New problem on iPhone 15. Users report ghosting screens on Apple's new phones.
More than a month after the official launch of the iPhone 15, users who purchased the iPhone 15 Pro Max models have encountered “burn-in” on the device’s screen. This effect, also known as “ghost screen,” occurs when a phone’s screen “burns in,” causing permanent discoloration of the screen.
In photos posted online, it is possible to see that some iPhone 15 Pro Max models have white screens, app icons appear ghosted, and images of the keyboard and other apps become “frozen” on the screen, causing smudges to not go away. So, let’s find out why this happens and see what to do if your iPhone 15 screen suffers burn-in.
Reasons for Burn-in
Typically, burn-in occurs after users leave the screen exposed to a static image for a long period of time. However, as the specialized portal iMore points out – which was the first to detect the problem on the iPhone 15 Pro Max – this does not happen as much because screens are more modern today, and cell phones and TVs have more advanced technologies to avoid this effect. The so-called “ghost” effect.
According to the website, it is possible that this case is related to overheating of the Pro series models, although this theory has not yet been confirmed by Apple. The Mashable portal points out that since the problem only occurs in the iPhone 15 Pro Max models, it may be caused by the smartphone's own screen being larger than that of the iPhone 15 Pro. In reports published on Reddit, one person even said that this model is “the worst phone Apple has ever released”.
Another said the screen issue was “another issue added to the company’s growing list of problems.” In any case, the problem doesn’t appear to be affecting a large number of users so far, nor is it likely to be more severe this year. According to information from Apple Insider, which has been closely tracking cases of ghost screens on iPhones since 2015, the number of reported burn-in cases reached a lower number in 2023 compared to previous years, when considering the same period.
According to the website, the “absolute number” of ghost screen cases is by far the lowest in at least three years. In practice, this means that the iPhone 14, iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models had a higher number than the iPhone 15.
What to do?
Since burn-in causes permanent discoloration of the screen, you should contact Apple Support if this issue affects your iPhone. Users can do so by visiting the official Apple Store or by searching for support at “support.apple.com” (without the quotation marks).
Problems with iPhone 15 Pro Max
Since its official launch, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been involved in several controversies. In addition to the recent problem with the screen, users have also warned about the overheating of models. This is just days after the phones went on sale in the US. Apple confirmed that the devices were overheating and issued a update to iOS 17 earlier this month to fix the issue.
Additionally, more recently, Apple has also confirmed that the device can change color when coming into contact with the user's hand. Separately, more extreme tests conducted by YouTube personalities concluded that despite the titanium edges, the iPhone 15 Pro models feel less durable than previous generations.
