Users shocked that Samsung wants payment to fix green display line issue caused by update
The notorious green lines have returned to haunt some Samsung smartphone users and it looks like they cropped up for most people after they updated their phones.
As first noted by Android Authority, there has been a spike in complaints regarding green lines appearing on some Galaxy S21 models, including the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21 FE.
Some of the affected users say that vertical green lines popped up on the display after a software update. That's not to say this is a software-side issue and can be fixed through an update. It's possible that an underlying hardware defect was exacerbated by the update and manifested as green lines on the screen.
Though green lines are a fairly common issue with OLED screens and have been seen on phones manufactured by other companies, including Apple and OnePlus, as well, it's still not clear what causes them.
Samsung had previously said that they might be dead pixels. Other possible causes include a damaged or loose display connector, incorrect configuration, or water or fall impact.
In most cases though, the lines appear out of the blue, and not because of a phone being dropped or damaged in any other way.
@Hercules_UTD, who had green lines appear on their Galaxy S21 FE after the March update says that their phone has no physical defect and is appalled that Samsung wants a payment of up to 14K Indian Rupees ($167.65) for a screen replacement.
User @Entroprox says that their Galaxy S21 Ultra was plagued by the issue after the April update.
Reddit user penguinastronomy writes that Samsung wants $469 for a new screen.
TLDR; This whole event made me deeply distrust Samsung. They do not stand behind the quality of their products (even flagships), and the entire customer service process at Samsung Singapore was not streamlined at all. Even though I booked an appointment, I then had to deal with the ridiculousness of contacting an online support even though I was right at the service centre. They made me waste an entire trip. I doubt I will use any Samsung devices after this, and will recommend the same to others unless these problems are fixed. I hope that they will make it right." - penguinastronomy
Judging by these stories, it seems like Samsung is not assuming any responsibility for the issue and the only option for customers is footing the bill for a new screen. Samsung did offer free replacements for Galaxy S20 users in 2022 so the company may be forced to change its mind if more similar issues are reported.
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