Apple unveiled its iPhone 17 series earlier this month with high promises about the durability and scratch resistance of the new devices, which now come with ‘Ceramic Shield 2’ protection on both the front and the back glass.
However, as the new devices went on sale just a few days later, a Bloomberg report revealed that the new iPhone 17 Pro models exhibited scuffs just after a few hours of being on display across various outlets across the globe. Moreover, the iPhone 17 Pro models also reportedly left a visible circular mark on the back after connecting them to Apple’s MagSafe charger.
The publication also noted that even the iPhone Air showed itself to be prone to scratching.
Apple responds to “Scratchgate”:
Apple told 9to5Mac that it determined the ‘imperfections’ were caused by worn MagSafe stands used in some stores. The company also claimed that the marks aren’t scratches themselves but instead material transfer from the stand to the phone, which is removable with cleaning. The tech giant says that it is working on addressing these problems at its stores.
The company also responded to the durability claims made by YouTuber Zack Nelson, who runs the channel JerryRigEverything.
Apple uses an anodized coating around the aluminum frame of the iPhone 17 Pro lineup, which leads to the creation of a very hard layer around the frame. However, Nelson said in his durability challenge video of the iPhone 17 Pro Max that the anodizing doesn’t cling as strongly around the sharp edges or corners, such as those around the camera bump.
The YouTuber also showed that even regular objects like coins and keys can damage the camera bump edges of the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
Nelson had said that the problem was avoidable if Apple had just followed industry standards like ISO or US Military standard for anodizing the edges on the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
According to JerryRigEverything, Apple disregarded industry standards for anodizing metal corners on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, opting for a sharp-edged design on the camera plateau.
JerryRigEverything demonstrated that regular objects like coins or keys can easily damage the finish on the camera bump’s edges, revealing the bare aluminum underneath.
On the concerns raised by Nelson, Apple told CNET that the anodization on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max is just as durable as on other products. The company accepts that the phones could show small abrasions with normal wear and tear. However, it noted that the anodization layer is extremely hard and exceeds industry standard guidelines for microhardness.
