Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra screen is acting a bit dull, and it's not a defect

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Samsung admits there's a screen problem with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The vibrant display of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Update (February 3, 9:42 pm ET): Samsung Spain says the company meant to tweak the Vivid profile on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

What you need to know

  • Reddit and Samsung forums light up with complaints that the Galaxy S24 Ultra's vivid color profile appears washed out compared to previous Galaxy models.
  • Samsung promises a fix, with the company's developer team actively working on a software update to address issue.
  • There's no date mentioned for the fix, but customers are advised to stay connected to Wi-Fi for the update.

Samsung has confirmed that there's a software-related issue with the Galaxy S24 Ultra's screen after several customers hit a snag with the display.

According to a number of users on Reddit and Samsung's forum page, the vivid color profile on the Galaxy S24 Ultra isn't as vivid as it should be. In fact, it looks washed out compared to earlier Samsung Galaxy phones.

The problem isn't isolated; multiple Redditors (1, 2) complained that the vivid color profile on the Galaxy S24 Ultra doesn't really stand out compared to the natural mode. On older models like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, vivid brings out way more color depth than the default natural setting.

Galaxy S24 Ultra screen has a washed out "vivid" profile compared to the S21 Ultra

(Image credit: Doo-StealYour-HoChoi / Reddit)

Courtesy of Forbes, we now know that Samsung has acknowledged the issue with a screenshot of a conversation between a user and support personnel.

"Our Samsung developer team is currently working to fix this issue on your device," the Samsung representative said. "Rest assured that this coming software update will fix our problem on our Samsung S24."

That said, the support specialist did not mention a date for the fix release. Instead, customers are advised to stay connected to Wi-Fi to ensure the update drops when it's ready. At least the company is reassuring customers that this problem can be solved through a software update.

Some had previously speculated that the anti-reflective finish on the S24 Ultra's Gorilla Armor screen was the culprit. As it turns out, while this new glass protection is effective at blocking glare and acing durability tests, it's innocent when it comes to messing with screen light or colors.

If you want vibrant colors on your Galaxy S24 Ultra display and feel a bit stuck, there's not a lot you can do for now. But with Samsung brewing a firmware update to bring back that vivid color mode, you'll soon be squeezing the most juice out of your display.

Update

According to a statement to Teknofilo from Samsung Spain, the South Korean tech giant intentionally updated the Vivid profile changes on the Galaxy S24 Ultra for a more natural user experience. You can check out the full quote (machine-translated) below (via Android Police).

We have adjusted the colors and brightness of Galaxy S24 series products to provide more accurate and comfortable viewing during use. Some changes have been made to the display technology to provide a more natural viewing experience, so users may notice differences in color depth compared to older devices. This display behavior is an intentional color adjustment and is not a product defect, so it can be used safely. To offer our customers the best possible experience, we value your feedback and continually improve our software (UX) as the market and consumer interests evolve.

So, don't get too excited for that promised software fix from a Samsung rep—it might not happen anytime soon.

We've reached out to Samsung's global team for an official statement and will update this post once we hear back.

Jay Bonggolto
Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.

21 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Village_Idiot
    Take what Forbes said with a grain of salt. Their reporting is not very accurate, especially in the tech reporting arena.
    Reply
  • parksanim
    AndroidPolice have already reported a Samsung corporate release that it is "as intended" and "there is no problem." Samsung corporate stated that they are going for a more natural look.
    Reply
  • joeldf
    parksanim said:
    AndroidPolice have already reported a Samsung corporate release that it is "as intended" and "there is no problem." Samsung corporate stated that they are going for a more natural look.
    AndroidPolice only reported what someone from "Samsung Spain" told them.

    I'd rather hear from someone at "Samsung South Korea". You know... where the headquarters are, and where the people who actually make the decisions for the company live.
    Reply
  • parksanim
    joeldf said:
    AndroidPolice only reported what someone from "Samsung Spain" told them.

    I'd rather hear from someone at "Samsung South Korea". You know... where the headquarters are, and where the people who actually make the decisions for the company live.
    But they have the official posting. You can go read it yourself. I didn't link it because I don't want my post deleted.
    Reply
  • Village_Idiot
    parksanim said:
    But they have the official posting. You can go read it yourself. I didn't link it because I don't want my post deleted.
    Why would your post be deleted? Even if it wasn't an official Samsung post, it wouldn't be a problem. The majority of the news posts here are rumor and hearsay.
    Reply
  • parksanim
    Village_Idiot said:
    Why would your post be deleted? Even if it wasn't an official Samsung post, it wouldn't be a problem. The majority of the news posts here are rumor and hearsay.
    Post to another publication. Here it is, anyway....

    https://www.androidpolice.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-washed-out-display-intended-behavior/
    Reply
  • parksanim
    joeldf said:
    AndroidPolice only reported what someone from "Samsung Spain" told them.

    I'd rather hear from someone at "Samsung South Korea". You know... where the headquarters are, and where the people who actually make the decisions for the company live.
    Me too. Rumor here is this is an internal move to limit long-term screen damage from burn-in, now that updates are longer. Also - and people will be angry - UI 6.1 updates will change the color profiles on older phones, as well. Another rumor is that this as to do with increasing battery life.
    Reply
  • parksanim
    There is another side to this, as well. If you look at how Samsung operates, their MO is "three steps forward, one step back.". Introducing a downgrade allows Samsung a few more years to "improve" over the past product.

    Another example are phones like the a52s, and the a82/Quantum 2. The a53 and Quantum 3 released a year later were a step back. The CPU, screen, and cameras were a downgrade. We are just now reaching most of the features that the -2 series had, with the -5 series midrange phones. My wife's a82/Quantum 2 still seems on par with what has been announced in the a55, with the exception of a larger battery and comms improvements.
    Reply
  • Village_Idiot
    parksanim said:
    Post to another publication. Here it is, anyway....

    https://www.androidpolice.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-washed-out-display-intended-behavior/
    By the way. Had you read through the threads and read the one about washed out colors you would have seen my post from SamMobile. I'm not sure who reported it first though. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Forbes.

    https://www.sammobile.com/news/galaxy-s24-vivid-display-mode-working-as-intended/
    Reply
  • mustang7757
    parksanim said:
    Post to another publication. Here it is, anyway....

    https://www.androidpolice.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-washed-out-display-intended-behavior/
    That's no problem, I've posted articles from them here before as other members
    Reply