Some 2017 iPad Pro Users Are Seeing Bright Spot Above Home Button

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Some of the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models released in 2017 appear to be suffering from a display issue. According to some 2017 iPad Pro users, a faint white spot is appearing above the home button.

Bright spot issue with 2017 iPad Pro – what’s happening?

This bright spot issue with the 2017 iPad Pro does not appear to be a new problem. The first report about the issue popped up in April this year, but now more users are reporting the same thing. Users are complaining of a faint white spot that is brighter than the rest of the screen and is about 1-2 inches above the home button.

“I have an approx 1in spot on my iPad Pro screen which is brighter than the rest of the screen – it’s unevenly lit. The spot is about 2in above the home button, and although it has soft edges, I’m anal about my gadgets, and the difference in brightness could be described as ‘minor’, it’s clearly there,” one user said on MacRumors forums.

As of now, it is not exactly clear what is causing the spot issue with the 2017 iPad Pro, but speculations are that it could be related to the backlighting. Users, however, are certain that the spot was not present right out of the box, but developed over time. The issue does not appear to be huge and is not affecting the performance in any way, but is enough to affect the experience of a premium tablet.

Even though users have been reporting the said issue for months now, the exact number of users experiencing it is not clear. However, Apple forums and social media platforms are flooded with complaints of the bright spot issue with the 2017 iPad Pro.

Some of the affected users were able to get their iPad Pro replaced. But owners with units beyond the one-year warranty period have been asked to go for a display replacement. The replacement costs $449 for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and $599 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Bending issue with 2018 iPad Pro – it’s totally normal

It remains to be seen if the same issue develops in the 2018 iPad Pro models, which were launched only recently. The 2018 iPad Pro owners, however, are experiencing a different issue with the hardware.

After the launch of the 2018 iPad Pro, many users complained about the slight bend in their device. Some said that the bend was out of the box, while some claimed that it developed over time. Apple, from its end, acknowledged the bend in the new devices, but said it is not an issue and referred to it as ‘normal.’

After Apple’s confirmation, Dan Riccio – Apple’s SVP of Hardware Engineering – also reportedly came up with an explanation on the bend issue. Riccio responded to a customer’s concern in an email, saying the iPad Pro “meets or exceeds all of Apple’s high-quality standards of design and precision manufacturing.”

Further, the executive noted that the iPad Pro’s “400 micron variance is less than half a millimeter (or the width of fewer than four sheets of paper at most) and this level of flatness won’t change during normal use over the lifetime of the product.” Riccio also assured that the bend won’t affect the performance or any function of the device.

Is Apple working on a new iPad mini?

In separate news, Apple is rumored to be working on an iPad Pro mini. Such speculations are based on the leaked photos of an alleged iPad mini 5 case.

Even though the trend is for the bigger screens, the iPad mini is an exception. In the past, the iPad mini served as a viable option between the iPhone and the bigger iPad. But after Apple switched to bigger screens for the iPhone, it was expected that the company would eventually phase out the mini variant.  The leaked case, however, suggests otherwise.

Moreover, the protective case also hints of major design changes to the new mini variant. A cutout for the back camera on the case suggests that the device would come with a flash which will sit below the camera. There is also a hole in the top center, possibly for the mic.

Further, there are two cutouts each on the top and bottom, suggesting the upcoming iPad mini would have four speakers. There is a cutout for the headphone jack as well. The headphone jack could mean that the device would retain the Lightning port as well.

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