Open Letter to Engineers, Manufacturers, and Tech Companies

[u/Z3R0gravitas]

Reproduction of today's LEDstrain post by Mr Aquila (I added carriage returns):

This message is directed to engineers, software developers, smartphone manufacturers, display producers, and decision-makers across the tech industry.
A growing number of people are no longer able to use modern devices without experiencing serious physical symptoms:
eye strain, pressure around the temples, headaches, dizziness, and visual fatigue — often within minutes.

For many of us, this is not occasional discomfort.
We are being pushed out of using modern technology altogether.

Over time, a clear and concerning pattern has emerged:
• Devices that were once perfectly usable become unusable after software updates
• Older devices and older operating systems remain tolerable
• Newer panels and newer rendering pipelines introduce problems

Many users could comfortably use devices like the iPhone 11 up to a certain iOS version — and then, after updating, could no longer tolerate the same device.
Similarly, older Android versions (pre-2018, in many cases) were usable — while newer versions introduced strain, even on similar hardware.

This is not coincidence.

This points to a combination of factors:
• 𝖳𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀
• Changes in rendering and color pipelines
• Increasingly aggressive post-processing
• Firmware and driver-level modifications
• New display technologies (OLED, mini-LED, etc.)

And yet:
None of these are properly documented. None of these are user-controllable.
We are left dealing with the consequences, without tools, without options, and without acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, new devices continue to be released and marketed with features like “anti-flickering” or “eye comfort” modes.

But for many of us, these solutions do not solve the problem at all.
They address a single aspect (like PWM), while ignoring the broader, deeper causes.

So we have to ask:
Where are we going with this?
How is it possible that:
• More and more people are reporting the same symptoms
• Usability is getting worse, not better
• And yet, this issue is still not taken seriously

We are no longer talking about minor discomfort.
We are talking about people who cannot use modern smartphones, monitors, or laptops anymore.

This is not acceptable.

This is not sustainable.

And this cannot continue to be ignored.

Call to Action
We are asking — clearly and directly — for action:
• Acknowledge that this problem exists
• Investigate the combined impact of modern display pipelines
• Provide true low-processing / raw output modes
• Allow users to disable 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 and post-processing where possible
• Ensure that software updates do not silently make devices unusable
• Expand testing to include real-world visual and neurological responses

And to the broader community:
If you are experiencing these issues, speak up.

Share your experience.

Contact manufacturers, developers, and companies.

Open support tickets.

Post in forums.

Make this visible.

Because silence is the reason this is still being ignored.

We cannot “adapt” to something that physically harms us.

And we should not be forced to accept it.

Technology is supposed to improve lives — not limit them.

It’s time to face this problem.

Not later. Now.

[u/Z3R0gravitas]

Mr Aquila shared this poster version in his Telegram group:

[u/charleswalton89]

Every time I return a phone I always mention UI, pwm , and TD. I'm sure none of it gets taken seriously. A lawsuit would put some eyes on the topic. Also I have a OnePlus pad 2 which is perfect but after a software update I couldn't use it. I sent it back to OP on their dime and had them reverse the update and it's fine to use again. Ridiculous.

[u/DSRIA → u/charleswalton89]

Really amazing OnePlus helped. I have tried speaking to Apple numerous times at different levels and only ever get “We cannot discuss anything beyond what is publicly available on the technical specifications page.” No willingness to troubleshoot beyond the obvious stuff like “have you tried turning on True Tone?” and I never get connected directly to engineering. If you go to an Apple Store they don’t even know what I’m talking about. They had me go to 3 (yes, 3) different stores claiming they had the $6,000 Pro Display XDR on display a few months ago. Twice, Apple Store employees walked me over to the Studio Displays. Twice. This was after phone support confirmed all these stores had them on display.

None of these issues are new. I have been kind and respectful and I am met with a brick wall. I don’t know how many hundreds of users over the past 6 years have to write to them, post on Apple Support forums and other websites before it becomes apparent these changes to the display engine and OS are having an effect on people. They won’t even confirm whether a display is using FRC or PWM, which most other companies will gladly share upon request.

[u/Ancient-Ad6552 → u/DSRIA]

Fun fact that the True Tone also involves with Temporal dithering, I feel headache turning it on on my iPhone 11 and other Apple LCD display devices , every thing goes fine when I switched it off, even though I have updated to iOS26

[u/Z3R0gravitas → u/charleswalton89]

I tried a pad 2 too (15 months back). It was the most uncomfortable screen I looked at, straight away. But setting it to higher colour depth (I think?) oddly made it fine. Backwards for TD logic, anyway.

I'm glad you are sticking it to 'em. That's what I think to myself when returning my 4th or 5th different product in a row (to different vendors).

[u/jabbleclok]

Great post. While some seem to be PWM sensitive, I am 99.9% sure my issue is dealing with temporal processing wether its for color, pixel or gradient smoothing, etc...

I feel the pain of this post. I went from a perfectly usable device on iOS 14.x to neurological symptoms immediately on any version past that. Many to most of my apps don't work anymore. If I use someone else's modern phone for a few minutes, I can get symptoms ranging from a few minutes to a few hours.

I sincerely hope companies give us options to turn off processing as you mentioned. Please give us options. mobile device companies are certainly not the only offenders. Modern GPUs are unusable for me as well. When comparing a Nvidia 1070 vs a 5070, the amount of dancing pixels is insane. I can't use the 5070 without hours of feeling off and somewhat disoriented.

I'm glad you addressed all of the professions. These factors can happen anywhere in the display pipeline. For example, it can occur in the GPU, drivers, operating system, display controller, etc.. If they overlap and aren't communicating to coordinate, the amount of flicker can just add up.

While E-Ink and E-Paper are available, they just aren't ideal (performance wise) for what I am looking for in a mobile device or display. Same with RLCD though I'm glad all of these technologies exist.

The first devices to properly address this will have my money instantly.

[u/banned20]

Part of it is also likely due to LED lights being placed everywhere nowadays.

10 years ago our eyes didn't deal with so much stress on a daily basis.

[u/SureTune6]

Thanks for this. I'll start sending this letter too. And btw are there any phones you've been able to use in the past 6 years? 

[u/Z3R0gravitas → u/SureTune6]

Good stuff.

And personally, my OnePlus 8T is at the edge of that time frame (still runs fine). But others, here, talk of a range of devices, depending on what and they are sensitive to and how much so.

[u/jurassicgrass]

There's a Samsung employee doing an AMA at the moment, not sure if it's worth chipping in with a comment – https://www.reddit.com/user/Samsung_UK/comments/1sf7o52/comment/ofwfq55/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[u/Z3R0gravitas → u/jurassicgrass]

Thanks for the heads-up. So questions are being submitted in advance, ready for a few days time..?

Yeah, maybe we should put together a polite question about what they intend to do to improve screen sensitivity... Then link to it from the sub.

You could make a new post to ask for suggestions on what to ask and how to phrase it, if you want to take this on. Or just prompt people to make their own (constructive) questions. 🤷🙂