Q: Significant light leakage, few light botches on sides/corners  - defective?

Ahhh....good to know. I bought mine at BestBuy, but I actually have 45 days to return with them per my Silver Premier thing. But yea...if there isn't a true answer about a new one coming out, these are going back to BB for a refund. I'll buy more when they are worth that kind of dough.
Thanks for the heads up on that. I always try to buy from BB for points...AND have since earned my way to the 45 day return. Thank goodness.

I also ordered my Ipad 2 (16gb, 3G Verizon, Black) on March 18th. I was originally given the 4-5 week waiting period which gave me an estimated ship date of April 22 with delivery on April 27th. When Apple changed the 4-5 week waiting period to 3-4 weeks my ship date was changed to April 21 with delivery by April 26th.

I've just checked my iPad1 and there's a small area that is leaking light So maybe not a problem exclusive to iPad2.

Purchased a white 32GB wifi model online which arrived today. Meanwhile, I received a white 64GB wifi model through my university bookstore. Both have light leakage around the edges, and large yellow blooms in the corners. It isn't really noticeable except when reading at night and using white text on black background to keep the iPad's screen dim so not to disturb my bedmate.

Any official word from Apple on if they plan to address this issue? From what I read, exchanging them doesn't help since almost all of the current stock have this issue.

NyVetteGuy wrote:
Apfelwurm -

True to a certain extent BUT...some have it worse than others..

Yes, that is why the use of the word "some" is appropriate.

Would you tolerate a little light leakage on an LCD TV? or perhaps an LCD Computer Monitor? or maybe just a little air leakage because your car window doesnt close just as it should and was designed to do?...I would think not..and that is the issue...this is a defect plain and simple, however BIG or small it is to some people and it needs to be addressed...

Some people have posted photos of this so-called issue on this board, and if I turn up the brightness to absolute maximum on my iPad 2 and then look at a dark image in a dark room, then I do see similar light leakage as those visible in those photos.

Therefore this "problem" would only be visible on my iPad 2, if the following conditions were true:

1 - maximum brightness
2 - very dark image on iPad 2 screen
3 - totally dark room

I spoke to a guy at our Apple Service Center here in Brussels (the iPad 2 is on sale in Europe since March 25), and he had not heard of the problem yet at his Center, but he had read reports from other users on the Internet.

Personally I would not have even known about this possible problem, if I hadn't read this thread here.

What exactly is a dead pixel and how do you identify it??

I hate this post for drawing my attention to the leakage. I am so OCD about this type of stuff, but had I not read this, I probably wouldn't have noticed or if I did, I would've assumed it was normal.

You know what, tho, I noticed my screen right away, without the post. I had my iPad 1 side by side with the 2 while setting up some things to be the same, and the difference between them was so obvious....It totally deflated my excitement balloon over the new one.
Then I went on the hunt for issues about a gray screen, and found this. I have the light bleeds (bad, too) AND a very gray tinted screen. Double crap-ola.
At first I thought maybe I wouldn't have noticed had I not had the two side by side. But honestly...I use the 2 every night....and the screen drives me nuts. I don't use it for very long at all like I did the 1. If someone would offer me full price what I paid for it right now, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I really am just going to take them back to Best Buy and get a refund for now. I spent way too much to be so not in love with this thing. And I LOVED the 1. It was an amazing piece of work.
I think macrumors had a thing about dead pixels. You could download some photos (they were just plain colors, red, black, blue, yellow, etc.,) and then open them on the ipad, and I guess look for say a red pixel in the yellow photo. I can honestly say, to my surprise, I had not on either of my ipad 2 units. yay.

I'm with Apfelwurm - Keep in mind, when you watch some movies on a LCD TV, not all of them actually use the full screen. So a light bleed from any side or corner would be a HUGE irritation and total distraction from the movie....dark room or not. Sorry, but trying to justify flawed devices, especially when that much money is spent on it, not to mention the fact that Apple's reputation is as stake with this....I just can't go there. I expect only the best. I love every other Apple product I own...and I have enough to say that they flubbed up here, IMHO. I'm not going to be wishy-washy about this and just forgive the issue and be OK with it.
More power to ya, Ny, if that's your thing. I have 2 64GB black ATT 3G units for sale. Full price. Want to buy them? If not, BB is getting them back.

bunk009 wrote:
What exactly is a dead pixel and how do you identify it??

That would be a pixel that never ever lights up. Hence the term "dead".
There are also stuck pixels, which would always be stuck on the same color.

I hate this post for drawing my attention to the leakage. I am so OCD about this type of stuff, but had I not read this, I probably wouldn't have noticed or if I did, I would've assumed it was normal.

Exactly my feelings as well. I only noticed because I read about this problem right here.

Yikes...you guys are in a frenzy...

What part of "this needs to be addressed" in my post was not clear?

New Ipad 2 owner here. Terrible light leakage. My ipad 1 was brilliant screenwise and this was such a horrid image in comparison. A real step backwards visually.

I would much prefer the Ipad 2 inner in an ipad 1 case. Maybe the size is the issue here. It simply does not feel 'as good' aesthetically. And an iffy screen for £659 is unacceptable.

I took it back this evening and will wait until an improved manufacturing regime hits the market.

SAY NO TO BLEEDING

Thx, that's four confirms. Anyone else?

I don't believe Apple can change or retool the factory in the short run.
In the future they can do this.
-----------------------------------------------------


"Backlight Bleeding
More problematic than glitchy FaceTime software are the reports of iPad 2 backlight leakage. Some iPad owners, perhaps most famously Cult of Mac's David Martin, have noticed uneven patches of light showing up around the edges of the tablet's display.

Martin took his original model in to be replaced and an Apple Genius noted that the replacement also suffered from the same problem. Sounds like a manufacturing problem that will need to be resolved in the future."

I had pretty bad light leakage. Even worse was a stuck pink pixel. It was only 1, but it could be seen when I looked at pictures. Made an appointment with Apple. They were meh about the light leakage but really understood my issue with the pixel. They swapped it out with a new one, no problem. The new one has some light leak, but much less than my first. I am about 97% happy. Hooray!

Lady Engineer wrote:
A friend of mine set a couple of heavy books on his, and went out of town for 8 days. No light leak now, none he says. So what does that say.

Are you serious?

Anyway, you're the engineer, so you tell us...