Apple: Display 'burn-in' could also affect iPhone X

It turns out Apple's iPhone X display could have some of the same issues as Google's Pixel 2 XL.

The iPhone X could be impacted by "burn-in" and other "visual changes" that commonly affect smartphones with OLED displays, according to a new Apple support document.

Burn-in happens when parts of an image remain on the screen after you've navigated away from it. The issue commonly happens when a high-contrast image is on the display for a long period of time and, most recently, has been causing a huge headache for Google as some Pixel 2 XL owners have reported burn-in issues after just a few days or weeks with the phone.

Now, Apple is acknowledging that burn-in and other "visual changes" could happen to the iPhone X's "Super Retina" OLED display as well.

Here's the relevant section from Apple's support page (emphasis our own):

If you look at an OLED display off-angle, you might notice slight shifts in color and hue. This is a characteristic of OLED and is normal behavior. With extended long-term use, OLED displays can also show slight visual changes. This is also expected behavior and can include “image persistence” or “burn-in,” where the display shows a faint remnant of an image even after a new image appears on the screen. This can occur in more extreme cases such as when the same high contrast image is continuously displayed for prolonged periods of time. We’ve engineered the Super Retina display to be the best in the industry in reducing the effects of OLED "burn-in."

Now, this isn't entirely unexpected. As Mashable's Senior Tech Correspondent Raymond Wong previously pointed out, OLED displays are simply more susceptible to certain issues, like burn-in and discoloration (though the problems seem to be more prevalent on displays from certain suppliers).

However, the fact that Apple is preparing iPhone X owners for issues up front suggests that it could be more of a widespread concern, even though the company says it's engineered the display to minimize the issue.

Apple says it expects these type of issues to persist mainly in "extreme cases" when "the same high contrast image is continuously displayed for prolonged periods of time." So, iPhone X owners may want to take note and guard against potential burn-in by using iOS' automatic brightness settings and being extra careful of what's on the screen when the brightness is turned all the way up.