MYSTERIOUS GREEN GLOW seen on iPhone 5s

Days after Apple explained the purple haze invading iPhone 5 photos as a holding-it-wrong problem, a new strange colour is tripping out 5-owners. This time a green glow described as a plasma bleed from the edges of the screen is appearing on some of the new handsets. The green light is momentary, and appears on the unlock …

[RobE]

When will the fanbois realise...

Apple make crap products at hugely inflated prices - then trick you into thinking theyre good when theyre actually sh*t

[Rob]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

Or it might be down to using a different screen supplier, perhaps they should have opted or a screen supplier that wasn't struggling to stay afloat and not go bust. I would worry about giving a contract to a company that is struggling financially as it could have repercussions on manufacturing/build quality.

They should of gone with someone like Samsung...oh wait a sec....

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

Funny, I never experienced any of these issues with my last Samsung phone

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

Neither did I. Mine didn't even boot up.

Perhaps the green glow is the holy spirit influence of the mighty Jobs....

[Lars]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

Not Jobs, just a warning a lightning might strike it.

[Annihilator]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

You're right, we should probably write off an entire product line whenever we find a fault in specific instances.

I'm no fanboy one way or the other, but sheesh!

[tirk]

@RobE

I don't know which is sadder, this comment (the only objectively sustainable claim is the "inflated prices" one), or the fact that it has a net thumbs up vote. So much for reasoned argument.

[Jason Hall]

Re: @RobE

Too true mate.

In the olden days this site seemed to have a decent informative/debate structure to the comments with only the occasional flame/troll.

All you have to do nowadays is mention Apple/Samsung/Microsoft and the idiots are jumping out of the woodwork to spew their bile.

[Mad Chaz]

Re: @RobE

"All you have to do nowadays is mention Apple/Samsung/Microsoft and the idiots are jumping out of the woodwork to spew their bile."

That's not true. Even when Apple, Samsung or Microsoft aren't even part of the article, someone will find a way to insert them (especially Apple) in the comments.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: @RobE

Well I've heard of Google employing people to go around all the forums, blogs and news sites posting negative comments about Apple and other competitors. They really want to win the spin war.

[Esskay]

Re: @RobE

Funny - I've heard stories about Apple employing people to go around telling people that google are employing people to go around all the forums, blogs and news sites posting negative comments about Apple and other competitors. They really want to win the spin war.

Yay for unsubstantiated rumour!

[Gnomalarta]

Re: @RobE "In the olden days"

Just reading that phrase makes a fella warm all over but in the olden days there was only one phone and it was black. And no STD.

[Michael Dunn]

Re: @RobE "In the olden days"

I remember my aunt had a candle-stick phone no dial, of course, just connect directly with the exchange when you lifted the ear piece off its yoke. Carbon microphone for really high quality sound!

[Anonymous Coward]

ACTUALLY

The purple haze does exist, accidentally taking a photo of the inside of my car, the top of the picture showing the top edge of the steering wheel WAS purple. Sunlight could not be blamed, it was raining and in any case the windscreen was not even in the picture.

I took several other pictures but could not replicate it, yet.

It is a pretty purple though.

[ThomH]

Re: ACTUALLY (@AC 17:06)

For the purposes of anecdotes, I've seen the purple fringe too, with a lot of light coming from the top of the frame but no light source in or near the shot.

Conversely, there's no green glow, the battery seems to last about twice as long as that in my 4S (though I'm comparing one after several months of development use, with the huge number of part charge cycles that result from plugging in and unplugging the device, to the other more or less straight) and if there are any other hardware complaints doing the rounds then I can't claim to have experienced them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

That Fandroids love articles like this, it subdues their jealousy for a little while, as they play with their mid-range android handsets justifying to them their choice of phone.

Sadly this is only temporary, they realise they are still waiting for their update, promised a year ago, the battery not lasting the day. The worst aspect for a Fandroid is when the go into a mobile phone shop to look at upgrading their phone knowing they will come away with another shiny plastic device, free with a new contract and the promise of another update that will probably never happen. They hate the fact that most iOS devices got a free upgrade on the same day it was released and took less than 30 minutes. That and no data had to be reinstalled.

Even worse is the fact that they will have a friend who has let them hold the new iphone, after caressing the all aluminium body they realise the piece of flexi-plastic in their pocket just looks cheap.

Most days they carry a list of 'why I hate i-devices' in their pockets, usually at the top of the list is the walled garden.

Finally each day they scour the news like sheep willing there to be an article on Apple.

I am glad that I do not subscribe to this envy.

[JeffyPooh]

Re: When will the fanbois realise...

"...took less than 30 minutes. That and no data had to be reinstalled. ..."

Harrumph. Updating my wife's 3GS from 4.2.1 to 6.0 took most of the day (~7 hours, primarily due to 7500+ not yet backed-up photos) *and* the update process failed to preserve her apps (note:iTunes explicitly warned that it would fail to preserve the apps, a promise kept).

It's a case of YMMV because updating my 4S from 5.latest to 6.0 was as easy as you state.

[Lee Dowling]

Video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFEcIxJBkUE

Spot the problem. Because it took me a few goes to notice it.

It's basically a split-second where the screen is powered up.

Much as I love all the Apple-hate, this is really not worthy of an article, let alone such a hyperbolic one. The forums posted even say it's so brief that they had trouble capturing it.

It's like me complaining that I can see a slight black outline race towards the edge of any LCD screen when you first turn it on. It's called the screen coming on. And it doesn't impact on anything, at all, ever, anywhere.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Lee Dowling: "it took me a few goes to notice [...] Much as I love all the Apple-hate, this is really not worthy of an article, let alone such a hyperbolic one."

I've watched that clip repeatedly and can't make it out - getting old I suppose.

The only reason articles like this appear is because Apple 1) has produced many products that capture attention, and 2) sets high standards for itself. A company that churns out routinely boring/derivative products that are often associated with so-so build quality (Samsung et al) won't get this kind of scrutiny because frankly no one would be surprised or interested. But this particular article borders on the bizarre.

[thesykes]

Is that it?

After watching the video a few times, my reaction... is that it? If my phone did that, for such a short time,I wouldn't even bother saying anything.

Some people will complain about anything.

[Haku]

Re: Is that it?

Yeah I had to watch it a few times to spot it too (right in the corners for about 1/2 second upon the screen powering up), it's just fanbois being hyper-critical of their shiny new Apple toy as they can't understand why it isn't immaculately perfect.

[King Jack]

Re: Is that it?

You must be looking at it wrong....

[Anonymous Coward]

@Lee Dowling

Stop being objective, strap on some heavy boots and join the kicking!

[Anonymous Coward]

This is yet another total non issue. What next - how about let's use some super measurement system and find out that it's 1 micron out. I have an iPhone 5 - had none of these issues - I quite like the new maps (certainly faster and the 3d is better than Google) but if I wanted to use Google Maps I have the icon on my homepage as well (too all of a few seconds). I also realise that if I point a camera at the sun I will not get a decent picture and if I scuff an anodised aluminium surface it may scratch - that's what cases are for.

Think we need to keep a bit of perspective but unfortunately it degenerates into an Apple vs Samsung slingfest - I drive one car - just because you drive another does not mean I should slag you off for it.

[Franklin]

"Video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFEcIxJBkUE"

Okay, so I'm looking at this video, and I...I just...

Seriously? This isn't some kind of elaborate Internet joke? I don't know what's sadder, the fanbois obsessing about this, or the trolls spouting about how Apple makes crap products because of it.

[bitmap animal]

OMG, my TV and monitors must be broken too then

During the 'warm up' time of a fraction of a second the picture isn't totally there - I must send them back.

Heaven help any worried users who used to have a valve based CRT many years ago, that must have been truly horrendous for them.

[Annihilator]

Re: OMG, my TV and monitors must be broken too then

My CRT TV has a weird after-glow when I switch it off, help! :-)

[Lee Dowling]

Re: OMG, my TV and monitors must be broken too then

That's nothing - when I press the Degauss button on my SVGA monitor, it makes an horrendous BOING noise and the picture wobbles for about 5 seconds and all the colour goes funny before returning to normal.

[LaeMing]

Re: OMG, my TV and monitors must be broken too then

Oh I loved that BOING sound. One of the few things I miss from the CRT days.

I probably should build myself a 'degause simulator' for my LCD!

[Michael Dunn]

Re: OMG, my TV and monitors must be broken too then

"valve based CRT " We used to arrive at work roughly twenty minutes before the shift start, go round turning on all the 'scopes, retire to the coffee area for a pre-work coffee, finish the Telegraph crossword and then go in at the start of the shift.

Of course, those on the 2 - 10 shift just inherited 'scopes that had been in use since 6 o'clock, so didn't need 'warming up'

[Anonymous Coward]

this happens as sun drops below the horizon doesn't it me hearties????

[Jediben]

Reality Distortion Field at work

Nothing more to see, go back to your worship.

[Paul E]

You don't want light to leak out

otherwise there will soon be none left.

[Phil O'Sophical]

Re: You don't want light to leak out

If you let the green leak out, won't you be left with purple? Imagine if that got into the camera. Oh, hang on...

[Anonymous Coward]

Surely its just a case of people looking at it wrong? Can't possibly be a manufacturing fault etc etc

[Anonymous Coward]

Pah! It's an aura, that's what it is.

Quite befitting of the Jesus phone.

[ukgnome]

Maybe if Apple hadn't dropped Samsung as their screen maker.

Just sayin

[Anonymous Coward]

Samsung are the green ones at losing the contract.

I'm sure they would have loved to keep supplying Apple while copying - sorry - completing with them - think again Sammy.

[joeW]

I dislike Apple phones in general

But you have to admit, that actually looks kinda cool.

[eJ2095]

Apple bashing again

Before i start i have never owned an apple device.

Got a s3 atm

But does seem apple gets a lot of flax over the slightest little thing these days

[Anonymous Coward 15]

A lot of flax

Or, indeed, wool or cotton. Is that what they make their turtlenecks from?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Apple bashing again

Flak not Flax.

[Big_Ted]

Simple responce from Apple should be.........

Not a problem just the screen coming back on.

However if it does proove to become a problem during the normal operation of the phone and not just for the short period when the screen wakes then we will of course swap them out under warranty the same as we would any hardware problem.

That way its a non story and Apple owners would be happy they have one of the few that have it as it makes them special among fanbois plus they would know if they needed to they will be able to swap the phone.

[Mystic Megabyte]

Obviously

The green flash is recording a holographic face scan of the user, which is then uploaded to Apple's secret Chinese HQ.

[tony72]

Halo

The green glow is obviously a halo, which is only to be expected from a hallowed object of worship such as the iPhone 5. If your iPhone is missing it's halo, you should take it to the nearest Apple temple and ask a Genius to bless it for you, otherwise it may not work properly, even if you hold it right.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Halo

But surely having a Halo on a media device would involve Microsoft?

[ScottishYorkshireMan]

iPhone Green

Does this mean Apple now have their first colour patent ?

[Anonymous Custard]

Re: iPhone Green

They'd better do it quick or else Cadbury might try and strike-out from their purple possession to the rest of the spectrum...

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/cadbury-not-precious-about-purple-16222369.html

[Michael H.F. Wilkinson]

Kryptonite?

Mine is the red cape

[Captain Scarlet]

I knew it

All Apple products use Mysteron Technology, burn them all!

[Anonymous Coward 15]

The home button

is coated with LSD.

[Ben 56]

Long term potential for serious issues?

Uelogy is worried about the long term potential for serious issues - that's hilarious - we know it'll only be a year before this device is binned and he/she buys the new iPhone 6!

[Lallabalalla]

Re: Long term potential for serious issues?

If it turns out to be a long-term problem owners will usually have up to 2 years to walk into any Apple store and walk out with a brand new phone for free.

Ever tried that with a faulty HTC at carphone warehouse, even a week after purchase? Thought not.

And it'll probably be 2 years to the iPhone6, not that you'll care as you obviously would never have an iPhone - 2 years between major releases is so much more annoying than, say, HTC who only released 34 droid phones in 2010 - 2011. Try keepin up with *that* upgrade path.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Long term potential for serious issues?

My 3GS developed a fault (minor crack near the dock connector) - was about 2 years old - took it back to the Apple Store and 10 minutes later walked out with a brand new one now that is good service. Samsung where are your stores and will they do that... thought not.

[pepper]

Re: Long term potential for serious issues?

That has more to do with the store now doesnt it? Since it would still fall under waranty they cant make a fuss. Well they can but its quite easy to get your right. Read a few articles about consumer rights from your local group consumer rights group. With a little bit of knowdledge you can make any puny salesman wee his pants when he tries to ignore your legal warranty. Its something everyone should read up on/get in school.

[mIRCat]

It's a feature, stupid!

[2Fat2Bald]

So What?

There is a momentary green flicker around the edge of the screen? Maybe i've missed something, but this doesn't sound like the kind of thing i'd worry about. Unless it's a symptom of incipient failure, of course.

To be honest, I bought a HTC in April and I wish I hadn't. The Wi-Fi doesn't work and O2 tell me I can take it back to them and they'll send it away. And - maybe - it'll be fixed. Or maybe it won't. And, no, they don't know when it will come back. And, no, they can't offer me a loan phone as it's got a micro sim. Oh, but they can rent one to me for a lot of money and even more money if it comes back broken/scratched. And - no - the insurance I pay extra for doens't help me out at all. I could claim on it and - perhaps - they might fix it. Or they might not. And it's 25 quid to find out. OH, and here is a bill for the extra wireless you've used whilst your wifi isn't working.

SO I wish I'd bought an Apple iPhone. At least I might have half a chance of getting it sorted. HTC have had their day, i'll never buy another one of their handsets after this debacle.

[Stu_The_Jock]

Re: So What?

Time to exert your rights as a consumer. If it's faulty, they have a legal obligation to send it off for repair, however are you SURE the wifi issue is the phone ? Unless stated otherwise in any contract they have no obligation to offer a loan phone. I've been waiting 3 weeks for my coffee machine to return from repair, but I didn't get a loan coffee machine. Have you tried contacting HTC support directly instead of O2 ? I've found a few times that although "legally" the retailer is obliged to help you, often the makers are more helpful direct. . . And stating you'll never buy an HTC again because of bad service from 02 is like never buying a Ford again because you didn't like the service the dealer gave you . . . plenty other people sell Fords (and HTC phonees too, although maybe not the SAME people)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: So What?

whooosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: So What?

Friend bought a Samsung - it developed a fault after about 2 months and had to be sent back. OMG he has no smartphone for over 3 weeks and they sent back a (poor quality) refurb. Not happy.

I loaned him my old iPhone and he's getting one when his contract is up.

[Rabbit80]

Re: So What?

My Mums HTC failed an automatic update and was stuck on the loading screen. She pulled the battery resulting in a completely dead phone. We called HTC directly and sent it for repair - we got the phone back within 3 days (they promised it back within 7 days of receiving it). They replaced the main board and some of the shielding according to the report. I honestly cannot fault HTC customer services in the UK. Try calling them directly.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not actually a problem.

If it only does it starting up, then who cares? They should make it glow more on startup and call it a feature.

[Bod]

Halloween

Strange green glow in a consumer item given out to hordes of fans a couple of months before Halloween... hmm, I can just hear the "Silver Shamrock" tune now.

[Anonymous Coward]

When I turn mine on I get this strange apple shaped symbol - reckon it's faulty?

Where is that molehill - if you look at it this way it could be a mountain - honest.

[Inachu]

That faint green glow.

I think we really are in the matrix!

COMPUTER! END PROGRAM!

[Fire works]

Green flash on the horizon

Hmmm, if a green flash on the horizon at sunset is a spirit crossing over. Then might a green flash on the edge of an iDevice on wake-up be a certain perfectionist spirit crossing over to say... make map updates!

[Anonymous Coward]

Long Term Potential

"I am just worried about the long term potential for more serious issues."

One needn't worry about possible issues that may arise in the long-term. Apple will unveil a new and shiny phone next year, so everyone will be tossing their potentially defective phones to get their sweaty paws on the new one.

-

[thedweeb]

It's ectoplasm

It's about time people realised that Apple products are better than conventional technology for a reason. Mr Jobs used to use his magic touch on each phone individually, to bless them with betterness. Now he's dead, each phone is injected with just a little bit of Jobs ectoplasm (there's a large bottle of it in Apple HQ). That's the green flash you can see. Unfortunately, this means that there's a limit on how many Apple wonderdevices can be created - sooner or later that bottle is going to run out and then the world will have to go back to using "normal" technology. Unless, of course, the new messiah can be found. Time to start looking. Perhaps we could have some sort of reality TV show...

[pullenuk]

mind control

The green glow is a radioactive side effect to the fact its controlling your mind that Apple devices are the best and only the best .......

PAH...

[rvt]

I am not sure who remembers it, properluy most Samsung users won't but in our home we used to have a 'tube' television (CRT) sometimes it took minutes before it was at full brightness, when we turned it off it took minutes before it was completely dark and when it didn't work we vacuum cleaned it, or just it it with a flat hand.

I don't recall anybody complain about that, we where just happy we had a telly!!!

Now people complain about a tiny glow when the screen starts up? Grow up people, there are electronics, mechanics are the underlaying issue. It won't beam you up, it won't kill you.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dont wake your ifone up, it's making it angry, you wont like it if it's angry...

[SpitefulGOD]

iPeople

That thing could come with a fresh turf in the box and the idiots will still buy it.

[LaeMing]

It's the ghost of Steve.

TRYING TO GET OUT! TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE ETERNAL HELL OF BEING TRAPPED IN AN iDEVICE FOR ALL HIS SINS.

[The Alpha Klutz]

im sick of apples shit

my iMac keyboard broke after just a year. Different keys fail but they never all work at the same time. They are all physically perfect and work at different times--its completely random--so yeah im quite pissed. And they want £70 for this thing... im going to go and hit an apple employee with it. its very sturdy so it would be good for physically injuring people but its not good for typing.

and now the mail app has stopped working. didnt change nothing. just wont open. Apple products are shit. i bought the iMac because of their monoply on getting the best screens from LG so basically whatever monitor you buy is shit if its not an Apple because LG make them all and Apple buy the top 10% that roll off the production line without faults. except when the ones Apple gets has faults too because they put too much pressure on their suppliers and basically show a total lack of respect.

[Anakin]

'What can it mean?'

That (fan)boy needs theraphy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BWBn26bX0

[Wolfclaw]

Nothing To Worry About

Probably just the glow from the internal nano radioactive core to kill off any cancer cells in your head from the radio waves or from the phone heating up your skin cells. Did nobody read Apple's patent application from 1999?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well I thought it was

The LCD charging up, usually most panels turn the backlight on about 0.2 seconds after the panel to prevent the infamous "multicoloured lines of doom" as the controller sends a burst of utter shite to the screen.

My HP does this, because the backlight is always on thanks to a bodge.

Interestingly one way to test a panel for "totally dead" mode is to apply +3V3 and backlight drive.

Normally the panel will change colour and/or display garbage then white after 2-5 seconds if alive, and if not display the cracked egg effect with a lot of lines.

I've had one display a row of smiley faces and weird symbols resembling Norse runes before...

AC

[Esskay]

Two things:

1) I agree that this is a total non-issue, most users of most phones wouldn't care about such a trivial "issue" since it in no way affects the proper functioning of the phone.

2) The people who have created this "issue" are ones that *bought an iPhone5*. They bought one, then went out and complained about it. I'm not sure why this is "something the fandroids are all complaining about" when it's iPhone owners that have brought attention to the "problem" and in many cases (according to the article) tried to get the phone replaced.

[cortland]

It's (wait for it)...

Cerenkov radiation! Run for the hills!

[Ascylto]

23456

Oh my God! I've just found out that my iPhone 5 doesn't make the world stop when I want to get off!

And, what's more, my Apple Maps work well and accurately!

Apple are doomed (again).