iPhone X support document discusses Super Retina OLED screen off-angle viewing, image pers...

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in iPhone edited November 2017
A new support document discussing the Super Retina OLED display in the iPhone X addresses user viewing angles, as well as the possibility of image persistence when a display shows a faint remnant of an image that hadn't moved in a long period of time.




"If you look at an OLED display off-angle, you might notice slight shifts in color and hue," Apple declares in the support page. "This is a characteristic of OLED and is normal behavior."

This manifestation should only occur when a device is being used by two people simultaneously. The "shifts in color and hue" are very slight at narrow angles, and worsen slightly the farther away from a straight-on viewing angle the user gets.

"With extended long-term use, OLED displays can also show slight visual changes," writes Apple. "This is also expected behavior and can include 'image persistence' or 'burn-in,' where the display shows a faint remnant of an image even after a new image appears on the screen."

Apple advises users to avoid continuously displaying the same high-contrast image for prolonged periods of time. The company also notes that it has engineered the display to reduce the effects of OLED "burn-in."

The OLED burn-in "issue" isn't new, and isn't permanent with well-engineered panels. Evidence collected over the last few years demonstrates that retained images are wiped over a brief period of normal time of normal use displaying non-static elements, with the user periodically turning off the device when not in use.

The Google Pixel 2 XL is taking some flak about image retention on its OLED screen. However, the screen is based on LG's pOLED technology, and the smaller Pixel 2 that is not having any problems is based on Samsung's AMOLED process. The iPhone X uses Samsung-sourced screens.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    From LG:

    ”With an LG OLED TV, any risk of burn-in or image retention have been addressed through the use of technology that not only helps protect against damage to the screen, but features self-healing properties so that any short-term image retention that may occur is quickly rectified”.

    I wonder why this doesn’t apply to their phone displays? Lower cost compromises?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    deepinsideraylkpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 20
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    That or ePaper with super-fast refresh rates. I like the natural look of color reflective displays, they're easy on the eyes and very power efficient.
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 20
    Burn-in kind of sucks. I've babied my 50-inch plasma since 2010. Fortunately, a phone generally isn't used for periods as prolonged as television viewing.
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 20
    zimmiezimmie Posts: 651member
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    Strictly, OLEDs are a class of micro LED. Returning to inorganic materials may help with longevity.
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    That or ePaper with super-fast refresh rates. I like the natural look of color reflective displays, they're easy on the eyes and very power efficient.
    Ignoring any lighting, eInk is actually less power-efficient when it's changing the pixels than an LCD is. The improved efficiency is mostly limited to slow update rates because the screen holds an image with zero power applied. Backlighting a transmissive display is typically much more efficient than frontlighting a reflective display. With backlighting, you can have a sort of backstop to reflect light which would go into the phone back out instead. With frontlighting, you can't do that, so some light ends up going out towards the user rather than towards the display. Of course, you don't need frontlighting when there is sufficient ambient light.

    The real improvement is in emissive displays (read: micro LED technologies, including OLED). Since each subpixel emits its own light, they only consume enough power for the level you're driving them. If the pixel is black, the subpixels can be entirely off. The display controllers currently draw more power than LCD controllers, and that is likely to be the case for a long time. Still, it's an improvement in a lot of situations.
    ClarityToSeepscooter63Rayz2016watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 20
    "With extended long-term use, OLED displays can also show slight visual changes," writes Apple. "This is also expected behavior and can include "image persistence" or "burn-in,"

    I can't get the $1000 out of my pocket fast enough.
    zroger73bluefire1ClarityToSee
  • Reply 7 of 20
    They should have stuck with LCD
  • Reply 8 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    They should have stuck with LCD
    Could they had made the iPhone X had they done that?
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 20
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    They should have stuck with LCD
    Now you say that. But for years people have been screaming at Apple for being “behind” in screen technology. Why didn’t Apple go OLED two years ago? Why can Samsung do it but Apple can’t? That litany went on and on. Well, THIS is why. The iPhone X has a Samsung OLED screen now and the issues that have been there all along are now in an Apple product. 
    mike1ClarityToSeelarryawatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 10 of 20
    "With extended long-term use, OLED displays can also show slight visual changes," writes Apple. "This is also expected behavior and can include "image persistence" or "burn-in,"

    I can't get the $1000 out of my pocket fast enough.
    Yes, I see you’ve been very vocal on multiple websites about how much you dislike Apple products. Neurosis, or paycheck?
    pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    lkrupp said:
    They should have stuck with LCD
    Now you say that. But for years people have been screaming at Apple for being “behind” in screen technology. Why didn’t Apple go OLED two years ago? Why can Samsung do it but Apple can’t? That litany went on and on. Well, THIS is why. The iPhone X has a Samsung OLED screen now and the issues that have been there all along are now in an Apple product. 
    Besides the technical drawbacks of OLED there was also a yield issue which made it impossible for Apple to get OLED for the number or units they'd need, even if OLED technology had been good enough for Apple to make the investment. With the iPhone X it's simply the only option for the new display design and I suspect even Apple is surprised that the iPhone X happened to be doable in 2017 and not 2018, especially with their investment in LG to produce LED-based panels not panning out as quickly as they had hoped.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 20
    Not the end of the world, I don't think anyone will get a screen burn-in during the lifetime of iPhone X under normal usage. Apple just warns the consumers about the existence of that risk that may occur under extreme circumstances. You just won't use your $1000 iPhone X as a night clock on a charging dock, that's it. Indeed at the beginning of AppStore there were very beautiful clock simulations, I don't know if they still exist. But you don't need an app for that, a beautiful clock simulation can be also done with Javascript, so those continue to be a risk for an OLED display. So Apple's warning is not without reason.
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 20
    They should have stuck with LCD
    Ummm not necessarily. The jellyfishes in my Apple Watch appear like jumping out of the display. OLED is bright, really bright. I expect more brightness from iPhone X under direct sunlight. What I don't like with the LCD, when you boost the brightness, contrast goes away. To be cautious, sticking with LCD may seem reasonable. But Apple doesn't need that, it is Apple, it can push a tech to its limits, as it is the case with iPhone X OLED.
    edited November 2017 ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 20
    OLED is bright, really bright. I expect more brightness from iPhone X under direct sunlight.
    This is my main reason for getting the X. I can barely see the screen on my 7+ in the Sun. My workplace doesn’t allow phones so every day I have to stand outside.  
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 20
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    I wonder what's going on with micro-LED? I haven't really heard much since a few articles I read back in 2016 I believe. 
    ClarityToSeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 20
    Organic decays. Non-organic decays slower. Using either one can’t please everyone. Just be content of what you buy or just don’t buy them at all. There’s no such thing as perfect (insert product here).
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 20
    This document will serve as a blueprint to a good number of class actions being prepared by [redacted] lawyers all over the USA.
    They'll have everything ready to go for when the real 'burn-in' reports start surfacing.
    I would not put it past some of the more shady firms to get their own families involved and deliberately misuse the device in order to get the burn-in to happen sooner rather than later.
    Apple is regarded as a soft target by many in the seedier side of the legal profession.
    This document more or less admits that there is a problem waiting to happen.
    :/
    ClarityToSeepscooter63
  • Reply 18 of 20
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member
    Yes, OLED is technically possible, but is it a common user experience on iPhone X?? (yeheesh!)
  • Reply 19 of 20
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    I wonder what's going on with micro-LED? I haven't really heard much since a few articles I read back in 2016 I believe. 

    It takes time. They already are testing them. I am definitely excited about microLED as it is super energy efficient and much way brighter than LCD or OLED. It's actually mind boggling how tiny they can get and yet manage to emit much more light. Imagine that each microLED bulb is only 1% of the entire pixel on your present iPhone display. Because it takes so little space, most of the pixel will be just deep black and once lit, will fill up the black pixel. You won't be able to perceive sub pixels. 


    Soli
  • Reply 20 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    netrox said:
    Soli said:
    I really can't wait until micro-LED can replace OLED. As far as OLED has come over the years and the clear benefits it has over LCD, it's still has some major weak points compared to LCD.
    I wonder what's going on with micro-LED? I haven't really heard much since a few articles I read back in 2016 I believe. 
    It takes time. They already are testing them. I am definitely excited about microLED as it is super energy efficient and much way brighter than LCD or OLED. It's actually mind boggling how tiny they can get and yet manage to emit much more light. Imagine that each microLED bulb is only 1% of the entire pixel on your present iPhone display. Because it takes so little space, most of the pixel will be just deep black and once lit, will fill up the black pixel. You won't be able to perceive sub pixels. 
    The technology could finally lead the way to having both input and output pixels within the same plane. For example, they may eventually be able to remove the notch if they can work one or more components (the standard camera, IR camera, and dot projector) into the display between the microLED pixels (or whatever technology eventually is born from it).

    I'm not saying this will happen and I don't think that it's even remotely feasible within the next few years, but I do believe that it helps lead the way toward that being a reality. Also, my mention of the notch isn't about the notch being problematic, but what I perceive Apple may want to do down the road. Imagine having a larger display, like even an 80" 8K TV (I'm thinking far ahead here) that is microLED with the camera embedded at the center of the display so that you can video chat with someone where your eyes are meeting, instead of the current system where the eyes always have a gaze below the camera because they're looking at the screen.


    PS: Have you noticed that in TV shows and movies they go out of their way to make people in video chats turn their heads so from the audience's perspective the person at the other end of the feed is looking at a person off to the side even though the technology doesn't work that way?
    edited November 2017
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