Yes, within two minutes of using the iPhone Pro Max my eyes/head hurt. I’ve never had this issue before. I’ve bought and now returned 3 iPhone 12 Pros. I now have an iPhone 11 in my pocket. :|
FWIW, there’s some indication Apple is aware of screen issues with some 12 Pros (e.g. MacRumors wrote a piece recently about an Apple Support memo acknowledging “tints” + “flickering”.)
My best guess: Apple developed the 12 Pro models planning on a 120Hz refresh rate—and they trashed that plan because of poorer than expected battery life (and they market didn’t require the refresh rate.) They likely went further down this battery optimization path (using PWM) than they ever have in any prior model—all the way to using PWM at every brightness level.
Test the theory in that last sentence for yourself:
Slo-mo film an iPhone 12 model next to any other (recent) model iPhone. Ensure both phones are at 100% brightness, have the same (white) web/app page pulled up, and press record for 10-20 seconds. Now tell me which one is is flickering slower. My money is on that fancy new iPhone.
I also think Apple knew more folks would have eye/headache issues with these phones than previous models but they were okay with it. And I don’t blame them. I doubt even 5% of their market has issues with PWM, but that’s not the reason I don’t blame them.
The main reason I’ve decided I don’t care either? I understand they need to make trade offs. They had enough amazing tech in these new models that they didn’t end up needing the 120Hz anyways from a marketing/sales perspective. In some ways, even if the percentage of affected users is higher, that only creates more demand for the iPhone 13–which will sport display technology eliminating all these concerns: LPTO and 120Hz+ refresh rate.
PS. Before one of you level 9ers or 10ers chimes in with, “You have a medical issue, bro. Go talk to your doctor”, I’d like to ask that you spare us sensitive snowflakes from your wisdom this time. I’m an ophthalmologist. ;)
