HDR Bug Impacts OLED iPad Pro, Apple Working on Software Fix

Some new OLED iPad Pro models appear to have an issue with HDR content in select shades of blue, according to a review from iMore. The site found that some blue colors cause HDR highlights to blow out and appear nearly white, a defect that can be spotted in the form of compression artifacts in sample images.

imore ipad pro compression issue

Image via iMore

In a relatively specific set of circumstances, HDR highlights are blown out on certain blue shades including navy and indigo to a point that they almost appear white on screen. The best way to spot it would be to look at a character wearing a navy blue shirt -- the creases appear to shimmer, like a spider's web placed over the surface; at other times it appears like an inky blob morphing over it.

iMore said that the problem is visible "under very specific circumstances" and it can't be seen on other OLED devices such as the iPhone 15 Pro. It's also a bug that is hard to spot most of the time, and there's no clear reason why it's happening.

Apple told iMore that it is aware of the issue and is working on a software update to fix it.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....

Top Rated Comments

BradGD Avatar
21 months ago
Bluegate is here.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
21 months ago
“Today, Apple redefines HDR”

“High Day-one Returns”
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fuzzball84 Avatar
21 months ago
You're not looking at it right ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vengapat9 Avatar
21 months ago
I'm sure this will be fixed :) dont freak out nerds
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
21 months ago
With a new display tech this complex, it might be best to wait until they have worked out the production kinks before ordering one.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dampfnudel Avatar
21 months ago
It’s always a good idea to wait out the initial production run. Three to four months. It’s always possible that a hardware issue could persist for longer, but often these issues are worked out in the factory early on. I know Apple said it’s a software issue, but I think that’s just their knee jerk response. They’re probably not sure if it’s software related or something else at this early stage. I’ve never heard Apple say it could be a hardware issue, but we have to investigate it further. It’s always a software issue…at first.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)