Apple admits some iPod touch players shipped with faulty screens
Apple this week confirmed reports that some of its new iPod touch players left its manufacturing facilities with defective screens and said the company is actively working to remedy the issue.
Several iPod touch customers have reported that their 16GB players exhibit an issue where playback of dark video scenes is almost unwatchable, and have further suggested that Apple may have equipped the new players with screens that are inferior in quality to those used in the iPhone.
"[S]some early iPod Touch units have had defective screens, where images appeared too dark," the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg revealed in his own review of the player published Thursday. "Apple says this problem affected a small number of units and is being remedied."
Like AppleInsider's review unit, which appears to be one of the unaffected units, Mossberg said his two iPod touch test units "displayed beautiful images." He did, however, take issue with the player's battery life, which failed to meet Apple's claims in his own tests.
Watch Mossberg's 7-minute iPod touch video review
It's presently unclear how widespread the iPod touch display issue may be or what remedial action Apple will offer to customers who own affected units. Such information will be published once it becomes available.
Several iPod touch customers have reported that their 16GB players exhibit an issue where playback of dark video scenes is almost unwatchable, and have further suggested that Apple may have equipped the new players with screens that are inferior in quality to those used in the iPhone.
"[S]some early iPod Touch units have had defective screens, where images appeared too dark," the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg revealed in his own review of the player published Thursday. "Apple says this problem affected a small number of units and is being remedied."
Like AppleInsider's review unit, which appears to be one of the unaffected units, Mossberg said his two iPod touch test units "displayed beautiful images." He did, however, take issue with the player's battery life, which failed to meet Apple's claims in his own tests.
Watch Mossberg's 7-minute iPod touch video review
It's presently unclear how widespread the iPod touch display issue may be or what remedial action Apple will offer to customers who own affected units. Such information will be published once it becomes available.
Comments
Apple this week confirmed reports that some of its new iPod touch players left its manufacturing facilities with defective screens and said the company is actively working to remedy the issue.
Several iPod touch customers have reported that their 16GB players exhibit an issue where playback of dark video scenes is almost unwatchable, and have further suggested that Apple may have equipped the new players with screens that are inferior in quality to those used in the iPhone.
"[S]some early iPod Touch units have had defective screens, where images appeared too dark," the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg revealed in his own review of the player published Thursday. "Apple says this problem affected a small number of units and is being remedied."
Like AppleInsider's review unit, which appears to be one of the unaffected units, Mossberg said his two iPod touch test units "displayed beautiful images." He did, however, take issue with the player's battery life, which failed to meet Apple's claims in his own tests.
Watch Mossberg's 7-minute iPod touch video review
It's presently unclear how widespread the iPod touch display issue may be or what remedial action Apple will offer to customers who own affected units. Such information will be published once it becomes available.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Good video review by Walt. I agree 100% with him.
Good video review by Walt. I agree 100% with him.
Yep, seemed pretty accurate. It's a good media player, but has the downside of lack of 'real' buttons and perhaps slightly more limited battery life than expected (though better than my 2G iPod Nano!)...
My first touch had the negative black problem, I too it back to the Easton Apple Store here in Columbus. The Genius gave me a new one, and even went so far as to plug it in, load a couple videos off my original to test the new one's display.
Very happy Apple fangirl.
Will they contact all the owners who registered their iPod touch?
They must be able to identify the 'problem' batch by Serial number.
Maybe they can fix via software update, but if as it states it is 'defective screens' then I guess we can expect our devices to be exchanged.
I wait with bated breath to hear from Apple on which batch is faulty and how we arrange for an exchange.
Mine does have the problem by the way, very poor when watching dark movies. Mine is a 9C737 batch, one of the first I think. Which is week beginning 2nd Sept, made not that long ago!
Ian
It will be interesting to see how Apple actually 'remedy' the issue.
Will they contact all the owners who registered their iPod touch?
They must be able to identify the 'problem' batch by Serial number.
Maybe they can fix via software update, but if as it states it is 'defective screens' then I guess we can expect our devices to be exchanged.
I wait with bated breath to hear from Apple on which batch is faulty and how we arrange for an exchange.
Mine does have the problem by the way, very poor when watching dark movies. Mine is a 9C737 batch, one of the first I think. Which is week beginning 2nd Sept, made not that long ago!
Ian
Just go to your Apple store and get a new one.
That explains why not everyone claimed to see the same problem. It appears Apple is listening or at least paying attention.
They definitely pay attention. That is how they delete some critical post on their discussion posts.
I totally agree with Walt. I've yet to push the battery to see how close mine is to the Apple specs.
My first touch had the negative black problem, I too it back to the Easton Apple Store here in Columbus. The Genius gave me a new one, and even went so far as to plug it in, load a couple videos off my original to test the new one's display.
Very happy Apple fangirl.
First post I see...
Welcome to the community
Notice how I didn't say "Welcome to the Social"!
Apple didn't officially admit to anything... Mossberg in his article said he had talked to them... so it is second-hand info. A press release from Apple would be a different story.
I'd say Apple talking on the record to a member of the press qualifies as officially admitting. Not everything needs to be in a press release.
First post I see...
Welcome to the community
Notice how I didn't say "Welcome to the Social"!
....after spending nearly 3 hours setting up a retarded friend's Zune, I should hit you for that.
Seriously, I've been a long time lurker, I've noticed many times, posters tend to like to bitch, instead of getting the problem taken care of (forgive the run on sentence there). Yeah, I'm a fangirl, yeah, at times I can be a bit of an apologist. Most importantly, if any of my Apple gear isn't working right, I deal with it.
I'd say Apple talking on the record to a member of the press qualifies as officially admitting. Not everything needs to be in a press release.
Well... to get way too technical about connotation and word choice...
"confirmed" rather than "admitted" would have been a better choice of words for the headline. "admitted" tends to imply that the party was previously denying an assertion that they now agree with.
...
Several iPod touch customers have reported that their 16GB players exhibit an issue where playback of dark video scenes is almost unwatchable...
so was the screen issue only with the 16 GB models? i was going to pick up an 8 GB model and then hesitated when i heard about the screen...if it's just the 16 gig ones, then i'll order my 8 GB soon!
It's presently unclear how widespread the iPod touch display issue may be or what remedial action Apple will offer to customers who own affected units. Such information will be published once it becomes available.
This is a wide spread issue. See thread at Apple Discussions. Also someone posted a probable explanation for the iPod Touch LCD deficiencies.
There appear to be a number of units in the wild which have perfect screens.
This is a wide spread issue. See thread at Apple Discussions. Also someone posted a probable explanation for the iPod Touch LCD deficiencies.
There appear to be a number of units in the wild which have perfect screens.
The serial has '9C738', the last two digits representing the week it was made, in this case week 38.
Looks like week 38 are good
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...=358071&page=1