Samsung smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 14 via the OneUI 6 interface are facing a new issue related to their AMOLED screens. This problem is associated with the sensitivity of AMOLED panels to high temperature, which can lead to permanent alterations, such as burn-in.
Burn-in is a phenomenon that occurs when static images remain on the screen for an extended period of time, causing damage to the pixels. The pixels that are most often activated, such as the status bar icons, start to glow more intensely than the rest, resulting in a permanent distortion on the screen.
Samsung had incorporated a mechanism to prevent burn-in in the previous version of One UI 5. This mechanism worked by slightly moving the position of the status bar icons, changing their position periodically without it being perceptible to the user.
However, it appears that this feature is missing in OneUI 6. This means that the status bar icons remain static, increasing the risk of burn-in.
Samsung has acknowledged the problem and plans to release an update that will correct the issue. However, this update is not expected to be released before the end of the year.
Until then, Samsung users who have upgraded to Android 14 will need to take the following measures to reduce the risk of burn-in:
- Reduce the brightness of their screen as much as possible.
- Avoid using their screen for extended periods at high temperatures.
- Manually move the status bar icons periodically.
A Reddit user suggested a method for tracking the movement of icons, which involves the following steps:
- Take a screenshot with the status bar visible.
- Alternate between horizontal and vertical screen orientation.
- Compare the screenshot in Samsung Gallery to determine if there has been any movement of elements.
If the elements remain static, then there is a possibility that there is a problem with the burn-in protection mechanism.
Burn-in is a rare phenomenon on smartphone screens, but the absence of the protection mechanism is causing concerns among users.
