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iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)
- Thread starter Pagemakers
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True! After sending an email to tim cook, executive relations quickly called me and set me up with a brand new retail boxed iPhone 5. They sent it to a nearby apple store.
When I opened it, I laid eyes on the first ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE iPhone 5 I had seen. No dings, dents, scratches, chips, dust under screen, swirls. Just the iPhone 5 they way its meant to look.
The person I dealt with assured me that he would not let me be unsatisfied. Good customer service.
mine was scuffed out of the box. i was hoping that wouldnt be the case. the mark appears superficial, but its permanent and i cant get rid of it no matter how hard to rub my microfiber cloth on it and blow my breath on it. notice the black marks, everything else is fine, but those black marks on that aluminum backing is what gets me.
will try to exchange it or return it outright.
will try to exchange it or return it outright.
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I've had anodised mountain bike parts sustain far greater knocks and come unscathed. The annodising on this phone is particularly weak and brittle particularly on the chamfered edge and will scratch with the lightest of knocks. If you are the kind of person that doesn't like scratches then it needs to go in a case. Pure and simple.
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Personally, I would take that back. It looks used.
the issue with opening 7 brand new retail boxes is you deplete the inventory for those that are willing to live with tiny oxidization or discoloration. apple should really limit this, especially during the holiday. that's 7 potential customers they lost.
IF it's an obvious scratch or scuff, that's a different story, but something minor, come on.
and the truth is, if you go through 7 phones and find a flaw with each and every single one of them, you will probably find a flaw for the next 100 phones.
even if the phone is 100% flawless, after a months use, even with a case, you will get some scuffs.
IF it's an obvious scratch or scuff, that's a different story, but something minor, come on.
and the truth is, if you go through 7 phones and find a flaw with each and every single one of them, you will probably find a flaw for the next 100 phones.
even if the phone is 100% flawless, after a months use, even with a case, you will get some scuffs.
Have you guys no shame? Aren't you embarrassed for caring so much about an inanimate object? Do you not have a life beyond iPhone?
Even if it is pristine, it is a depreciating thing and will not remain pristine given how it is handled during normal use. Even if you were able to keep it so called pristine, it will soon be replaced by the next hot unit. Have you guys seen the 4s lately? It looks like a heavy, little dated piece of a shiny glass brick.
Harvard med school doesn't exam its pool of applicants with such scrutiny. Smh. 7 new boxes? Lol
Even if it is pristine, it is a depreciating thing and will not remain pristine given how it is handled during normal use. Even if you were able to keep it so called pristine, it will soon be replaced by the next hot unit. Have you guys seen the 4s lately? It looks like a heavy, little dated piece of a shiny glass brick.
Harvard med school doesn't exam its pool of applicants with such scrutiny. Smh. 7 new boxes? Lol
I finally got mine today - production week 43. Flawless, except for one little scuff just above the power button (see attached image). I guess I'll keep it, as there are no other flaws whatsoever.
What does the crowd say? If it was your phone - would this be a keeper for you?
![scuff002.jpg]()
What does the crowd say? If it was your phone - would this be a keeper for you?
Yes! Wait for 12 months time and you'll have a few moreDon't join the whingeing crowd
I guess so. Unless the cosmetic condition of the phone worsens considerably within the next two weeks despite careful treatment I have no intention of going into an exchange-spree.
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I actually entered this thread because I thought of doing something like this!
Did anyone try it yet?
Just curious, but what is the general consensus from everyone that has owned the phone for a while? Will the sides eventually wear off and show silver from putting it in and out of your pocket? Or is it not that bad?
for those that have the iphone 5 and came out scuffed out of the box and decided to return it to apple store for an exchange, how did the employees react? were they accommodating and understanding etc...?
i have some scuff out of the box, its superficial and minor, if you go back a page or two you will see the pictures i posted. barely noticeable. i'm going monday when they open to exchange it and just really nervous at the whole process of exchanging it, and most importantly worried that the new one might come out scuffed out of the box again. i'm getting black again. i dont want white.
i dont mind if the phone scuffs after a few weeks because i would have been the one to have caused that, but a phone that comes scuffed out of the box is annoying and i dont want to put up with it.
i have some scuff out of the box, its superficial and minor, if you go back a page or two you will see the pictures i posted. barely noticeable. i'm going monday when they open to exchange it and just really nervous at the whole process of exchanging it, and most importantly worried that the new one might come out scuffed out of the box again. i'm getting black again. i dont want white.
i dont mind if the phone scuffs after a few weeks because i would have been the one to have caused that, but a phone that comes scuffed out of the box is annoying and i dont want to put up with it.
Late to the party, I know, but I actually returned my black iPhone 5 and got the money back. One reason was that he promised 4G coverage was basically non-existent even in the centre of London. I also had problems with loss of signal and having to restart the phone to get 3G working, etc
My iPhone 4S never loses signal, and is just fantastically reliable.
The second reason was that the black anodising on the bezel was starting to wear off, and this was only after two weeks of very light use. The second week of use the iPhone remained in my pocket almost the whole time, because I was in Germany and couldn't use it there. I thought, if that's what it looks like after only two weeks of really light use, what's it going to look like in a few months time? And what will It do to the resale value?
I can't believe that Apple's design team would choose to anodise it with a coating that wears off so easily. If they had just left the bezel and the back in plain aluminium, like the white iPhone 5, it would have been fantastic.
The second reason was that the black anodising on the bezel was starting to wear off, and this was only after two weeks of very light use. The second week of use the iPhone remained in my pocket almost the whole time, because I was in Germany and couldn't use it there. I thought, if that's what it looks like after only two weeks of really light use, what's it going to look like in a few months time? And what will It do to the resale value?
I can't believe that Apple's design team would choose to anodise it with a coating that wears off so easily. If they had just left the bezel and the back in plain aluminium, like the white iPhone 5, it would have been fantastic.
I would not settle for it. You should not have to deal with Apple's production issues. When I returned my first one the genius had the nerve to blame it on me. You could tell that the machine cutter/router left metal flash behind. My second one was damage free.
Luckily I was aware of the scuffs-out-of-the-box situation, so I filmed the unboxing, just in case they'd blame it on me. I guess I'll give them a call on Monday. Is it possible to return the second one if that turns out to be worse than the original one?
Keep us updated on how it goes for you. I'll be exchanging mine or returning it outright monday morning at 9 am. can't wait for that day to come. Will apple exchange me a brand new sealed phone or will get me a white box phone? how does that work. i will be going to my local apple store.
i'm pretty sure they'll be mad at me and will be saying the worst most rudest despicable words you can think of in their head towards me LOL.
But come on man, like i said I dont mind if I was the one that scuffs it, but for it to come scuffed out of the box really gets to me.
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I'm happy to report that after returning two white phones I decided to get a black one even though its more prone to defects, and I scored a flawless phone. Couldn't be happier
Funny how you said because I did the same thing ! The black was calling my name
Hello.
Are the scuffs still a problem?
Im asking because Im planning to buy a black 32gb unlocked model directly from the website but Im afraid ill pay 800 dollars for a scratched phone and since I live outside the US, i dont have the luxury of returning it.
If thats the case Ill buy the nexus 4 or lumia 920.
Are the scuffs still a problem?
Im asking because Im planning to buy a black 32gb unlocked model directly from the website but Im afraid ill pay 800 dollars for a scratched phone and since I live outside the US, i dont have the luxury of returning it.
If thats the case Ill buy the nexus 4 or lumia 920.
Unfortunately, what is coming off is the paint. Not a lot of people know that after anodizing, they apply another layer of paint. However, note that Apple does not use hard anodizing (type III), but uses type II, which is why you get nicks and dings that will go through the paint and even through the anodization. So there are two things happening here. One is paint. The other is the anodization layer. Unfortunately, the anodization layer will probably come off anyways because it is such a weak type. I think sweat will interfere with it also. I don't know whether they can slow down and use type III (takes longer) anodization and use another type of paint. But the current type of paint doesn't seem to stick well to the anodized aluminum. Even if it did the type II is so weak your worry is the anodized layer, not the paint.
Perhaps they can go 6061-T6 Tempered Aluminum, which is harder and stronger, and can withstand the nicks and dings even if the outer layer is not anodized. Currently it is too soft. A small poke will put a dent into the soft 6061 non-tempered aluminum, taking with it the paint and the anodized layer.
Perhaps they can go 6061-T6 Tempered Aluminum, which is harder and stronger, and can withstand the nicks and dings even if the outer layer is not anodized. Currently it is too soft. A small poke will put a dent into the soft 6061 non-tempered aluminum, taking with it the paint and the anodized layer.