Should Apple Inc. Return To Display Business After Issues With LG?

Updated on

Apple has delayed shipments of the new UltraFine 5K Display by up to six weeks following LG’s admission that its UltraFine 5K Display does not work well with routers. The iPhone maker declared the news on its website, and MacRumors was the first to notice the delay.

Longer wait for UltraFine 5K Display

The delay extends the wait for Apple’s certified monitor while LG continues to work on a shielding fix for future models to cut down on electromagnetic interference. The 4K version of the monitor is still readily available with a shipping estimate of around two to three days, notes The Verge.

The issue was first pointed out late last month by early owners of the display and Apple-dedicated news sites. 9to5Mac got confirmation from LG at the time that the nearly $1,000 peripheral becomes unusable when located within two feet of a router. This issue was specific only to the UltraFine 5K model. Even the 4K version of the monitor in the same product family did not have this problem, notes The Verge.

LG says the problem should be fixed in future models because of “enhanced shielding.” In addition, the consumer electronics company is retrofitting the existing models on a case-by-case basis. Owners of the affected monitors need to contact LG to get the process started.

Should Apple return to the display business?

Last summer, the smartphone maker declared its plans to exit the display business and recommended a variety of third-party options to users. Apple’s Thunderbolt Display was notoriously dated and overpriced, with users calling on the tech giant to update it to a 5K or 4K resolution, notes 9to5Mac. However, the tech giant left the display market altogether instead of updating the Thunderbolt Display.

When Apple unveiled the refreshed MacBook Pro lineup, it also supported the LG-made UltraFine 5K and UltraFine 4K. This was a surprising move, as the company has generally developed its own solutions instead of supporting third-party products.

LG’s response to the issue was also very surprising. It said all future models of the display will come with improved shielding hardware, but it did not issue any recall for the affected models that had been sold already, notes 9to5Mac.

For Apple, which is known for customer satisfaction and customer service, such a response is truly embarrassing and gives a strong reason to return to the display market.

Leave a Comment