iPad Pro OLED already has a screen issue but Apple says there’s a fix in the works

A video running on the iPad Pro 2024's display
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Apple's iPad Pro 2024 landed this week with aplomb. But despite the allure of the long-awaited OLED screen upgrade, a minor screen issue has been reported that affects certain colors. Apple is reportedly aware of the problem and is currently working on a fix. 

The fault, revealed by iMore, occurs when viewing specific HDR content and affects certain shades of blue, like navy or indigo, making them appear as blobs or white streaks. The site discovered the replicable issue during its testing of the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro. 

The reason for the glitch has yet to be confirmed but it's possibly due to the image processing engine needing clarification when portraying highlights in that color zone. According to iMore’s report, Apple is aware of the issue and is working on a software fix to solve it. However, the company hasn't yet provided a timeline for the fix and it has not appeared in iPadOS 17.5, so it may end up being included in a 17.5.1 update. 

and example of the screen fault in the new iPad

(Image credit: iMore)

The news of a faulty screen is concerning, especially as one of the aspects we praised in our review of the iPad Pro 2024 was the recently introduced OLED screen. The iPad’s screen, when it works, presents a stellar image, especially with the Ultra Retina XDR display. However, the real strength of the iPad Pro is its ultrathin design and the power of the newly included M4 chip

This isn’t the only bug that has received some attention from Apple as it recently released a patch to solve a ghost touch issue in its Apple Watches. The issue was first reported in older models in 2020 and caused the watches to register false touches on their display. Apple recently announced that installing WatchOS 10.4 should fix this problem.

While there are some issues with the iPad Pro 2024, it's still the ultimate piece of kit for those looking for a tablet that can function as a laptop. However, we will update this article as soon as we know when a fix is in the works. In the meantime, our hub for the upcoming WWDC 2024 has all the news and rumors about Apple's upcoming show, including the release of the anticipated iOS 18.

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Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.