Apple Warns iPhone X Users About OLED Display Burn-In And Off-Angle Color Shifting

Google has been taking some heat over the LG-manufactured OLED display used on the Pixel 2 XL smartphone, which was shown to suffer from screen burn-in problems, sometimes only with a few hours of use. Google stepped up and stated that this was normal with an OLED screen such as the one used on the smartphone. Apple is heading off future complaints about the new iPhone X and its Super Retina OLED screen with a support document that was recently published.

The warnings include an attempt to inform users that with an OLED screen there are a few potentially annoying norms you must live with. Apple writes, "If you look at an OLED display off-angle, you might notice slight shifts in color and hue. This is a characteristic of OLED and is normal behavior." In other words, this isn't a problem so don’t complain about it.

Apple also talks about screen burn-in, also known as "image persistence." This is what seems to be plaguing certain Pixel 2 XL smartphones. Burn-in is when a faint remnant of an image remains on the screen after the image has cleared. This phenomenon is often most notable on solid color screens. Apple writes that this issue happens when the same high-contrast image is continuously on the screen for prolonged periods of time and that this is normal behavior for an OLED screen. If you get burn-in, it’s normal and the odds of Apple replacing your device are slim.

Apple writes, "We’ve engineered the Super Retina display to be the best in the industry in reducing the effects of OLED 'burn-in.'"

Apple writes that iOS 11 is specifically designed to minimize screen burn-in and to extend the viewing life of the Super Retina display in the iPhone X. Tips to extend the life of the screen even further include using auto-brightness. Apple also recommends that you set the iPhone X display to turn off when not in use and to choose a shorter time to automatically turn off the screen. You should also avoid the display of bright static images for long periods of time.

Apple also writes, "If you have an app that keeps your display on when you aren’t actively using your iPhone X, you can temporarily reduce the brightness level using Control Center."