Shielded LG UltraFine 5K displays headed to Apple stores, fixes done on case-by-case basis...
Thunderbolt 3 LG UltraFine 5K displays boasting enhanced shielding to prevent radio frequency interference disconnects and crashing are working their way to retailers now, and problematic units in the field will be assessed for service and shielding addition on a case by case basis, AppleInsider has learned.
When wide availability of the LG UltraFine 5K displays with the added RF shielding will occur isn't known. However, despite LG claiming that monitors with enhanced shielding will be in the market "after February 2017," AppleInsider has learned through multiple sources that units are being shipped to vendors now, with some venues having them in hand already.
The process for repair or replacement of a troublesome monitor currently in-use is still not yet clear. AppleInsider has also learned that units will be evaluated for shielding retrofit on a case-by-case basis with guidelines for service not yet fully established.
The shielding upgrade will likely be accomplished the same way that LG monitors are serviced now -- by shipping them to a LG repair facility, with a historical down-time of between 4 and 12 business days inclusive of shipping times.
It was discovered that some LG UltraFine 5K displays suffer from frequent disconnects when in close proximity to a Wi-Fi router. The flaw does not affect all of the LG monitors in every environment, with more in-depth testing by AppleInsider continuing.
LG has urged customers that are afflicted by the disconnect problem even after moving Wi-Fi gear 6.6 feet away from the display to contact LG service for assistance.
During the course of AppleInsider's UltraFine 5K review, for example, the evaluation unit was tested in a suburban environment within three feet of two different operating 802.11ac routers, without any problems. The same unit is now being used in a city without close proximity to a Wi-Fi router, and is having connectivity issues manifesting from an unknown source.
The LG UltraFine 5K Display is considered a replacement for Apple's discontinued Thunderbolt Display, offering a 5,120-by-2,880 resolution, a P3 wide color gamut, and the ability to charge a MacBook Pro using the same Thunderbolt 3 cable used for video and data transfer. The monitor is on sale from Apple directly for $974, a discount of 25 percent from the usual $1,299.95 price.
When wide availability of the LG UltraFine 5K displays with the added RF shielding will occur isn't known. However, despite LG claiming that monitors with enhanced shielding will be in the market "after February 2017," AppleInsider has learned through multiple sources that units are being shipped to vendors now, with some venues having them in hand already.
The process for repair or replacement of a troublesome monitor currently in-use is still not yet clear. AppleInsider has also learned that units will be evaluated for shielding retrofit on a case-by-case basis with guidelines for service not yet fully established.
The shielding upgrade will likely be accomplished the same way that LG monitors are serviced now -- by shipping them to a LG repair facility, with a historical down-time of between 4 and 12 business days inclusive of shipping times.
It was discovered that some LG UltraFine 5K displays suffer from frequent disconnects when in close proximity to a Wi-Fi router. The flaw does not affect all of the LG monitors in every environment, with more in-depth testing by AppleInsider continuing.
LG has urged customers that are afflicted by the disconnect problem even after moving Wi-Fi gear 6.6 feet away from the display to contact LG service for assistance.
During the course of AppleInsider's UltraFine 5K review, for example, the evaluation unit was tested in a suburban environment within three feet of two different operating 802.11ac routers, without any problems. The same unit is now being used in a city without close proximity to a Wi-Fi router, and is having connectivity issues manifesting from an unknown source.
The LG UltraFine 5K Display is considered a replacement for Apple's discontinued Thunderbolt Display, offering a 5,120-by-2,880 resolution, a P3 wide color gamut, and the ability to charge a MacBook Pro using the same Thunderbolt 3 cable used for video and data transfer. The monitor is on sale from Apple directly for $974, a discount of 25 percent from the usual $1,299.95 price.
Comments
Here's an iPhone image showing the severe backlight bleeding I had on mine:
Interesting.
Tell me, what made you take the unusual step of contacting the supplier instead of trying the often more successful method of wailing about it online?
I hope it gets sorted for you, though to be honest, it shouldn't have happened.
And 'moving it further away from the router' is not a solution.
Pun intended?
If Apple is going to endorse third-party gear then they have to expect a drubbing if that gear isn't up to scratch.
I do agree though that an exception would be products Apple publicly endorses because it couldn't be arsed making its own version. Like this LG display.
The Apple brand value dropped 36% last year and is now #2 after Google (story not covered by AI yet). The monitor problem is a minor glitch but last year Apple only introduced one new product - the AirPods, and they didn't actually ship. Most of 2016 was about no or underwhelming updates, price hikes, tax legislation, lost battles against consumers, removal of the battery time indicator, and axing of network and monitor products. No wonder Mac sales are flatlining with 50% not going to existing users.
Apple both could and should have vetted this.
In 2012 Apple held nearly 30% of the market. By not updating since 2011 all business was lost. Same goes for Mac Pro. Now Apple can say "there is no Pro market" but surely there is a market - but not one for 6 year old monitors.
Could "on a case by case basis" mean that the problem isn't too widespread so a recall isn't warranted?
If there's one thing we've learned watching Apple and their competitors over the past few years then it's that 'market share' is not the same as 'profitable'.
Still not sure why this display is branded as ugly when it looks like 90% of the third party monitors that are already been used with Macs. This hasn't been a problem in years, but now, all of a sudden, it is. I think this is a case of one person saying it's ugly and everyone else just jumping in to look like trendy arty types. Real professionals prefer black monitor surrounds because it helps the actual display (you know, the part of the monitor you are actually working with) colours stand out more. If you spend all day just looking at the monitor case then I suggest that you didn't need this monitor in the first place.
And if we take your argument to its illogical conclusion then Apple should also be making desks, pen holders, pencil sharpeners, carpets and wallpaper, just to ensure you can avoid that 'uncoordinated mish mash' around your whole workspace.
The thing is, all you ever heard about Apple monitors was how you could get a Dell with the same panel for less money. Where did all this aesthetic trolling come from all of a sudden?