Usable Smartphones?
KM https://www.xda-developers.com/color-rendering-android-why-all-oems-must-offer-an-srgb-mode/
"This is why sRGB calibration matters so much for Android devices. While the sRGB color space and BT.709 are an antiquated standard that is being replaced, Android displays MUST conform to the profile, or allow a choice. Samsung devices have done this for years. The Adaptive color setting is a wide gamut (think BT.2020 or similar), Photo AMOLED is Adobe RGB, and Basic is sRGB. When you say that Samsung phones have overly saturated unrealistic colors it is not that the display itself is inferior or calibrated improperly, it’s that Android just doesn’t know how to use all that extra gamut. This is where OnePlus dropped the ball, and what Carl Pei failed to understand. sRGB is not “niche”, it is the only thing your phone can properly display because it is what almost all content is calibrated to. By calibrating the OnePlus 3 to NTSC they failed to realize that instead of increasing its gamut, it just corrupted the proper colors."
I ordered this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVP43RJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If it darkens the screen, it might help.
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I played with the Iphone XS on the store. I made this video, with XS:
You can see the led's effect. The first phone being recorded is the Sony XZ 2, the second is the Iphone XS Máx. I dont know what it means, or if it is relevant.
Here's the video. One reason i dont like iOS is that you cant share videos easily from iphone to Android. So i have to record the video on XZ 2.
Looking at the IPhone XS, that screen is really confortable to my eyes. I dont know if it causes strain at the medium long term.
By default it uses True Tone enabled. It has a warm tone, but feel natural. If if turn on the night shift (Flux-alike) the screen seems to reddish and dont confortable.
Black letters on white background on browser are defined. I put máx. brightness on Iphone XS, my phone Sony XZ 2, and Iphone XR.
The Iphone XR was the worst in definition. The letters were somehow fuzzy, the edges. Dont know if is dithering, FRC, whatever. Sony XZ 2, was also not looking good, altough not as bad as XR. But clearly not defined. XS was really good. Really defined. The OS is the same as XR, so the screen makes some difference. I dont know if it is because of PPI. bigger resolution of XS than XR.
Also on máximum brightness on XS seems less then XZ2. I dont understand why. Even if i disabled the true tone on XS.
XS:
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 659 cd/m² Average: 637.4 cd/m²
XZ 2:
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 646 cd/m² Average: 632.4 cd/m²
But to my eyes the XZ 2 was way more brightness. Also XZ 2 screen, máx. brightness after few seconds i can feel the pain in my eyes. On XS i could use the screen máximum and no pain. Even if it was more confortable to lower the screen by half. But with XS i didn't feel the need to lower much the screen as i need on XZ 2.
Maybe the XS has more green and red spectrum, and brightness is different.
I think that XS has on the 470-490 more higher spectrum than other phones, so maybe it contracts more the pupil. That would explain why the XS perceives to my eye more darker at full brightness.
True Tone is an interesting concept it adapts the screen to the surronding light in white balance and lower light environments in order to less eye strain.
https://www.imore.com/why-you-should-use-true-tone-your-iphone-or-ipad
So i cant say that Iphone XS is eye strain free, because i would have to used for one, two days to be sure, but first impression was really good.
The PWM that iphone has dont seem to bother me. I am usually ok with PWM on low frequencies if they aren't digital. If they are sinousoidal i am ok with it.
tfouto I have noticed that reflection bothers me too. I had tested some privacy screen but it felt that one worsened the reflection so I gave up after few days.
I like matte filters tho, Skinommi is the best one I have ever tested and still use.
Polarized glasses seem to help a bit when using screens outside, inside not much.
Non polarized sunglasses did not help in both cases.
Tho non of these things was a game changer, just slight less discomfort on short usage.
Iphone has some interesting options. Maybe they can help.
Besides the true tone, they have:
- Reduce White Point (less colors to help eye strain). It makes the screen less colored, more greyish, dark.
- Color filter: On filter is greyness. Everything becomes black and white. It was almost like watching a old newspaper.
I dont know if it specific iOS version, but maybe who have iphones can try and see if any of the above is helpful.
beat I have an iPhone 6 Plus which is unbearable. Currently it has iOS 12 on it, before iOS 11. It was not usable at any time but think that iOS 12 made it even worse.
Cannot remember that I had iOS10 on it.
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tfouto True Tone is an interesting concept it adapts the screen to the surronding light in white balance and lower light environments in order to less eye strain.
https://www.imore.com/why-you-should-use-true-tone-your-iphone-or-ipad
That's tons of precious information and insights, thank you! However, I see True Tone has already been around for a while and I could not stand the Iphone X, so I doubt that is the game changer.
Do you know if PWM has been reduced from one to the next generation of OLEDs? I remember Iphone fans pointing their fingers at PWM and infrared light from the FaceID feature as to the reasons why they could not tolerate the X coming from previous devices which were okay...
I have put the Skinommi matte filter on my XZ 2. It seems to help, but need further test time. Did you put the liquid on the adhesive part of the screen protector?
I put it and on white areas you can see colored (little red and green points everywhere).
I think it's too matte for my taste.
Also, the screen becomes more dark, but that's ok. You just spend more battery.
Well, it's my semi-annual "I'm out of options, time to bite the bullet and see what Verizon has to offer me" time. My HTC One M8 is ... dying. Not just the battery life, but the entire phone just runs like crap now. I might be able to reflash it over vacation next week, but it's unlikely to be a serious fix. The other one isn't charging, likely I messed up a cable when reassembling it, and I have to take it apart. Ugh.
Right now my options seem to be:
- Spend $100-$150 cash money, get an HTC 10. This is a gamble, and their batteries all explode after a year anyway.
- Spend slightly less, get an HTC 9, downgrade to Lollipop, this is also a gamble. Also they overheat and their cameras all suck.
- Try something brandy-spanking new like an LG V40 (the G7 was less than stellar according to a couple reports, but JTL had luck with the V20 so ... maybe ... ) or a Samsung S9?
- iPhone 7+, Skinomi. I know I can tolerate this for short viewing - long enough to send texts or emails, or watch a quick video or view a couple pictures - because my girlfriend has one and I occasionally pick it up... this would involve switching back to the Apple ecosystem, which doesn't exactly thrill me.
Either way, I'm pretty boned. What are people's current thoughts? Is there ANY PHONE that anyone here is using without strain or with tolerable levels of strain?
tfouto Yeah I can do that. Need to keep it on Lollipop though. Or I might be able to use Marshmallow if I keep the Lollipop firmware... not sure how buggy that would be, but it might let me squeeze a few more months out of it. Also, I have to try to get the other one with the brand new battery running again... that's my project for the week.
tfouto Yeah, easier if I can get to Marshmallow. On my phone the firmware was what bugged my eyes out, so I'm going to try reformatting it with Lollipop firmware in place, but putting Marshmallow clean ROM on and seeing how I do with that... then using Marshmallow to extend the storage out to the SD card by default.
Did anybody try Xiaomi Mi8 Pro or Meizu 16th?
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Been using the Skinomi Matte on my LG G7. Seems to help a little bit but not groundbreaking. It's very Matte and anything with a white or bright color is very grainy. I might be starting to get used to the display, my headache and strain are a bit less after using for about 1 hour total in 20 min intervals. Still getting some muscle twitches but does seem to be less.
Ordered essential phone and will be trying it soon. Doesn't have nice features like wifi calling but I'll live. I'd be ecstatic if it's as comfortable as older phones.
Will also try to checkout LG v40 however it's OLED so has PWM. Still waiting on insurance about vision therapy.
@Gurm I know this is frustrating, I'm going through the same thing now. @CCitrine has found essential phone to work for him, maybe worth a try.
I wouldn't not try a phone based on only one person's report here, many of us probably have different issues and sensitivities. At least try it in store. I've found Verizon to not have LG phones on display sometimes, have had better luck going into Sprint and pretending to be a customer.
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@Gurm Take a look at Costco at the Samsung A5 2017 (Exynos cpu, Mali gpu) they're selling unlocked in the main area for $370 CAD. It has Marshmallow 6.0.1 on it. The oled screen seemed worth a second look when I saw it. Keep in mind one thing, it has crazy PWM below 100%, but if you usually lock the phone on max anyway, then you shouldn't see it. Though now that I think about it, you are Verizon and this isn't a CDMA phone. Well, you can still look anyway.