Apple’s dead pixel policy revealed

Exclusive

Apple’s internal policy on acceptable numbers of pixel anomalies was recently updated, a source told BGR. The policy is used as a guideline for Mac Geniuses addressing customer issues that involve Apple displays. It essentially allows them to quickly and easily determine whether or not to repair or replace products with display defects. Apple provides its employees with a table showing the acceptable number of pixel anomalies for each product range. For example, iPhones and iPods with just one pixel anomaly should be repaired or replaced. MacBook Air models, however, can have up to three light pixels, up to five dark pixels or up to seven combined anomalies before they should be repaired or replaced. The table also outlines the allowable numbers of pixel anomalies for Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac and Cinema Display lines.

Of note, Apple’s policy allows Mac Geniuses to offer exchange services even if pixel anomalies are within acceptable ranges. If the customer receives a replacement product with even more anomalies, but it is still within the acceptable range, further exchanges are not permitted.

25 Comments
  • CDeeRON

    i like reading Apple internal policies

    • Bringit

      I like apples.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BHMB52ZFMATI5KS7D4JT6UU7NA Eric W

        I like internal stuff

      • http://twitter.com/AllTheNoms Om NomNom

        I like reading

      • Elwood B

        I like turtles.

  • Anonymous

    Seems like a typical and acceptable policy on defects. I’m sure its not different than Samsung, Sony, etc.

    • http://twitter.com/Cyruss1989 Max A.

      Probably true, but still it’s disappointing, because Apple demands more money for their products!

    • rmcgoff

      For the record, Samsung, Vizio, Dell, and others have a 0 dead/stick pixel policy.

  • Jordan

    The 21.5″ iMac doesn’t fall into any of those categories. It’s larger than “17 to 20″ and smaller than “22 to 30″.

    • Anonymous

      Its rounded to 22″.

      • Jordan

        If this was legitimate and recently updated, they would have bridged the gap between those two categories. No way they would leave their employees guessing.

      • Anonymous

        I mean, I certainly never accused apple of being smart…

  • Tomm

    I can’t stand dead pixel policies… you pay a bunch of money for something you look at constantly.

    If it doesn’t bother you, so be it, but if it does, you should be able to return it regardless.

  • Anonymous

    My sister recently got a 15 inch Macbook pro, with a high-res display upgrade. The screen had 1 dead pixel in the center of the screen, and I declared that unacceptable based on the location and $100 upgrade paid for a high-resolution screen. They replaced the screen without any issue.

    I know even a single pixel would bother me, so I can’t imagine a monitor with 6 or more. I understand this is the norm in the industry these days, but it shouldn’t be.

  • http://twitter.com/apham79 Anthony Pham

    If i paid $1,500 for 1,296,000 pixels then I expect all 1,296,000 pixels to be working, not 1295,999!
    If Foxconn told Steve Jobs they shipped 1000 iPads and he received only 999 units, do you think that will be acceptable to him?

  • Anonymous

    policy looks right in line with a recent experience I had… new 3GS… one dead black pixel… brought it in to the Apple Store – they replaced the LCD right in store in about 10-15 minutes… Great service!!

  • Anonymous

    This is old news and kind of wrong anyway. The policy outlined has pretty much always been their policy and though it wasn’t ever announced, it wasn’t really a big secret either. I found out about it five years ago when I got an ACD with a stuck pixel. Anyone who searches the web for a few minutes can usually find it or mention of it.

    It’s also kind of wrong in that it’s a very loose policy. If you are *important* or if you *argue* about it a lot, they will totally cave on the policy, so it’s essentially meaningless as written above. For instance it says that you can have up to 15 dead or stuck pixels in an ACD 30″ before they have to do anything about it, but stuck pixels are bright blue dots. If you just spent 3,000 dollars on a brand new 30″ ACD and it has fifteen bright blue dots scattered all over the screen, you’d be an idiot not to yell until they gave you a new one (which they will). If you can afford one of those, then you are usually worth catering to.

  • http://twitter.com/forget2forget David Robert Politi

    I always buy from electronic stores, and if I get a DP I return it for some other random reason.

  • Sonya

    I don’t get why company’s think dead pixels are okay, it’s not suppose to be there, not 1. Just to damn cheap to put a new screen in yet they have billions of dollars to do so.

  • Anonymous

    Fascinating. I have always loved the way Apple stands behind their stuff.

    http://www.web-privacy.edu.tc

  • http://pimpmyi.com/ iPimp

    Apple products are perfect, their LCDs are not (sometimes)

  • http://www.technorotic.com Adeel Ayub

    i like reading Apple’s internal policies, I’m sure its not different than Samsung, Sony, etc.

  • John

    I had a 27″ imac replaced for a single dead pixel in the center of the screen. It’s all up to genius, and how well you get on with them. My pixel was center screen, and I told them I am a web designer working “pixel perfect” and I was constantly having to work around it.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BAE55ZRPW6JYYVSFWYE2QOMFAY Saci

    Just want to REALLY thank you guys! Its ABOUT TIME someone cracked Apple’s ridiculous security and starting leaking to the public this stuff. They’ve had the upper hand WAAAAAAY to long! Tx again. Great work!! ;)

  • RoroThermidor

    Can we see the entire document ? Nothing in this image can proof the authenticity of this.

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