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iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)

Is your black iPhone 5 scuffed, chipped or scratched?

  • Flawless

    Votes: 1,158 46.1%

  • Flawless because I put a case on it.

    Votes: 198 7.9%

  • Scuffed out of the box

    Votes: 820 32.7%

  • Scuffed/scratched shortly after

    Votes: 334 13.3%
  • Total voters
    2,510
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
Nope, I believe you.

The problem IS isolated and "not normal". Not to phones but to PEOPLE and their expectations. As some on this thread realize, the vast majority (99%?) of owners have no issues at all.

A thousand or so people, on a fanboy forum (myself included, take no offense) does NOT prove anything (except a lot of OCD and microfiber towel sales).

Apple IS aware of a problem. With .1 % of it's customers.... NOT the fastest selling, best reviewed, best iPhone ever produced.

Nowhere in any of the press releases quoted did they claim it'd be the first flawlessly cosmetic consumer product ever produced. Never. Jewel like? How does that indicate it will never have a teeny tiny speck in the bezel??? Even out of the box. It's mass produced and designed to be used daily (hourly). It WILL show use, even if you baby it.

Don't like it? Take it back. Scuffs bothering you so much you lose sleep at night? Take it back. Aim it at the sun and don't like the photo results? Take it back.

Get something else.

Bet you can't
 
T

timidhermit

macrumors 6502
Jul 6, 2011
366
3
Having had scuffed phone right of the box, I shared totally your concern.

Does anyone know if there is a particular manufacturing week which I should aim for when getting a new phone to minimize the scuffgate problem? Week 44? 45? 46?


jetlagged said:
well i'll be glad to tell you that it only took me a minute to do that. its only natural to get a new product and make sure everything is intact.
Click to expand...
 
hamiltonDSi

hamiltonDSi

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,588
273
Romania
After 1 month...
Naked since day one.
(Flawless out of the box - *production week 41*)
 

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M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
gitkua said:
I just got of the phone with an Senior Customer Relations agent after my fifth replacement came scratched and dented.

Long story short; he told me to wait it out and asked my if I was ok with using this phone for a month or two, and swap it out for a new one at the beginning of next year. He admitted Apple is most certainly aware of the problems and that they're hard at work trying to resolve the problems. He also told me he could swap it out right now again, but that he's not confident the next replacement will be good. He even mentioned a 60% chance that the replacement would be scuffed or scratched, although he added he didn't like to admit it.

A couple of things I take away from this;
- Apple IS aware of the issue
- The scratches and dents are NOT normal
- He must be aware of changes going on in production as he literally mentioned the "end of january".
- A significant percentage of iPhones are getting scratched or dented in production.

I read a lot of people saying the reports are being too dramatic and exaggerated, but I think this is simply not true. Of course; most people posting on an Apple forum are going to look over every inch of their device and will post when there is something wrong. But there are loads of people who probably don't even notice the defects. There are probably a whole lot more scuffed iPhones than reported.
Click to expand...

What number did you call to talk to a senior rep? I've been trying to do this and I get no where. I'm not running back and forth to the apple store anymore.
 
U

U2megafan

macrumors newbie
Feb 3, 2011
6
0
Firstly, yeah what representative number did you call to get that service.

Also I know this is a stupid question, but my iphone had a big chip out of it when I got it, and i went to the store near me when it came out and they had no replacements (I got it launch weekend). I went in a few weeks later, and they said they were still having issues reported with the in store replacement models, so they said to call in and have a replacement shipped from apple. But, hearing that those were flawed too, I just decided to not call and now I'm wondering if anyone things its too late to try again to see if they will be willing to replace it. I guess I'm an idiot for deciding to wait. Oh well.
 
Sedrick

Sedrick

macrumors 68030
Nov 10, 2010
2,596
26
Nale72 said:
.... but I still think it's pretty bad for a phone that I here in Sweden payed appr. $990 for (16 GB cash price here) . Especially since Apple want me to think is the pinnacle of phones that's jewel-like and with unpresented precision and incredible finish.
Click to expand...

To me, this is the whole point and why Apple themselves have made it so they're being held up to this high standard.

From Apple's marketing hype, the phone should be perfect out of the box and should not nick, chip, scuff and/or bend with normal use. You fan boys are doing Apple a disservice by apologizing for something that they, themselves have recognized as a problem.
 
B

blue-bear

macrumors member
Jun 23, 2010
51
16
#straya
just got back from the apple store not long ago to swap over my iphone that kept dropping off the wifi.

got a week 41 (DN Factory) and i have to say its absolutely flawless
 
S

Scott2345

macrumors regular
Oct 5, 2012
202
0
I heard they fixed the problem on the black model is this true? I sure hope so, I ordered a factory unlock black.
 
M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
I'm in the same boat, have until the 15th to get it replaced I have a 16gb black and the back has some spots on it, yet the bezel is perfect no nicks or scuffs. Ugh. Anyone think they fixed the issues with the black or no?
 
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
Scott2345 said:
I heard they fixed the problem on the black model is this true? I sure hope so, I ordered a factory unlock black.
Click to expand...

There is no "problem" to fix. Aluminum shows marks easier than steel. If you receive one with damage out of the box (unlikely but possible), exchange it for another until your level of OCD is satisfied (nearly everything, even $200K Bentley's, have SOME miniscule flaws if you look hard enough... it's all about how hard you look).

As a reward for it being aluminum it's thinner, lighter, doesn't shatter, and is much more likely to survive a drop and still be usable. But ya, it does scratch slightly easier if you don't care for it...

The "problem" is with user expectations. Not the best iPhone ever produced (the 5).

Enjoy the phone
 
J

Jimrod

macrumors 65816
Jun 24, 2010
1,199
659
itjw said:
There is no "problem" to fix. Aluminum shows marks easier than steel. If you receive one with damage out of the box (unlikely but possible), exchange it for another until your level of OCD is satisfied (nearly everything, even $200K Bentley's, have SOME miniscule flaws if you look hard enough... it's all about how hard you look).

As a reward for it being aluminum it's thinner, lighter, doesn't shatter, and is much more likely to survive a drop and still be usable. But ya, it does scratch slightly easier if you don't care for it...

The "problem" is with user expectations. Not the best iPhone ever produced (the 5).

Enjoy the phone
Click to expand...

The phone is five inches long, not fifteen feet, it's easier to make "perfect", if the material is too soft use something else. If the materials aren't up to daily wear and tear as a device that's used in the hand they shouldn't be used, nothing to do with OCD.

My black iPhone 5 is fine btw, just saying for people who have issues with theirs.
 
S

sewer-surfer

macrumors newbie
Oct 19, 2012
9
0
I also wanna throw in my 2 cents about the iphone 5 (black) build quality:
I received my iPhone 5 two weeks ago and it had a dent on the left frame, right out of the box. There was also a glue stain on the top.
Apple customer service was very helpful and they sent me a new iphone.

I took the new one out of the box and it didn´t show any dents, scratches etc. However, after only 3 days of using it, I can already see some silver spots (sice of a dust particle) on the frame. It´s the black coating comming off. I am absolutely sure that I have not damaged the iphone myself, since the spots are right on the edge of the frame (just where it touches the display) and you can´t even touch that spot with your fingers. Also, I carry it in a soft pouch.

My question is if this is "normal" and something you simply have to life with with the black iphone 5 or if it´s yet another faulty iphone and should be replaced again.
I am really not searching for problems and I get that not every product can be a 100 % perfect, but I don´t wanna be stuck with an iPhone where the frame sort of destroys itself.
 
Sedrick

Sedrick

macrumors 68030
Nov 10, 2010
2,596
26
itjw said:
There is no "problem" to fix. Aluminum shows marks easier than steel. If you receive one with damage out of the box (unlikely but possible), exchange it for another until your level of OCD is satisfied (nearly everything, even $200K Bentley's, have SOME miniscule flaws if you look hard enough... it's all about how hard you look).

As a reward for it being aluminum it's thinner, lighter, doesn't shatter, and is much more likely to survive a drop and still be usable. But ya, it does scratch slightly easier if you don't care for it...

The "problem" is with user expectations. Not the best iPhone ever produced (the 5).

Enjoy the phone
Click to expand...

Whew, good thing you clarified that no one has any problems with the materials, build quality or finish of the iPhone 5 (I'm sure maps works great for you too). I guess the internet can go home now.
 
F

ferganer

macrumors newbie
Dec 7, 2012
14
0
Got a week 47 iPhone yesterday. What a beautiful and solid phone. It does have a small dent on one of the corners OOB. But I am not OCDing over it. As long as it's not something like dead pixels, battery problems, signal issues, I don't care.

Overall, I am super happy. Let's see what long-term durability is like.
 
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
:D
Sedrick said:
Whew, good thing you clarified that no one has any problems with the materials, build quality or finish of the iPhone 5 (I'm sure maps works great for you too). I guess the internet can go home now.
Click to expand...

THANK YOU! Finally SOMEONE who GETS IT!!! *big hugs*:D

The VAST majority of folks have NO problems.

Might a few abberations exist? Sure. Luckily, unlike our plastiphone Samsung frenemies, iPhone owners can arrange a simple swap in the event they do receive one of the few hundreds of phones that have actual problems.

If you need to return dozens of phones I've got news for you: The phone isn't the one with the problem;)
 
N

Nale72

macrumors regular
Nov 13, 2012
216
0
Sweden
itjw said:
Might a few abberations exist? Sure. Luckily, unlike our plastiphone Samsung frenemies, iPhone owners can arrange a simple swap in the event they do receive one of the few hundreds of phones that have actual problems.
Click to expand...

Just out of the iPhone 5 owners in the world finding this very thread on this forum, appr. 788 users (so far) got scuffed phones out of the box (and if any of these got several scuffed ones, they still just count as one in the survey). This leads me to believe that there are a tad more than a few hundred phones with a problem out there (if a scuffed phone out of the box is concidered a problem that is).

But I agree that its very likely that the vast majority out there have no problems (if the crappy maps are not considered a problem that is ;))
 
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
Nale72 said:
Just out of the iPhone 5 owners in the world finding this very thread on this forum, appr. 788 users (so far) got scuffed phones out of the box (and if any of these got several scuffed ones, they still just count as one in the survey). This leads me to believe that there are a tad more than a few hundred phones with a problem out there (if a scuffed phone out of the box is concidered a problem that is).

But I agree that its very likely that the vast majority out there have no problems (if the crappy maps are not considered a problem that is ;))
Click to expand...

Right. 788 users, on a rabid fanboy forum (myself included, no offense intended) with no verification (they might not even OWN an i5 let alone one with scuffs), and no way to tell otherwise.

Again, not saying there aren't cases of machining marks happening out of the box, just that it has been blown WAY out of proportion (especially when you consider that with all of the pages of replies we have here, there have STILL been less than 1000 claims).

Apple has not confirmed any problems at all. TIME magazine named the i5 the "gadget of the year" (over the SGS3 and Note 2 BTW). The phone is still selling as fast as they can make them, nearly 3 months AFTER launch.

"Scuffgate" isn't real. It's a way for those with OCD to justify returning phone after phone in the search for "perfection" and to not feel as crazy as they look in doing so. It's ok. They are well within their rights to return it as many times as Apple will let them, but I stand by my statement: The phone isn't the one with the problem.

:apple:
 
T

thedonutbandit

macrumors newbie
Oct 3, 2012
16
0
Advil said:
You're an idiot.
Click to expand...
I second that, my good sir. I am testament to not being overly OCD about my phone. I had several iphone 5s with little scratches I could live with. But even those who are not OCD got busted up phones. In fact, one of the times I was at the apple store, the genius opened 5 replacements.

He did not do this because I asked him to (the phone I had brought in had a large chip in the screen), he continued opening iphone 5s because he said he would not give me something that looked like it had been dropped and dragged against concrete. Oh and when I finally got a phone that didn't look like crud, two weeks later , the screen goes completely dead. My replacement arrives tomorrow in the mail.
 
K

Kukulcan

macrumors 6502
May 14, 2011
376
10
Have mine for a month now, flawless out of the box and not a single nick yet (no case, front pocket but without extra money or keys, lies it on hard surfaces all day, not really going easy on it).
 
C

CasperRooney

macrumors newbie
Dec 12, 2012
2
0
oh darn

This is what mine looks like after 6 weeks. Using AIAIAI TMA-1 headphones.
foto.JPG

Hope they give me a new one, then I will wrap it up all good, and newer use a headset again! :)
 
M

mackandproud

macrumors 6502
Jun 9, 2008
367
0
I really don't understand how you expect the phone NOT to get scratches if you aren't using a case. Seems obvious.

Also surprised so many people carry their phones without a case.

I'm definitely getting a case if i get a 'smart'phone.
 
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