iPhone 4S screen tint

I'm going to reiterate a few points and add a new thought:

- there is no evidence looking at all the reports that a single vendor or "batch" is faulty, people around the world are complaining

- it is clear from objective testing with color meters, side-by-side comparisons, etc that normally the new screens are more yellow, have higher gamma and/or lower contrast

- sometimes the yellow is very excessive, sometimes just a slight tint, indicating that beyond a shift at Apple in screen requirements there are quality control issues with at least one ore more vendors.

- it is NOT a glue issue, at least not in the vast majority of reported cases of yellow-shifted phones; people have had them since preorder with NO change.

- some folks think the change is there to accomodate better photography on the phone - I have two issues with this:

- if this were really the case Apple would likely have touted this as a "feature", not snuck it in and let people turn around and compare iPhone 4S' to older phones leaving them scratching their heads - this sounds a lot like spin control being picked up by bloggers and reviewers, etc disseminated by Apple or it's fan-boy contingent, just as the call to rationalize the problem as just a glue issue which people still keep bringing up.

- secondly, even if it is the case, it screws up the viewing of the phone normally and particularly for viewing video on the phone - this hardly seems plausible as a design goal just to satisfy a relatively few purist shutterbugs using the phone as a secondary camera. Skin tones on all races of people in movies I watch on the phone just have too much yellow and look very unnatural, even on a moderately yellow shifted phone.

Apple needs to aquiesce on this point and allow a color temperature control, or they face a lot of folks jailbreaking their phones just to get access to color control software.

Message was edited by: Jeff_2035

FWIW it's worth I'm hold a C39 in my hands that is yellow-tint, my second phone, and far better than my first iPhone 4S that had a C38. However, compared to my old 3G, the screen is far worse. Let's stop with the serial numbers business, it means nothing as there have been reports associated across boards with all three serial number series.

This to me makes the most sense - since Apple wanted a smoother distribution of phones this time they have more suppliers with larger orders - and quality is suffering in certain batches, possibly more commonly with a certain one more than the others. What will happen likely is either Apple will admit a problem with some kind of replacement effort if the story gets legs in the press beyond what it has, or more likely they will ignore it and quietly iPhone 4S' will begin showing up with good screens across the board in a month or two with improvements behind the scenes, too late for many people to bother replacing them, leaving thousands with subpar screens for a premium price.

This is the last time I ever buy an Apple product on preorder; and to think I was considering getting a Macbook Pro at some point - this kind of business makes me highly cautious now.

I just want to also chime in and say that I too went through this yellow tint or warmer hue ordeal. First phone received on launch day had a very dim screen on full brightness compared to my wifes which was bright and crisp. Made a genius bar appointment and guy looks at it agreed right away. Gave me a new one went home and compared again and same ordeal...dim and warm. Made another appointment but this time they ran out of replacement and had to order one. Replacement came in 2 days later and phone was perfect. Looked just like the display units and couldn't been happier until I tried to use the phone. It would go silent intermittently. Tried reset...restore...and everything else just so I wouldn't have to return this perfect screen but in the end I had no choice. Replacement phone was same dim yellow screen again. This time though I went through applecare over the phone and explained the situation and was sent a replacement by mail. Just received the phone today and as happy as can be. Nice blue white screen. Now crossing finger....knock on wood hoping this phone doesn't have any foreseen issue. I also want to make a note that all phones I received started with C39. So to all people who are going through this hassle it's out there those blue whitish screen.

bluevoice wrote:

I'm also having this problem on my new iPhone 4S white 32 GB I received last Friday. my screen is yellow, very low contrast, white is almost yellow and black is almost gray. This screen is terrible when compared with the screen of my iPhone 4. I checked my serial number on the following website and this is the information I got:

http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html

Serial number: DNP....

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 44 (November)

introduced test: GOED

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: White

Capacity: 32GB

Factory: DN (China, Chengdu - Foxconn)

I contacted Apple and I'm getting a replacement. They didn't even want to look at the photo's I made of the iPhone 4S screen along my old iPhone 4. I hope the replacement iPhone will have a better screen but I fear the worst.

Exactly the same week and factory. Must've been a dodgy lot then surely?

Serial number: DNP...

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 44 (November)

introduced test: GOED

CPU speed: 800MHz

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: Black

Capacity: 16GB

Factory: DN (China, Chengdu - Foxconn)

I tested the link and here it goes :

My first Iphone 4s (yellowish, white model) :

Serial number: C39...

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 39 (October)

introduced test: GOED

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: White

Capacity: 32GB

Factory: C3 (China)

Mine (yellowish one, replacement white model) :

Serial number: C39...

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 44 (November)

introduced test: GOED

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: White

Capacity: 32GB

Factory: C3 (China)

And my friend's one (not blue but not yellow at all, black model) :

Serial number: DNP...

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 40 (October)

introduced test: GOED

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: Black

Capacity: 32GB

Factory: DN (China, Chengdu - Foxconn)

My conclusion : I don't think we have a solution here :/ week 39 = yellowish, week 40 = white, and 44 = yellowish. It's like lottery in my opinion.

Was at the Apple Store today and got my 5th 4S (Serial-Number C39xxx, Week 43, Factory C3).

The screen is very nice so far, much better contrast, good colors. It's warmer than most iPhone 4 I've seen, yes. But not yellow and in line with most of the display units in the store.

Unfortunately the annyoing buzzing tone while vibrating is back now... *sigh*

To add to the data in the thread here, here is my info. And my screen is terrible compared to my iPhone 4. Very disappointed.

Serial number: C38...

Name: iPhone 4S

Model: iphone_4S

Group1: iPhone

Group2:

Generation: 6

ModelCode: iphone_4S

Machine Model: iPhone4,1

Model introduced: 2011

Production year: 2011

Production week: 41 (October)

introduced test: GOED

Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)

Screen size: 3.5 inch

Screen resolution: 960x640 pixels

Colour: Black

Capacity: 64GB

Factory: C3 (China)

UPDATE #2

Received my replacement iphone 4s from apple care today and the screen is the most yellow out of any replacments i have gotten to date. Was really hopping for a good screen but no. I am so sick of this crap. Apple please look into this a stop shipping out suppar products!

I am going to contact my local news channel here in the bay area and see if i can get them to look into this also.

Called apple care again and now waiting to here back.

Will update again when i here back.

I don't like to speculate on the Serial # batches..

But the launch day phone I had was DNP, loose home button. (other ppl aswell)

Replaced with a s#: C39 (sever Yellow Hue) , now I have s#: C38.

I don't think serial numbers should be involved. I'm spending money & want to be taken seriously...

- TODAY -

Local apple store had Verizon AT&T Sprint, most white & black models were C39... white iPhone 4S also has the issue.

I want an answer, local store employees ACT CLUELESS.

My tint isn't noticeable, but it isn't PRISTINE. I can live with it...

Received 2x 16gb white iPhone 4s. As soon as it started something didn't look right as the screen was dim and hurts to read text on a white background; then I realised its not white background but a cream colour. Compared both handsets to iPhone 4 and that was bright, crisp and colours vibrant.

I was so angry I contacted apple support and their engineer though friendly denied knowing of such an issue so I instructed him on his own company forum being full of this issue. His suggestion go to an apple store! My nearest store is a very long way away; who's paying for my petrol when this is a fault again with apple.

Fan boys aside I have owned every version of iPhone and this is awful to look at; yes retina was a huge jump in clarity but screens were always bright and rich- these are dull, yellowish and very hard to look at as us almost like the screen is dim. My brightness is ramped to 100% and it's still dull.

This is a very backward step for apple and while there were issues on Steve jobs watch, I doubt he'd accept the quality of this screen hitting the market. This is the guy who got google to alter their logo because the yellow was off on his screen. Apple as a brand denote a history of excellence, quality and dedication to the design community and I'm sitting here with the dullest most inaccurate colour representations Ive ever seen on a graphic device plus I am feeling eye strain...

I believe te reason apples not being inundated is for a few reasons; firstly the volume of handsets aren't out there to generate the percentage necessary to get the apple damage control unit into gear and secondly because some users will be jumping from an iPhone 3 into retina territory and perceiving this is the cool sharp screen and also for some this may be their first iPhone so know no better compared to the clarity an richness in the iPhone 4 screen.

As it stands apple may silently tackle this issue and never broadcast it leaving us dedicated customers the first to give them money, we're left with damaged property while others benefit from improvements in the

Manufacturing process.

I believe any one who reports this issue to apple as I have directly should have no limitation on sending their phone back in 6 months time even a years time when it appears to have been tackled. I won't accept any out of warranty excuses, I reported the issue 24hrs after purchase so that issue exists within warranty even if it isnt resolved till outside that time frame.

So disappointed, so angry we shouldn't have to threaten to send items back and go to android - apple should look at the product and say what the **** did we do wrong... We are champions of quality, vibrancy and design this screen is not in that description so let's live up to our mission statement

really? 98% of us here are only ******** for no apparent reason? im sorry we don't have that much time to just come to the forum and voice our complaints just for fun. we don't need to have OCD (yeah it's just OCD, not OCD disorder because the "D" in OCD already means disorder) to be bothered by our screens. It's obvious, it's ugly and it *****. We feel cheated because there are normal screens out there but for a number of us we are stuck with the bad apples. Tired of all the excuses and reasons as to why the display looks horrible. I've had the phone for a month now and no "glue" has dried. It's a ****-up on the manufacturer and the least Apple can do is acknowledge it and make sure all of us with the bad screens get a proper replacement.

"This is a very backward step for apple and while there were issues on Steve jobs watch, I doubt he'd accept the quality of this screen hitting the market."

The screen quality has not changed since SJ passed away.

Hi everyone, First post on the apple forums as an owner of the iPhone 4 since release date which i never had a problem with so no reason to really visit here.

Took out a new contract on Monday with Orange and got the iPhone 4S (Black 16GB) from Phones4U. When I put my 4 and 4S next to each other the difference is huge and also compared with a friends white 4S.

I popped into the apple store in Birmingham Bullring yesterday after work and the first guy I spoke with was really unhelpful and actually quite rude telling me as I had the phone from phones4u the fault lies with them and I would have to go to phones4u for a replacement handset even though on day of purchase I was explained to by salesperson that any problems with the handset to go straight to apple. He also said if phones4u would not exchange it then I would have to come back to apple and receieve a refurbished handset!?!?!?

Popped into phones4u and the staff in there were really friendly and helpful although they do not exchange the handsets as the fault clearly lies with apple.

Went back to the Apple store and spoke to a different member of staff who compared my 4S with his and agreed there was a difference. Booked me in for an appointment at genius bar on saturday and hopefully will get a new handset as I wont stand for less to be honest. Will update to let you know what happened saturday evening.

Actually the quality of the screen has changed or is everyone with this screen issue a liar? If nothing's changed in production then it would be the same visual display as the iPhone 4 however it's not. Either too quick to production, cheaper materials a change in supplier or materials are leading to a noticeable defect or let's call it difference in appearance to the previous model.

On that basis is it acceptable to say the quality has changed? Yes. If we define the iPhone 4 screen as normal. Acceptable clarity and a reflection of true colour then the screen in the iPhone 4s is not of the same quality... In fact if you read these comments from the forum the difference is in a negative respect so therefore the change in screen quality is negative.

As for comments regarding OCD and a few people moaning; why don't you consider the fact people are spending hard earned money on a quality luxury device and receiving imperfections; this isn't about minute foibles this is about the screen being yellow instead of white so a pretty major imperfection from a company that promises quality and perfection.

Maybe you are a lucky person who received a good screen but don't attack others less fortunate; I you pay a premium price on a high end device you expect it to live up to that promise but having a screen in the correct colours is something even budget phones get correct.

Lack of quality control and long term testing on production quality models was needed to highlight manufacturing issues and I think we've become the unofficial testers for others to benefit from our findings...