Ever since Apple launched the iPhone 15 it seems as if each new week has brought a fresh crop of problems to blight the flagship smartphone.
Unfortunately for the Californian tech giant, this one is no exception.
That’s because users have reported encountering severe ‘screen burn’ issues which leave phantom images on the display.
Apple customers have been taking to social media to share images of their £1,499 ($1,823) devices showing how commonly used elements of the display such as the keyboard had been ‘burned’ into the screen.
Screen burn or ‘burn’ where parts of the screen become permanently discoloured through extensive use, has been associated with the OLED screens used in iPhones but is very rarely this severe.
Owners of the new iPhone 15 have taken to social media to share their issues with severe screen burn on the new model
To test if your phone is affected, users suggest bringing up a plain grey image onscreen which should make any burn in visible
So far, user reports show that only the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the most expensive model, is affected by the issue, however, it is unclear exactly how widespread the problem may be.
Even though the new iPhone was only released in September, users are now sharing screen discolouration that should only be caused by hundreds if not thousands of hours of prolonged use.
The areas most commonly affected are those that remain static for long periods of time, especially the keyboard and home-screen icons.
This well-known problem is the reason that moving screensavers are common on desktop computers, and most modern OLED screens include measures designed to minimise its impact.
Screen burn should also be distinguished from image persistence, an impermanent effect which can cause some OLED screens to leave lingering traces of bright images.
If the afterimage effects shared on social media are indeed permanent it could indicate a serious fault with the display.
Several images were collected and shared by an X user who writes: ‘Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max is reportedly experiencing screen burn-in issues, adding to a growing list of problems for the company this year.’
X users shared their dismay with the new iPhone 15 Pro Max, with some expressing shock that the screen burn could have developed so quickly
‘This is one of the worst burn ins I had ever seen on a phone, I wonder how people use their phones to get burn in so bad’, one X user wrote.
While another asks: ‘Already???? It hasn’t even been a month, let alone YEARS…’
‘Wow these new 15 pros are really taking a beating, might be time for a recall’, added another.
If you are concerned that your phone could be experiencing a screen burn, experts say the best way to check is to select a plain grey picture and zoom in so that this fills your screen.
Against the grey background, any lingering afterimages should be clearly visible.
If there is a permanent burn in, the issue cannot be fixed. However, many users who experienced the issue reported being able to secure refunds on Apple’s one-year warranty.
To avoid burn in effects the best solution is to keep your brightness as low as possible, change your wallpaper where possible, and shorten your screen-off timer.
All of these steps reduce the amount of time and brightness being put through any one part of the screen, encouraging wear that is slower and more even.
Negative feedback about the iPhone 15 Pro series includes dangers of overheating, the metal changing colour and the device easily bending in the hand
However, this is far from the only issue facing the new iPhone, as users have reported everything from over-heating to discolouration.
Last week, Apple had to release a new iOS update to fix a software bug that caused some phones to reach temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit after just a few minutes of use.
Despite the update, MailOnline has confirmed a number of cases in which users’ phones are still overheating despite installing the update.
A video posted to YouTube showed the new iPhone 15 Pro Max easily snapping and breaking in the reviewer’s bare hands.
YouTuber JerryRigEverything, whose real name is Zack Nelson, tested Apple’s most recent products to the point of destruction in his signature ‘Durability Test’.
With a slight bend from Mr Nelson, the back glass of the iPhone 15 Pro Max shattered.
He said the snap was ‘abnormally quick’ and that he was ‘kinda stunned’ by the results of his test.
Apple fans have also been disappointed to find that the titanium body of the Pro range quickly discolored from routine handling, while others discovered dust within the camera of their new phones.
What is screen burn and how can you avoid it?
While not being an actual ‘burn’ in any sense, screen burn is an effect which causes afterimages to linger on some displays.
Screen burn occurs when areas of the display remain static at high levels of brightness, this can take hundreds to thousands of hours of use depending on the device.
To avoid being affected by this issue there are some simple steps to take:
- Use Dark Mode where possible, a darker screen helps the display last longer
- Turn down your brightness when you don’t need the screen to be very well lit
- Shorten your screen-off timer, this will stop your phone from displaying static images for too long
- Use a wallpaper that is dark, and try to change it after a while to avoid any static images building up
Screen burn can infrequently affect OLED screens through prolonged use, try not to display a static image for extremely long times to avoid this
