Nexus 4 Light Bleed

[pawnageinc]

Just today, I noticed that I have minor light bleed coming from two spots at the top edge of the phone. It's faint but definitely noticeable. I've attached a image of it. Is this worth going through the hassle of returning it and possibly getting a phone with worse issues >_<?

 

[bphelminski]

Wow, I can't really see it, even when you point it out. I don't know what you're seeing.

For me, this would not warrant a return.

 

[solid_s_1117]

Quite sure this is present on all the phones (well at least the first couple of batches). I usually have my brightness quite low, so it is a non issue. But yeah if you're in a dimly luminescent room with the brightness on 100% in addition to a dark background, the bleeding starts to become noticeable. Although if it doesn't resemble the OG EVO 4G's bleeding on a day to day, then there is no reason to ship it back.

 

[gone down south]

I don't see anything there?

 

[Kaenon]

No, that should not warrant you lamenting through the return process.

Oi vei!

 

[natehoy]

I don't see anything there?

I can't take a picture of my Thunderbolt since the only camera I have is my Thunderbolt at the moment, but the locations of the circles would indicate that the complaint involves bits of brighter-than-average screen located where the LED light sources are placed. Some people call this "stage lighting effect". There are cone-shaped areas where the screen is brighter than the rest of the screen, originating from the LEDs that backlight the screen.

You'll see this on pretty much ANY LED-backlit screen unless the LEDs are located behind the panel, and on a phone that's just not possible.

The problem is that most phone screens are actually SIDE-lit and not backlit, per se. And the problem with LED is that, while it's terribly efficient, it's also a point-light source (unlike fluorescent, which is one of the other major backlight sources on desktop screens). When you have light coming from a series of small points, it's terribly hard to make the screen backlight completely consistent in terms of brightness without using a LOT of small LEDs or having a good amount of space behind the screen to reflect the light around and dissipate the light properly.

Compare the Nexus 4 to something like my Thunderbolt, though, and the Nexus 4 would win hands-down. If you look at my Thunderbolt edge-on, you can actually directly see a small portion of each LED, and it's very bright. At 100% brightness on a black screen in a darkened room, you can plainly see the light emanating from the LEDs.

Similar complaints came up with the Nexus 7. Thing is, though, this behavior exists in any LED-backlight shallow screen. It's the nature of the beast. You get great battery life out of LEDs, but they aren't the ideal light source cosmetically.

Under normal usage where you are keeping the screen lit appropriately for the environment, something like this is simply not going to be visible unless the build quality is really, REALLY poor.

 

[Kim Weigand]

I have the exact same spots on my Nexus 4. Will post a photo later.

All I can say about this issue is that it can become very annoying and is NOT NORMAL. There are definitely devices which have no backlight bleeding at all! For example: All my previous phones which where all iPhones had a perfect screen. No bleed even on maximum brightness.

I already did replace my first Nexus 4 which had "absolutely no backlight bleed" but a yellowish screen gradient. They will send you a replacement device in advance.

I'll eventually send my replacement Nexus 4 back in.

 

[TheLibertarian]

It's entirely up to you, it's your phone. You could have it replaced if you wanted, but it comes down to your opinion and no one elses.

 

[mbucks911]

i have some light bleed in the exact same spot. its definitely a characteristic of IPS displays in general, and is not a cause for concern unless it is really really bad. The reason the guy with the iphones says its never happened to him is that iphones use a different display technology that is less susceptible to light bleed, but i still have seen 2 or 3 iphones with minor light bleed. but this IS NORMAL. chances are your replacement unit will have light bleed. while it may seem annoying at first to not get the perfect device, you will quickly get over it as you realize it doesn't affect your experience as a user AT ALL. actually, the ips display on my transformer prime had more light bleed than this and it was really annoying at first but after a while i came to kind of like it, its like the signature of my device. i am thinking i might come to view the light bleed on my nexus the same way, but maybe not seeing as i can only see it when the phone is booting with a black background

 

[GREENANDRO]

Four days ago, I bought a Nexus 4, I have the same problem, there is leakage on the screen, I thought it was a problem, but now I see it's a common thing such screens.
It is stressful, but now I'm calm, I have reason to worry?
It will get worse?

 

[jimrebello]

I don't see any light bleed at all on my n4. My transformer tablet on the other hand, has insane light bleed.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums