not be completely eradicated, Operating System (OS) and App updates have improved upon the issue.

(Admittedly, I have had experience in troubleshooting, both hardware and software, both with computer based systems as well as human and other physical systems. However, it’s not like the Apple engineers know any of my experience. It simply means I know what the problem solvers need.)

...well this sort of latent defect is not "fine", but if even replacement units exhibit the same problem then it sounds like the odds of apple making it right are negligible...

This is really a little known issue.

This is definitely NOT a common issue.

Sorry.

We do not see too many post on this issue here in the iPad communities and I am here pretty much on and off every single day.

Apple Stores may NOT budge on their repair policies.

Sorry.

And Apple stores do not repair iPads, but offer replacement iPads as the ONLY repair option.

If you do not have any free, one-year AppleCare left on that iPad and you never purchased the extended, two-year AppleCare+, Apple is going to charge you an out-of-warranty iPad replacement as repair at the cost of approx. 60% of that iPad's original cost, plus tax.

If you had purchased extended AppleCare+, a replacement iPad would have only cost a smaller replacement fee of $49 U.S.D..

So, Best of Luck to You!

Hi,

Similar story here: changed my first iPad Pro within the 1-year warranty, 9 months later got the same problem on the new machine but now out of warranty. I tried Apple Italy, Appel US and phoning on the Apple support number, nothing.

This is clearly a hardware defect which we should not be held responsible for. Unfortunately, so far I have no suggestions for you, except to pile on this and other forums where we are gathering testimonies of a generalized hardware malfunction.

Good luck to us!

Hi Keithiwood,

In February 2019, with 2 months left on my iPad Pro 12" Gen 2 warranty, I sent in the devices for repair with the Apple Authorised Retailer (AAR). Apple replaced my unit no question asked.

However, 9 months later the replacement unit is starting to show signs of light bleed; the bleed is on the side of the "Smart Connector" where one attach the keyboard (this is on the same side to my previous unit). This time the AAR sent me an email a couple of days later telling me the device is out of warranty and it'll cost me money to repair.

I will contact Apple Support directly when I get the device back on Thursday and we shall see what is their response.

That is because in dark mode, you effectively turn off thr majority of the iPad's backlight.

All you are doing by using dark mode all the time is hiding/masking the screen backlight problem/issue.

And not everyone wants to use dark mode all the time.

Dark mode is NOT a fix for the iPad Pro backlight defect.

Especially many third party apps do not use dark mode for the entire screen, like most sketching/drawing/painting/image editing apps, notes/handwriting apps, word processing apps, PDF apps, and the like.

The backlight issue would still show up in these types of apps.

Your solution/advice doesn't fix or solve that faulty backlight issue, at all.

Sorry, but it just doesn't.

...looks like the 2016 macbook pro suffers a similar defect, which they've called 'stage lighting': my ipad pro 2 exhibits this problem badly along the smart-cover hinge edge...

[Link Edited by Moderator]

Got the same issue not so long =( And as in the most part of cases my warranty has expired. Has a conversation with an Apple support through the Twitter and they told I can bring my iPad in to a nearest authorized service center so they could estimate the repairing costs. 🤷🏻‍♂️ How it could be possible you are buying an expensive device and then after two or so years you getting the cheap one. Apple what happens with you?