What is screen burnout and why AMOLED displays burn out (Topic)

The term "burnout" is actually not quite correct, as this process does not involve exposure of the smartphone screen to fire. In fact, burnout is the discoloration of a part of the display while maintaining functions.

The burnt-out spot is clearly visible when the display is on; it has fairly clear outlines. Burnout is sometimes mistaken for artifacts associated with malfunctioning of the graphics components of the device. To make sure that the visible defects are just display burnout, just restart the smartphone. Burnout will not go away.

Where does it come from

Screen burnout is caused by wear on the components that generate the glow. All types of displays experience age-related changes over time. This is because red, green and blue LEDs have different lifespan and do not wear out at the same time. Subpixels are subject to varying loads, eventually resulting in some color imperfections.

The parts of the display that display the same character, text or color tone for a long time are most susceptible to changes. Navigation buttons, notification bar, app icons - these are the very areas where burnout occurs the fastest. As a result, the burned-out area acquires a shape that exactly repeats the displayed element.

Can burnout be avoided

Smartphone manufacturers are fairly well aware of the burnout problem. Samsung uses PenTile sub-pixel technology for AMOLED displays. The principle of its operation is that when the blue subpixel is activated, less voltage is applied to it, and as a result, its life is increased. The screen is still prone to wear and tear, only changes are much slower compared to older and cheaper OLED displays.

There are also successful software solutions. Android Wear makers include burn protection in the OS. It periodically shifts the image a few pixels so that the element does not remain anchored to the same part of the screen. This happens almost invisibly to the user's eye. A similar technology, dubbed Always-On, is used in the Galaxy S8.

Is there a way to remove burnout

No. A number of applications in the Play Market promise to fix the problem, but in fact they only speed up the burnout of the main part of the screen so that the existing defect becomes less noticeable.

If the burnt spot is very conspicuous, you can pick up wallpaper that will mask it. But it won't go anywhere. The good news is that it does not affect the performance of the display.

How to prevent burnout

• Try to lower the display brightness level as much as possible. High brightness requires more current, which will shorten the life of the LEDs.
• Reduce the time the display goes to sleep to 10-15 seconds. This will prevent static elements like clock, date and icons from being displayed for a long time.
• Choose wallpaper in dark shades, change it from time to time. You can set up an automatic wallpaper change.
• If you use a navigator on long trips, choose one that does not have light static interface elements.

Screen burn-in is usually experienced by users of older devices. Modern displays have a much longer lifespan than early OLEDs. So, if you are used to buying a new smartphone every 1.5-2 years, you have nothing to worry about. Just don't leave the screen turned on for a long time unnecessarily.

The Topic of Article: What is screen burnout and why AMOLED displays burn out.
Author: Jake Pinkman