My 2012 27-inch iMac has image retention

Considering my sister had her iMac go in for the hard drive recall and gets it back with debris under the glass and the metal chassis is all scratched up when it was mint when it went in, you tell me.

I've opened and worked on iMacs, Macbook pros, mac pros, Mac Airs, and used to build computers for over a decade. And when I open the macs up, they get sealed back up just the way they were before and never have had an issue afterwards. So yes, I think I'm a little more qualified than the genius bar when I have to point things out to them or can do better repair work. Especially when I have to use their warranty and am sitting at the bar helping their other customers with their issues.

So before you presume to know my own knowledge base, a checking of the facts might help you. My point simply is that this issue has been going on since the summer on the Macbook pros retina, they haven't fixed it adequately or even acknowledged any wrongdoing. They are still shipping LG panels in them that do the same thing. Any creative professional will tell you image retention on a LCD is not acceptable and that in the last decade of apple machines I've never seen one do this with an LCD.

Hope this helps you out.

I am completely convinced that ALL June-2012 (or newer) LG IPS LCD panels installed in Apple products will develop an image retention problem eventually. LG has produced a defective component and Apple is stuck with it because their only other reliable supplier is Samsung, and they're not getting along with eachother. It really is a disaster and the way Apple is treating it's customers (i.e. telling them it's normal for IPS displays to experience image retention) is absolutely shameful. I've been a loyal Apple customer up to this point, but that will likely change if they don't clean up their act soon.

I'm curious about the iMac having IR because its the same LCD that was used last year ... Was there IR problems with last years iMac?

itsamacthing wrote:

I'm curious about the iMac having IR because its the same LCD that was used last year ... Was there IR problems with last years iMac?

Perhaps they were using Samsung LCDs last year.

I have a 2010 and 2011 iMac. Both have LG panels just as the Thunderbolt Display. From what I read on the MacBook Pro retina thread, it is likely a chip on the panel that is overheating. When the MacBook Pro had a fan on the backside of the LCD, the Image retention never appeared. And since the LCD panel is led lit and doesn't get very hot, it must not take a lot of heat. But the iMac radiates heat behind the e tire LcD. So my thinking is it may be the same panel, but they implemented a different chipset from the 2011 and earlier and it is likely the same one as in the MacBook Pro. Either way, they aren't going to acknowledge fault and how easy is it to take one of these machines to the store for most. All I can say is test it heavily before your return period is up. If its up, press on apple and be the squeaky wheel. Their customer centric support has become so half asked that I think the market is going to bring them into check very quickly. Something needs to because I'm buying PCs for now and maybe the long haul if they don't remedy the matter. Truly disgusting and especially for one of the wealthiest and evidently greediest corporations out there.

Same problem with an iMac that was purchased at work. Took it to an Apple Store. Even though the Genius couldn't duplicate the problem (because the unit didn't have time to warm up enough), I showed him print outs of the photos I took, and that was enough for him to request a replacement. I will thoroughly test the replacement as soon as it comes in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2dafvZZC7Y

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My 2011 (mid) has a very faint image retention issue, I have seen it before on 2010 and 2009 models too. The new display is different its laminated to the glass, sadly people need new computers but there is always a reason to never by a REV A machine, being at the bleeding edge of technology can hurt. Its the same with Apple as with any other company, you end up with issues that will be corrected with updates to the software/hardware in later models. My 2011 model, the image retention only happens if auto brightness cranks itself tup to full (which it does to easily) it goes away when you back the brightness down.

This reminds me of the 2009 yellow screen and whistling inverter threads, new machines new issues.

Hi all. I have been following this thread. I just received my 27" iMac this week. I have been setting it up and testing it out. I did try the checkerboard testing application and when I clicked "switch to grey" I did see some image retention in a pink and green color of some of the apps or windows I had had opened before. Weird. I did not see the checkerboard pattern, but I saw images of apps I had up before. I have changed my iMac background to the light grey and the darker grey so far, and I am not seeing any IR. Maybe when I close an app I will see just say an 1/8 of a second shadow but it is instantly gone. I am going to keep checking. I have no idea why I see it on the checkerboard test and when clicking "switch to grey" but I don't see it when I set my iMac to the grey desktop background. I am a new mac user. Have the retina iPad and iPhone but this is my first iMac.

Okay, now I see it. I just did the test again on another grey background and I do see the checkerboard if it is left up over 10 minutes. Now i am waiting to see how long before it goes away. Sheesh. You would think this would have been resolved.

Apple = Pricey exterior filled with the lowest bidders internals and sold for 3x the cost and tells its customers they are using them wrong. Seem about right?

So to Javier, I see that you have image persistence on the space background. I don't have that. Did this happen over time or was it right out of the box? I have only been working on my iMac since Tuesday 1/15/13. I guess I want to know if this is going to get worse over time.

I have Image Retention too. I just exchange my imac, now I'm waiting for new one

I am super disappointed with my iMac. After waiting almost a month for my order to arrive it had pretty bad IR. I took it to the Apple store, and got it replaced, and now my replacement iMac is having the same issues. Now when I call Apple support I keep getting passed around and told that IR is normal. I've been really loyal to Apple for many years, but this is unacceptable. It's really hard to work in After Effects with a ghost image of my Twitter feed over the main window. I would totally love this computer if the display was working properly. I'm really worried about the direction this company is heading.

That stinks. Request a refund and get something else. This Apple policy is terrible. Any product I've gotten from them I stress test for weeks to ensure proper functioning due to their inability to be honest. It's also why I'm going for damages from them caused by their OS (Long story). Point being, don't rely upon them to do the right thing. It's why they are suing everyone. They can't make logical decisions for themselves and need a third party to do it for them.

I have an early 2009 24" iMac and experience heavy image retention after displaying a static image for a few minutes. It has been getting worse lately. LCD panels do get IR. This is normal, and Samsung's screens are not the exception like some people seem to be suggesting. Granted, I can't say anything about the level of IR on the new iMacs.

It's burn-in that is impossible on an LCD (IR = temporary; burn-in = permanent).