Beware smartphone screen burn in using SmartphoneHub

[rbeckert]

I have about 500 hours on a Samsung Galaxy S10e using it for the display on my ebike. The screen is pretty much trashed. Using SCAN & GO at my local Sam's Club, the QR code generated on screen to use at checkout was unreadable. The photo below is the screen showing a plain, white background!

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

@rbeckert Did this occur gradually to your phone or all of a sudden? Where are you located?

 

[peterh_nz]

I have about 500 hours on a Samsung Galaxy S10e using it for the display on my ebike. The screen is pretty much trashed. Using SCAN & GO at my local Sam's Club, the QR code generated on screen to use at checkout was unreadable. The photo below is the screen showing a plain, white background!

View attachment 132320

Over five years my Samsung Galaxy S8 developed a similar burn in of the app icons, though not as marked and it didn't prevent on-screen codes being read. I don't use the Smartphone Hub.

Do you use the phone at full screen brightness when mounted on the bike?

I have seen apps that supposedly "fix" screen burn in but have no experience with them and am sceptical of their effect. But they may work.

Cheers

 

[tomjasz]

Easy replacement if you’re handy. $30 and some inexpensive tools.

 

[rbeckert]

@rbeckert Did this occur gradually to your phone or all of a sudden? Where are you located?

Gradually.

 

[rbeckert]

Over five years my Samsung Galaxy S8 developed a similar burn in of the app icons, though not as marked and it didn't prevent on-screen codes being read. I don't use the Smartphone Hub.

Do you use the phone at full screen brightness when mounted on the bike?

I have seen apps that supposedly "fix" screen burn in but have no experience with them and am sceptical of their effect. But they may work.

Cheers

Do you use the phone at full screen brightness when mounted on the bike?

I ride in bright, midday sunlight so I imagine it was on full brightness.

 

[rbeckert]

Easy replacement if you’re handy. $30 and some inexpensive tools.

I thought about that but decided not to replace the screen because the phone was 2.5 years old and I figured the battery would start to die.

 

[tomjasz]

I thought about that but decided not to replace the screen because the phone was 2.5 years old and I figured the battery would start to die.

Battery at the same time?

 

[Alaskan]

Just another reason to replace the smart phone hub with a dedicated bike display/nav device. Smart phones do a lot but they they don't do everything well...just another example.

 

[peterh_nz]

Do you use the phone at full screen brightness when mounted on the bike?

I ride in bright, midday sunlight so I imagine it was on full brightness.

The S8 phone wasn't mounted on the bike very often, I used my previous phone (S5) for that. Neither were generally operated at full brightness, mounted or not. However the S5 would have often been at the high end of the brightness when on the bike (with screen pointed towards my body to reduce glare).

I guess my point is that age and screen brightness appear to contribute to burn-in. However I haven't noticed it on the S5. I wonder if the S5's older screen technology isn't so vulnerable to burn-in.

Do you think the Bosch Smartphone Hub app exacerbates the problem?

Whatever the cause, it's occurrence is disappointing.

 

[retiredNH]

I put about 800 hours on a Pixel 3 phone before I swapped out the smartphone hub for a Nyon (great move, BTW...). No burn in at all.

LCD screens are not all alike, so I suspect the burn-in problem is not universal, but this is one more argument for using an older "beater" phone as your display. No need for cell service to your display on a ride, for example.

 

[rbeckert]

The S8 phone wasn't mounted on the bike very often, I used my previous phone (S5) for that. Neither were generally operated at full brightness, mounted or not. However the S5 would have often been at the high end of the brightness when on the bike (with screen pointed towards my body to reduce glare).

I guess my point is that age and screen brightness appear to contribute to burn-in. However I haven't noticed it on the S5. I wonder if the S5's older screen technology isn't so vulnerable to burn-in.

Do you think the Bosch Smartphone Hub app exacerbates the problem?

Whatever the cause, it's occurrence is disappointing.

I don't think the Smartphone Hub exacerbates or even IS the problem. The issue is, use something long enough or intensely enough and there will be ramifications.

 

[retiredNH]

I don't think the Smartphone Hub exacerbates or even IS the problem. The issue is, use something long enough or intensely enough and there will be ramifications.

Except that the smartphone hub, uniquely, forces the user to USE a smartphone as the display. Do you know of any other bike display/computer that forces the user to use a smartphone as the display?
We'll just have to disagree on this one. In fairness, I suspect Bosch would side with you. After all, they're continuing to use the smartphone hub as part of their new system.

 

[rbeckert]

Except that the smartphone hub, uniquely, forces the user to USE a smartphone as the display. Do you know of any other bike display/computer that forces the user to use a smartphone as the display?
We'll just have to disagree on this one. In fairness, I suspect Bosch would side with you. After all, they're continuing to use the smartphone hub as part of their new system.

Actually, “Except that the smartphone hub, uniquely, forces the user to USE a smartphone as the display.“, is not true. From BOSCH, 'No need to have your smartphone on your handlebar: The 1.5-inch LCD display integrated in the SmartphoneHub displays the most important riding data and allows you to activate the eBike system.'

 

[retiredNH]

Actually, “Except that the smartphone hub, uniquely, forces the user to USE a smartphone as the display.“, is not true. From BOSCH, 'No need to have your smartphone on your handlebar: The 1.5-inch LCD display integrated in the SmartphoneHub displays the most important riding data and allows you to activate the eBike system.'

"Most important" if all you want to know is the battery charge. No map. No speed. Have you actually LOOKED at that microscopic display, or are you just parroting Bosch? Would YOU actually ride with such a display? Didn't think so for either.