Samsung Shoots Down Claims Of Galaxy S23 Ultra Display Defect With This Explanation

A growing number of Samsung S23 Ultra owners are reporting supposed bubbles or ripples near the corner of their phone displays. Should you be concerned? Samsung claims that you shouldn't.


Concerns about the quality control of Samsung's latest flagship, the fantastic S23 Ultra, have started to roll in over on Twitter and Reddit. Owners of the rather pricey (stating at $1200, up to $1600) device are understandably chuffed that their displays are showing signs on bubbling or sub-surface cracks, mainly in the corner of the device. These alleged defects are only visible at certain angles with the light hitting them just right.


Samsung is known for its fantastic, high-quality displays, with the S23 Ultra being no exception. Our review found that the 6.8" quad-HD display is exceptional in terms of brightness and color reproduction as well as uniformity. There are always bad batches and/or QC errors, but with a device this expensive, it's normal for owners to demand and expect the best. Scanning through some of the responses in these posts, you'll see a fair share of owners sharing the same thing as the OP and others saying that the "defects" are totally normal.


Well, Samsung heard their cries and has made an official response (via Samsung UK's Twitter account) which largely amounts to, "If you shine a strong light on the display, some parts may appear to be squashed/pressed, this happens because of the pressing process for waterproofing and dustproofing. This is not a product defect. Everything is fine with your phone."

Digging further, Samsung had also addressed this same concern in March 2022, referring to reports for the S22 Ultra's very similar display. In that statement, the company states that the display is composed on multiple components pressed together, including the surface tempered glass. It says that "Under strong light, lines after refraction of light may be seen at certain angles. This is a normal phenomenon and does not affect the function and life of the product."

Basically, Samsung is saying that your mileage may vary on whether your phone has these lines or not, but they don't affect the usability or longevity of your device. What do you think? Should a $1600 phone be relatively free of such visual phenomenon, or would you let it slide based on Samsung's explanation?