iPad Pro 12.9 Screen Light Bleed

@Halliday

I am not using it: I have used it twice in the recent past and NEVER heard back from then, not even an acknowledgement I left feedback. It has been a waste of time for me.

@costa.bas

Please do report back if you hear anything from them.

This happened to my 2nd gen iPad Pro. It was still under AppleCare so they replaced it. It then happened to my replacement (i suspects replacements are NOT brand new, but refurbished). This became a problem with the replacement iPad while still under AppleCare warranty which I had to buy pro-rated since there was still time left on the original AppleCare Warranty. They replaced that one as well. I’m expecting the problem to reappear on my THIRD iPad Pro. This is an unacceptable issue for a device that costs over $1000.

From the Apple feedback page: "We read all feedback carefully, but we are unable to respond to each submission individually. If you provide your email address, you agree that we may contact you to better understand the comments you submitted."

Once, many years ago (these forums were a bit different then), I submitted feedback that clearly interested Apple as it generated a response from them. My product feedback has been rare (for good reason: Apple product tends to be stellar).

So lack of response does not necessarily mean that feedback has not been noted. A user may prefer otherwise, but Apple's policy is clearly stated.

@myaka, myself, I have reported a Safari bug twice (all tabs vanishing whenever it wants, I am not the only one with this problem). This has been going on since OS version 13.0 until 14.0.2 for me (when I gave up and switched to Firefox for anything important). I repeat I am not the only one affected. NEVER heard back from them.

I had more than 5 different Apple hardware annoyances up to failures during the past 15 years I switched entirely to their ecosystem and have been using hardware since 1986 - Apple stuff is good but not perfect despite asking for perfect price. Many small examples during the years, the most notable being the antennagate - no, we were not holding it wrong.

as @MacTrek says, this is unacceptable for a device that costs that much - it took me a couple of years to pay it off.

What infuriates me is that they say nothing about such issues, like they do not happen or are singular user cases.

Once a local doctor returned a 27’ incher iMac due to some similar kind defect - the local representative did not accept Apple’s failure, the doctor made it public and he was bullied with a 200 000 euro court case to shut up (after much public ado, his 27’incher was replaced, it would not have happened if he did not make a PR mess).

On other occasions I have been serviced right by the same representative, fixing similar unacceptable issues as should happen for such expensive products.

Please, MacTrek, read what I wrote concerning complaining here, to be seen complaining, vs. giving Apple Feedback, by availing yourself of the appropriate Feedback channels.

The first accomplishes nothing constructive.

The second is the only way to obtain results, even though there is no immediate satisfaction.

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.)

Yes, myaka, I have a «second generation iPad Pro 12.9», and it is exhibiting the «Light Bleed».

However, though my case of «Light Bleed» is localized and small (~1.5 cm), my iPad Pro also has a crack in the black bezel portion of the screen, overlapping the ambient light sensor near the «Light Bleed».

So, my display had additional stress in the vicinity, prior to the onset of «Light Bleed».

I’m simply “hanging on” until Apple comes out with an iPad Pro with at least as good specs as the iPhone 12 Pro Max (though it need not use OLED tech). (I already have the funds set aside. I’m simply waiting on Apple, before I “pull the trigger”.)

Mine began as a small area of bleed like yours, but it continued to grow until it now extends across the entire left, vertical side. It's been in a substantial leather case since purchase, always transported in a well-padded Amazon small laptop case, and has no visible physical damage. Mine has a white bezel. It would be interesting to discover if the issue occurs more or less with each color, although I suspect it's more to do with adhesive quality and/or manufacturing process.

It could also be related to added stress due to cases, myaka. (I think I saw someone already suggest that.)

I have a plastic case.

Notably, the case is asymmetric, in order to provide for the use of the Keyboard Folio. (The side with the «Light Bleed».)

Additionally, many real leather products can shrink with time. (Some plastics probably do, as well. However, I have also seen others expand, like the soft white plastic bottom of my mid-2010 MacBook 13”.)

Then again, it might be the added stress resulting from insufficiently rigid design for a product Apple could expect would likely be placed in a variety of cases. However, my thick, unshrunk stiff leather case does surround a plastic shell with no keyboard cutout (Apple Pencil is my keyboard :-) ), making one wonder why, as left and right sides are identical, the issue only appears on the left. I don't believe anyone has posted about issues on other margins.

In the end, I admit, without an investigatory finding from Apple, it's like guessing at Three-card Monte.

I expect, myaka, based upon Apple’s current designs, that the new iPad Pro will not have the beveled edges of the 2nd gen. iPad Pro.

Actually, isn’t that true of even the current iPad Pros?

Has there been any reports of this «Light Bleed» issue with any of these iPad Pros with the squared edges?

(Of course, the large screens of the 12.9” would be the most susceptible to stresses caused by different expansion coefficients of the various materials being used.)

Halliday wrote:

I expect, myaka, based upon Apple’s current designs, that the new iPad Pro will not have the beveled edges of the 2nd gen. iPad Pro.

Actually, isn’t that true of even the current iPad Pros?

Has there been any reports of this «Light Bleed» issue with any of these iPad Pros with the squared edges?

(Of course, the large screens of the 12.9” would be the most susceptible to stresses caused by different expansion coefficients of the various materials being used.)

Indeed, the current iPad Pro edges have 90º angles. I know but one user of a new 12.9 iPad Pro, with no report of issues. Indeed, I convinced that person to forgo an Apple-refurbed second generation 12.9. That new device is still young, but I expect Apple knows exactly what went wrong with the second generation models and has addressed the issue in their new devices.

Apple has larger LED products in its very thin laptop displays with no issues, but they admittedly have no heat-generating hardware shoehorned behind them, so screen size of the iPad might be connected. Perhaps Apple will someday enlighten us.

I’m having the exact same trouble with my 12.9 iPad Pro (2nd Gen), already on the replacement model and the backlight bleeding is occurring again. Obviously this hardware fault is extremely common and the device is not fit for purpose considering it is supposed to be a “PRO’ model and can’t even last a year without issues, in fact I had a 2012 iPad model that survived 5+ years without a problem, maybe I should have stayed with that instead of upgrading!!

Yes, I thought that was normal, I think I got use to it. But when the lights started turning off I realised I had a real problem and it has been getting worse. The lights still flicker on and off some times and with a tap on the side you can get lucky.

I have exactly the same problem, but mine is a continual white bar all the way across. This isn’t second 12.9” iPad Pro. The previous one did the exact same thing, so this is the replacement device. I’m sorry I bought a second one.

Square Trade gave me a check for the full purchase price, so I bought a second. I will NOT be purchasing a third. It’s under warranty with Square Trade on this device. I’ll take the money and never buy another iPad again. Lesson learned.