iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)

DeeEss said:

I've had the phone a couple of days. I really take care of it. One minute the phone is fine, next minute I look down and the black anodizing has flaked off on the corners of the phone.

Anyone else had this happen yet? I'm taking it back for a replacement.

On the same day I found my Retina Macbook Pro has monitor burn in and will need to be replaced as well

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A couple of days? That's a guaranteed warranty replacement no questions asked.

Thanks everyone for your constructive and helpful replies.

On the matter of the case, if it really is an issue then Apple should issue a case with the phone or be prepared to replace the it as it happens.

The phone as an object is a beautiful piece of design and it feels wonderful to hold it. I don't actually want to use a case and I take care of it really very well. My last iPhone 4 is still like new despite having no case.

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rollingstart said:

A couple of days?

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Thanks! I know, 3 days exactly.

Man I am ready to buy one of these but I am really thinking about just getting white and not having to deal with the headache because I don't want to use a case. It's a shame there was not better build quality on these.

SolRayz said:

Looks like flaking to me. Form over function and presence over quality rears its ugly head once more. Apple could use better materials, but that would stop you from shelling out cash for the upcoming 5S, now wouldn't it.

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Think about it. Apple could probably knock $100 off the cost of the phone by simply using the crappiest finished metal/plastic available and not concern themselves with look or finish at all since the pat answer from all the fan-boys is to cover it up with a case and don't worry about what it looks like.

Just got my 5 last night. There's like a little but of what looks like an adhesive, in the little crack between the top glass, and the aluminum on the back. Nothing too major, but it looks as if a tiny bit leaked out when the phone was put together. I plan on putting a case on it soon anyways. Should be here by sat. It's just a black thin silicone case. Don't like how the phone feels naked. So while its a "problem" I don't really look at the back of my phone while using it, and I'm covering it up.

Ridiculous.

I have went to exchange on two separate occasions.

First time I went through 3 retail black boxes - all had minor chips or other problems. Ending up keeping my phone.

Today I went back and went through 7 phones! ALL of them had some sort of minor cosmetic issue.

LAME

I just got a black one last Friday from Verizon - it is flawless.

The guy in the cubicle next to mine received his white one (AT&T) two weeks ago - it was, and still is, flawless.

Maybe the manufacturing process has been improved...or perhaps we are lucky.


I wanted to use it naked, but this thread has made me paranoid, so now I use a case.

Mechinyun said:

Ridiculous.

I have went to exchange on two separate occasions.

First time I went through 3 retail black boxes - all had minor chips or other problems. Ending up keeping my phone.

Today I went back and went through 7 phones! ALL of them had some sort of minor cosmetic issue.

LAME

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I really love Apple for being this nice about all of this. To allow you to open 7 retail boxes is ridiculous. I would have just refunded you the money and went about my business.

Mechinyun said:

Ridiculous.

I have went to exchange on two separate occasions.

First time I went through 3 retail black boxes - all had minor chips or other problems. Ending up keeping my phone.

Today I went back and went through 7 phones! ALL of them had some sort of minor cosmetic issue.

LAME

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Wow, 7 phones? That's crazy...I'm surprised they even let you do that. Are you sure you're not just being a little bit OCD?

Mechinyun said:

Ridiculous.

I have went to exchange on two separate occasions.

First time I went through 3 retail black boxes - all had minor chips or other problems. Ending up keeping my phone.

Today I went back and went through 7 phones! ALL of them had some sort of minor cosmetic issue.

LAME

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VandyChem2009 said:

I really love Apple for being this nice about all of this. To allow you to open 7 retail boxes is ridiculous. I would have just refunded you the money and went about my business.

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I really have my doubts as to whether Apple would let someone who obviously has severe OCD open up 7 boxes looking for the perfect phone.

I received mine yesterday, only issue was restoring from backup but other than that there are no scuffs. There does appear to be a slight knick on the back, where the aluminium meets the glass, but it doesn't really bother me.

Compared to the iPhone 4 the 5 is an unalloyed delight to use and look at.

yep - OCD - anal - whatever you want to call it - thats me.

If there was a speck anywhere of anodizing removed or any kind of scratch or blemish I told them nope, to take it back.

I actually used up their entire stock of retail iphones AND all their replacement grey boxes.

Rejected them all - back to the factory with thee!

Mechinyun said:

yep - OCD - anal - whatever you want to call it - thats me.

If there was a speck anywhere of anodizing removed or any kind of scratch or blemish I told them nope, to take it back.

I actually used up their entire stock of retail iphones AND all their replacement grey boxes.

Rejected them all - back to the factory with thee!


Image

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That's pretty pathetic.

King Shady said:

That's pretty pathetic.

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Agreed.

People are always going to be finding something wrong with their phone if they are specifically looking for a flaw. There are tons of people (like me) who would gladly take one of those that you've rejected for the 6th time, the one with the tiny speck by the headphone jack.

Sure, it seems pathetic, but I've been through a similar scenario with Apple too. Even WEEKS after coming out with this product and acknowledging the problem that they have cosmetic flaws, they are STILL shipping imperfect devices.

It's pathetic on Apple's part, not on ours.

I've seen ~12 replacement devices and all of them have something cosmetically wrong. Would you buy a car that had a dent or scratch?

Me either.

Mechinyun said:

yep - OCD - anal - whatever you want to call it - thats me.

If there was a speck anywhere of anodizing removed or any kind of scratch or blemish I told them nope, to take it back.

I actually used up their entire stock of retail iphones AND all their replacement grey boxes.

Rejected them all - back to the factory with thee!


Image

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You guys are all titty babies! Talk about first world problems.
You can't have the expectations you guys have even if you bought a $6000 jewelry there's going to be wear and tear on it.... let alone an iPhone.

I bet most of you guy's wedding rings have couple dings or micro scratches on them. Going to swap that out every time that happens?

I understand if you got one out of the box scratched but for the people that use it and end up getting a ding and trying to get swaps??

rexamafex said:

You guys are all titty babies! Talk about first world problems.
You can't have the expectations you guys have even if you bought a $6000 jewelry there's going to be wear and tear on it.... let alone an iPhone.

I bet most of you guy's wedding rings have couple dings or micro scratches on them. Going to swap that out every time that happens?

I understand if you got one out of the box scratched but for the people that use it and end up getting a ding and trying to get swaps??

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When you spend a fortune on something you don't expect the paint to drop off a couple days after you bought it. It's no different to out of the box in my mind. I could care less if it's a first world problem and if you judge me for it. If you make something that is defective, sell it for a premium then you gotta expect people to get a little peeved.

another replacement. Scratches can only be seen under harsh lighting BUT their are THREE of them, each being a inch long. WTF is this nonsense.

gonna get another.

King Shady said:

That's pretty pathetic.

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Actually, whats pathetic is the most valuable company in the world can't produce a product that is not defective out of the box.

150% true. It's incredible that more people aren't continuing to make a bigger deal out of this fact.

Jalopybox said:

Actually, whats pathetic is the most valuable company in the world can't produce a product that is not defective out of the box.

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theturtle said:

another replacement. Scratches can only be seen under harsh lighting BUT their are THREE of them, each being a inch long. WTF is this nonsense.

gonna get another.

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Good luck!

I dont get why people go and get their phone swapped 60 times. If you aren't satisfied, get A DIFFERENT PHONE. People like you drive costs up for us consumers.

I understand, scratches out of the box are not cool at all. But I think some of you are WAY WAY too OCD. I thought I was OCD, you people actually make me feel better about myself.

Here is some advice if you don't like flaws. Get on the S cycle. With the S, you're pretty much guaranteed to get the better out of the 2 models.

bjcskier said:

150% true. It's incredible that more people aren't continuing to make a bigger deal out of this fact.

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Because the majority of people doesn't go looking around for these dents or scratches when they first receive their shiny new iPhone 5. I do agree with both of you - it is pathetic that we can't get a damn perfect product, but reality is, there's nothing that we can do to stop it - besides fixing it ourselves (with some sandpaper).

You gotta ask yourself , what happens when you have gone through 7 iPhones and got a perfect cosmetic unit. However there is hardware issue say dead pixel or even worst the home button being unresponsive ( it's probably highly unlikely). If that's the case , will you go through the cycle again? Becuas the next replacement will probably have some sort of cosmetic damage..

Fairplay to Apple. They replaced my phone today without a question basically. They have restored my faith in what customer service should be like and it's why I continue to buy Apple. The cool guy at the Genius Bar agreed, he thought the case was extreme and would be unhappy himself if he were in my shoes. It really was as if the anodising was falling off.

10/10. Very satisfied. And now I have a pristine phone.

DeeEss said:

Fairplay to Apple. They replaced my phone today without a question basically. They have restored my faith in what customer service should be like and it's why I continue to buy Apple. The cool guy at the Genius Bar agreed, he thought the case was extreme and would be unhappy himself if he were in my shoes. It really was as if the anodising was falling off.

10/10. Very satisfied. And now I have a pristine phone.

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This type of continuing, generally outstanding, service (thank god Browett is gone) is probably going to make me replace my 4 with a 5, despite the latter not being quite what I was hoping for (I wanted a tad larger display and am getting a bit tired with iOS). The Lumia 920 has been up until now my next device of choice but with various issues (not the weight) and the question of what kind of support I will get afterwards (actually with any of the other companies like HTC, Samsung, LG, etc) it appears to me that, on balance, my choice is relatively clear.