Almost from the first day the sixth-generation iPad mini was released, users have complained about “jelly scrolling.” The sticky moniker describes an issue where users see screen tearing when scrolling through content while using the device in the portrait orientation.
Since the release of the sixth-generation iPad mini back in September 2021, some users report noticing that their iPad mini’s text was appearing slightly uneven while scrolling in portrait orientation on the device. The text on the left side of the screen appears to slightly lag behind the text on the right side while scrolling. While some users were not bothered by the issue, some said that once noticed, the issue was hard to ignore, making it irritating to look at while possibly causing eye strain.
While an Apple spokesperson said in late September 2021 that the effect is normal with LCD screens. it appears that Apple has been working on a fix for the seventh-generation iPad mini, by making changes in the new small tablet’s display hardware.
On a recent episode of the Six Colors Podcast (via MacRumors) Jason Snell and Dan Moren discussed the new iPad mini 7, and let slip some information about a possible fix for the display issue. Snell claims that his sources tell him that Apple has made changes to the iPad mini 7 display hardware to fix the jelly scrolling problem.
Snell did not specify where he got his information, but it is likely that he received his information from someone inside of Apple. Snell did say that there had only been an “implication” that the fixes were made. “My guess is it’s different,” he said. “And maybe better. And maybe gone.”
When the issue arose with the sixth-generation iPad mini, well-known repair company iFixit said one possible reason for the tearing issue in portrait mode was that Apple had mounted the display’s controller board vertically inside the device, rather than horizontally as it had in other iPad models.
The new iPad mini, which is currently available for pre-order, will hit shelve and user’s doorsteps on Wednesday, October 23, and we should soon being hearing whether “jelly scrolling” is no more.