iPhone 4S screen tint

I noticed the same yellowish tint (and increase in overall "brightness" and lack of contrast) in my 32mg black iPhone 4S. Looked fine until I set it side-beside with my iPhone 4, which is much cooler (blue). I'm beginning to wonder whether this is actually an issue. Apple has worked hard to get their camera properly color balanced, and this screen seems to be optically correct for photos. Only in comparison with the high contract and blue-shifted screen of the old phone does this one look "pale". In order to test this out, I downloaded a b&w (grayscale) spectrum, to test what the gamma and black level of both phones actually is. When compared side-by-side, the new phone with the "yellowish" screen displays subtle shadow details far beyond the iPhone 4 (which loses the detail in pure black). This suggests that the gamma on these newer phones is set to a higher (brighter) level of 1.8, allowing more subtle tonal gradations. The overall effect is a more detailed and "true" image. I think we just got used to the relatively poor color balance on the old phones, which were too blue and too contrasty (and appear to have a gamma of 2.2). Makes things look sharper and darker, yes, but also sacrifices a lot of shadow detail.

To check this out for yourself, download the grayscale spectrum here:

http://www.normankoren.com/zonesystem.html

Put in on both phones, max out the brightness, and compare the shadow detail.

That seems plausible (I calibrate my monitor often and am well aware that what seems 'over-warm' right after calibration is often right). However, this doesn't explain that we are seeing discrepancies between identical models (like my household's two 4Ss).

I agree--there are still a lot of unknowns. Some people are claiming all the units look "warm" while others, such as yourself, have found variations... Regardless, if you've got a yellow-biased screen, I'm not sure that's a bad thing for the reasons I mentioned. If you're into photography, this may well be a better calibration.

As for the visual lack of contrast, I suspect the reason for this is that a percentage black (say 90% black) would appears as pure black on the old iPhone (with its 2.2 gamma), but will will look truer (and therefore grayer) when the gamma is raised to 1.8. In theory, this means the old phone was displaying <100% black values as 100% black, while the new phone requires a tonal value closer to 100% to appear dark black.

As for the yellow tint, the baseline "warmth" of the screen has probably been increased--as you correctly point out, we've gotten way to used to cheap "overly cool" lcd screens, and a properly calibrated one often looks too warm at first...

I could be totally wrong about this--we might find out these are just a batch of "off" screens--but regardless, they seem to perform better than the old ones in terms of absolute color balance and color clarity. Or maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better. I do, after all, prefer the experience of using the older screen... 😟

I have the same problem. My new 4S looks yellow and washed out, my gf's looks normal, cooler color. Both pre-ordered at the same time. Both are the black model.

Compared display models at two Apple Stores. None were yellow. Talked to genius at both stores. One said that there are different suppliers of screens and that they're always different. The genius at the other store told me that it will go away over time.

I don't mind a warmer color screen but I think it's too yellow.

My 3GS and my 4 were both cooler color screens.

One great advantage upgrading from a 3G/3GS is that no matter what, ALL the 4S screens loook awesome 😁

Seriously tho, i thought we all knew that the 4S screens would come from multiple suppliers. So these tint differences are a surprise?

I'm a photographer as well. But I also do a lot of writing. And, I have old eyes. Therefore, I have multiple calibration profiles on the computer: One for photo editiing, and one for writing so the text pops off the screen better. There is no calibration profile perfect for every situation.

We're talking about a phone here. Most of the time, we need to absorb the tiny print instantaneously--especially while driving. That is not easy to do on a low-contrast, OVERLY warm (much less than 5000k, I'm sure) screen. While it may be better for photo editing, it is lousy for normal "phone" uses.

Fortunately, my phone is becoming crisper.

Re: Accessing Siri on a locked iPhone. There's a setting that will prevent this. Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Siri. "Allow access to Siri when locked with a passcode." / "Do not allow access to Siri when locked with a passcode."

A warmer screen tint is the norm for properly calibrated HDTV's and desktop LCD's for displaying accurate colors. Not seeing why then this is such a negative thing for iphone screens. I'd rather have the accurate colors hands down.

When I bought my iphone 4 when it came out, I had yellow spots that looked like scorch marks. Other people could see them easily. I kept sending phone back and forth until they sent me one that I was happy with. When I preordered my 4s, I hoped that I wouldn't have that experience again. When I got my 4s Friday, I opened the package really worried. When I turned it on, I didn't see spots. The screen looked great. I do see a slight difference between my 4 and 4s. I have shown the screens to other people and they didn't see a big difference and actually told me they liked the screen on the 4s. Whites do appear white and blacks seem black. The 4 has a slightly bluer hue to it but only slight. I think the more people read posts like this, the more they start to wonder about their purchase. If I thought this was really yellow like I went thorugh with my 4 I would be starting another mess. The post did get me wondering and so I compared. The screen seems clear, and images crisp, so I am not taking it back in an attempt to match my 4. Like I said, the difference only seems slight.

That is what I got told from guy in genius bar,exactly what he said,I don't like the yellow tint,I took my white 4s back n exchanged for another...same yellow tint,but weird the guy behind genius bar exchanged when I showed him my (nice)iPhone 4 screen compared to my yellow 4s screen,so all the people working at apple can't b aware of prob,because I spoke to 3 different peoole that day, and got x3 different answers,1 of them was exactly what u wrote,that the 4 blue ,screen I had,was an early iphone4 batch,because they then changed screen suppliers,I am unsure of my next step,as everything like the keyboard which has grey,has an annoying yellow tint!!;(

Techreview wrote:

Basically the first batch of iPhone 4 released last July had a cooler bluish screen. Apple then added a second screen manufacturer in Oct 2010. So many iphone 4 bought then had a warmer yellowish screen. After numerous talks with Apple engineers it was concluded that screens from manufacturer A had a college bluish tinge. Screens from manufacturer B had a warmer yellowish tint.

I bought 2 iPhone 4S (both black). One of the has a cooler bluish tint and the other one has a warmer yellowish tint. Therefore the screens on the two phones must have come from two different screen manufactures. I personally prefer the cooler bluish tint. But a lot of users in in various forums have pointed out that the warmer yellowish screen is more suited for exhibiting true color. Shadows and shades of grey are more visible on the warmer screen.

I wish Apple had instructed both suppliers to have the same calibration on the screen instead of having this cooler and warmer variations. This yellow warmer screen will not go away in 2 weeks.

This is absolutely the case. I had a launch day iPhone 4 and just recently had it replaced under warranty due to a faulty home button. My replacement iPhone 4's screen is much yellower than my launch day iPhone 4. I didn't even see them side by side, I can tell just by looking at it.

Apple doesn't consider this to be an issue, and they will not rectify it.

I just saw this shot on TUAW of the side by side comparison of the 4 and 4s. Actually, the iPhone 4 looks a bit too blue on my calibrated Eizo monitor. The color difference is just a case of different screen calibration. People often choose the bluer white point as being "true" white, when in reality there is no true white, only what we perceive as white. If they weren't being viewed side by side, they'd both look just fine as our eyes adjust to "white".

Mine has the yellow tint to it as well. 32GB white AT&T model. It is also slightly dimmer than my iPhone 4.

Two things I'm hoping for:

1. It's the glue theory and in a week or two it will cure and brighten up a bit and become more white.

2. I had 2 identical netbooks except one screen had a warmer tone that drove me nuts. Changing some settings in the color profile for the LCD got them matching and whites were "white". Apple could potentially release an update which would alter the color profile and take away the warm hue.

I think everyone has this problem- whether they notice it or not.

I own both a Launch iPhone 4 (32gb) and a Launch iPhone 4S (Black-64gb) and I'm a professional calibrator for our studio, so I have some authority on this subject.

The iPhone 4s screen has a lower gamma curve and is warmer in color temprature than the iPhone 4. Based off what I am reading in this thread it's probablly due to the type of screen they are using in the 4s.

Is it better or worse? Well it depends.

It's worse if you are relying on the iPhone to display images close to sRGB standards. sRGB is the standard for the web, and it's the standard on all current Mac and Windows PCs. The iPhone 4 is more accurate to the sRGB standard than the 4S. The 4s seems to mimic more of the Apple RGB standard. Ultimately apple switched to sRGB becuase its the standard that the rest of the world uses.

It's better if you're trying to view the phone in bright sunny conditions, or conditions when the backlight is very low. It will make it easier to see darker areas since they ammount of contrast will appear to be lower. I have a feeling that Apple might have gone this route since the iPhone could be used outside as much as indoors.

What will it take to fix your phone? Well if all of the screens used in the 4S are around the same ammount off in calibration, apple could issue a firmware update that makes the screen more like the iPhone 4, or closer to sRGB, the standard that they should be following. A new screen for all users wanting a new phone is very costly, and I imagine they will go the software route.

I hope that Apple does issue some sort of fix becuase I've done a lot of work on my photos and they just dont look right when viewed on the iPhone 4s. The iPhone 4 was very close to the monitor standard that I work in on my PC (sRGB). Consumers are going to have problems looking at media from a large variety of sources who are calibrated to sRGB standard on the iPhone 4s.

The "give it two weeks" solution is their way of getting you to get use to the different screen. After some time of looking at a certain screen you start to forget about its color casts or deviations when looking at something that is suposed to be white.

Bottom line: I would keep pushing Apple on this issue becuase it does affect all users.

Just voicing my outrage also. I pre-ordered and received friday a black 64GB IP4S and most definitely have a yellow, dingy screen tint that i hate. not as bright, crisp, cool in temp as my IP4. Push a software update Apple!!