Weird problem with my iPhone 4 screen

Seems like at some point, you must've gotten some kind of oil or something on it (not oil from your skin). I guess I'd try some non-ammonia based solvent cleaner - like the kind you'd use to clean a plasma TV or a computer monitor. Spray a little on a microfiber cloth and see if that cuts through it.

I have a similar issue with my Iphone 4, and came here looking for anyone else. I have tried everything to clean it off. It appears like oil on the screen, but I am unable to wipe it away.

It almost looks like it has seeped into the pores of the screen (not sure if that is even possible)

It is very noticeable especially when trying to read ebooks. It has been getting worse, I think it may be a defect in the oleophobic oil-resistant screen.

I've got it too. Mine wipes off completely only with a micro fiber cloth but then the same spotty moldy looking smudge (across the whole screen now) comes right back when I put it in my pocket or start using it.

Guess this means I trade it in at Apple for someone else's reconditioned phone. Great.

Mike

I have had every iphone model ever made. I have never had a problem like this before. It appears that there are small spots all over the screen. Not to be confused with the "yellow spots" other iphone 4 user have been reporting due to the glue not drying before they reached the customer. This is a different type of spot. I would compare it to a petrie dish that scientist test for things in.

The only thing I can think of is something is happening with the coating over the glass (oleophobic coating maybe braking down?). It only happened on the front screen and not the back glass. You can get the spots to go away when you use a micro fiber cloth to remove the natural oil from your face against the phone. The minute you start using the phone again, they appear. They are kinda annoying and make your phone screen look dirty and have a weird glare in it when your in the sun.

I made an appointment tomorrow to go to the apple store to see what they can tell me. Hope fully its nothing major. The worst thing that could happen is the phone gets replaces by another. Ill keep everyone update.

Brought mine in to the Apple store yesterday for the moldy looking smudges across the screen and the Apple genus replaced it with a new phone not reconditioned. Great customer service but he did think I sprayed something on it like ammonia glass cleaner which I had not.

Whatever the coating is I wish they would not put it on. The original iPhone did not have it and I don't remember always cleaning normal smudges off.

Mike

BTW when they replaced the phone and I did a full restore all of the folders that I painstakingly put 140 applications into were empty... with the apps splattered across the screens like the old days.

Mike

There's at least another thread like this one. I too have owned every model of iPhone ever made, and about a week ago started noticing a very distinct smudge pattern on my iPhone 4 screen. It looks like a "leopard skin" pattern that is almost impossible to remove and very annoying in bright sunlight. I've never used any kind of liquid to clean the screen. It seems that Apple is replacing iPhones that develop this smudge pattern. I'm on vacation, but as soon as I return I will have an appointment at the Genius Bar and have this one replaced--I actually bought 2, so it will be 2 replacement iPhones for me...

Not into screen protectors? Not saying anything against you guys (honestly), but I think this would help with this issue, a little?

Screen protectors? The screen is supposed to have an oleophobic coating that greatly reduces smears and makes them easy to wipe off. Screen protectors are not oleophobic and actually make the screen look much more smeared. If a screen protector were required to prevent this from happening, Apple wouldn't brag about this special coating and the ruggedness of the screen, they would include one and tell you to use it.

A lot of us just want to use our phone in the way it came out of the box. Not covered up with all kinds of stuff just to make it useable. The 3GS screen didn't/doesn't have that problem.

Hi guys. I found a solution for my iPhone 4 - Don't think it's going to get approved by Apple 🙂 but it worked perfectly for me. I just put a tiny bit of washing up liquid, like Fairy Liquid, on my finger and rubbed it over the screen carefully and then cleaned it off with a micro fiber cloth (actually I used a tissue and then a micro fiber cloth). Like new again.

I made an appointment at the Genius Bar, and took my iPhone 4 in today. After looking at the screen, the technician cleaned with a microfiber cloth, tapped randomly on the screen with his finger and looked at it again. I asked him to blow on it so as to fog it up and then take a look. He agreed, the dot pattern returned and it was not easy to get rid of. No further questions asked, he replaced my unit with a "replacement" one. My original one was a week 22 unit, the replacement a week 28.

The Tech agreed with my point that, while smears are a normal part of life with a touchscreen phone, an oleophobic screen shouldn't be so hard to clean, and mine definitely was.

Having said that, I would like to add that when you manufacture these things by the millions, you are bound to get a few defective ones. The HUGE deal maker/breaker is how a company deals with you when you happen to have one of those units. APPLE is outstanding in this department, and is one of the reasons, at least I, will continue to buy their products.

I've got this problem... Apple told me 'it's normal'.

It's not.

Hey, I have this problem too. I've used a Zagg invisible shield since maybe the second week after having the phone (mid July 2010). When I removed it to replace it, I noticed the "spotting". It looks like rain (or oil) droplets in the form of a "stain" on the screen. Very odd. Could not clean it off. It would clear when I cleaned it, but blow on the screen and they showed back up. Annoying! I put a new zagg on it and with the invisible shield on, it's completely unnoticeable. Haven't had time to take it back to Apple, but I'm now thinking that's exactly what I'll do.

Seems as though the Oleophobic coating can be broken down by certain chemicals. I had a friend that used Monster screen cleaner on his phone and it deteriorated the Oleophobic coating and caused 'blemishes' on the screen.
Avoid using liquids other than distilled water when cleaning to avoid a problem.