AMOLED displays are celebrated for their vibrant colors and deep blacks, making them a favorite in smartphones like the iPhone. However, a common concern among users is Amoled Uniformity. This refers to the consistency of color and brightness across the entire display panel. Unevenness can manifest as patches of different temperatures or brightness levels, particularly noticeable on gray backgrounds or in low brightness conditions.
The issue isn’t exclusive to a particular brand. As one user in an online forum noted, experiencing slight variations in screen uniformity on their iPhone 12 Pro led them to believe it might be a common occurrence. Another user corroborated this, describing a screen that appeared warmer on one side and colder on the other, especially visible in dark environments with minimal brightness and gray backgrounds. This observation suggests that amoled uniformity can be a subtle yet persistent issue.
iPhone screen uniformity issue example before replacement
iPhone screen uniformity issue example before replacement detail
The discussion highlights what some call the “OLED lottery.” Manufacturing OLED screens involves cutting panels from a large sheet. Panels closer to the center of the sheet tend to exhibit better amoled uniformity compared to those cut from the edges. This inherent variability in the manufacturing process means that some devices will naturally have more uniform screens than others. As one forum participant pointed out, even previous iPhone models like the iPhone XS, which also used OLED, could exhibit uniformity issues, although some users might have been lucky enough not to notice them.
To check for amoled uniformity issues, users are advised to display a 5% gray image in a dark room at low brightness. This test can reveal subtle inconsistencies that are not apparent under normal use. One user who performed this test on their iPhone 12 Pro described seeing a darker shade of gray on one side of the screen compared to the other, mirroring the unevenness they observed on white backgrounds.
iPhone screen with improved uniformity after replacement
iPhone screen with improved uniformity after replacement detail
For those concerned about amoled uniformity, the experience of one iPhone user who went through multiple replacements offers a mixed message. While their second iPhone 12 Pro had the same uniformity issue as the first, their third replacement finally yielded a display with near-perfect uniformity. This suggests that while amoled uniformity issues are a real possibility, especially with OLED technology across different brands, obtaining a better screen through replacement is possible but not guaranteed. The user even speculated that their third iPhone might have a display from a different manufacturer due to the noticeable improvement in uniformity and overall color.
Ultimately, encountering some level of non-uniformity in AMOLED screens might be within the realm of acceptable variance due to manufacturing limitations. However, if the issue is significantly bothersome, exploring options like device replacement within the return period might be worthwhile, acknowledging the element of chance in the “OLED lottery”. It’s important to remember that while OLED technology offers superior display quality in many aspects, perfect amoled uniformity across all devices remains a challenge.
