Burn-in on Samsung smartphones: The problem caused by Android 14

Samsung smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 14 through the OneUI 6 interface are experiencing a new issue with their AMOLED screens. This issue stems from the sensitivity of AMOLED panels to high temperatures, which can lead to permanent damage, such as burn-in.

Burn-in occurs when static images remain on the screen for an extended period, causing pixel wear. Pixels that are activated more frequently, such as those displaying status bar icons, begin to glow more brightly than the rest, resulting in permanent screen damage.

Samsung had included a mechanism to prevent burn-in in the previous version, One UI 5. This mechanism worked by shifting the status bar icons by a few pixels, changing their position periodically without the user noticing.

However, this feature appears to be missing from 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 to fix it. 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 should take the following steps to reduce the risk of burn-in:

• Reduce their screen brightness as much as possible.
• Avoid using their screen for extended periods in high temperatures.
• Manually move the status bar icons periodically.

A Reddit user suggested a method for checking whether the icons move, which involves the following steps:

1. Take a screenshot with the status bar visible.
2. Switch between landscape and portrait screen orientations.
3. Compare the screenshot in Samsung Gallery to see whether the elements have moved.

If the elements remain static, there may be a problem with the burn-in protection mechanism.

Burn-in is rare on smartphone screens, but the absence of the protection mechanism is causing concern among users.