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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
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
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...

Something to think about though is that if someone has a problem the first thing they do is go to the internet. When you just google "iphone 5 nicks" macrumors is one of the first links. It is not like people are just happening to stumble across these forums....and I would venture to say a TON of those 788's are new users.

desistyle said:
Here's mine. 1.5 months of use - slight nicks on the backside (last 2 pics):

View attachment 383000

View attachment 383001

View attachment 383002

View attachment 383003

View attachment 383004
Click to expand...

I would say that is exactly how mine looks and I got it at launch. A few very small speckles that someone would have to look for to notice.

----------
CasperRooney said:
This is what mine looks like after 6 weeks. Using AIAIAI TMA-1 headphones.
View attachment 383039

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

Honestly, without applecare+ they may not give you a new phone. However, that is definitely caused from the headphone cable rubbing on the bottom...and there is nothing you could have done to prevent that. I could see if it looked like stab marks from trying to plug it in and missing, but that is clearly caused by the friction in normal usage. That should be consider a manufacturing flaw IMO
 
C

CasperRooney

macrumors newbie
Dec 12, 2012
2
0
Honestly, without applecare+ they may not give you a new phone. However, that is definitely caused from the headphone cable rubbing on the bottom...and there is nothing you could have done to prevent that. I could see if it looked like stab marks from trying to plug it in and missing, but that is clearly caused by the friction in normal usage. That should be consider a manufacturing flaw IMO
Click to expand...

I hope they find the coloring to poor, and thats why the raw alu is showing.
It should hold up better than that. I have my headset plugged in 2 times a day about 30 min.
But your right about the friction point. The jack on the cable is angled, so it gets turned alot, therefor the friction. People with "normal" straight jack cables wont get the same friction, so maybe it´s not a problem for others.

But I cross my fingers for a new one! :)
 
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
CasperRooney said:
I hope they find the coloring to poor, and thats why the raw alu is showing.
It should hold up better than that. I have my headset plugged in 2 times a day about 30 min.
But your right about the friction point. The jack on the cable is angled, so it gets turned alot, therefor the friction. People with "normal" straight jack cables wont get the same friction, so maybe it´s not a problem for others.

But I cross my fingers for a new one! :)
Click to expand...

I have heard of them offering people applecare+ when something like this happens even if they are outside of the 30 days. May not be free, but $150 (applecare+ and deductible) is much better than the $229 out of warranty price.
 
A

AAPLinc

macrumors 65816
Jul 27, 2012
1,292
2
Hollywood, CA
mackandproud said:
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.
Click to expand...

I sort of agree, but if you think about it... past iPhone models (3G, 4, 4S) didn't really need a case to stay scratch free. So that's why it's such a shock to people. I always put a case on my phones...but to those that don't, they are finding out quickly that with the iPhone 5, if you don't have a case...things are going to get sloppy.
 
L

Leggy2012

macrumors newbie
Dec 13, 2012
2
0
I have had my iPhone 5 white 32GB for 2 months now and there will be scuffs, it is inevitable. The most common place to get scuffs is on the champhered edges which have a too many scuffs for my liking and I also keep my iPhone in a case as I am a very careful person however it is inevitable
 
D

duhyes

macrumors member
Dec 12, 2012
94
0
so i might buy an iphone this christmas will it be scuffed out of the box?
and if it's scuffed out of the box can i get a new one(im buying a contract btw)
 
bmwhd

bmwhd

macrumors 6502a
May 22, 2008
776
2
Day one iP5 in black here. I use a cheap gel case off eBay but it fits perfectly. Numerous drops and bangs on hard surfaces and many hours in tight jeans pockets. Still flawless.
 
B

bgl321

macrumors newbie
Dec 14, 2012
9
0
CasperRooney said:
I hope they find the coloring to poor, and thats why the raw alu is showing.
It should hold up better than that. I have my headset plugged in 2 times a day about 30 min.
But your right about the friction point. The jack on the cable is angled, so it gets turned alot, therefor the friction. People with "normal" straight jack cables wont get the same friction, so maybe it´s not a problem for others.

But I cross my fingers for a new one! :)
Click to expand...

I prefer to use Best Buy insurance. $16/month. If you drop it, screen cracked, just take it in and they send you a new one. For this reason I have no need for a case. Just my $.02.
 
M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
Week 47. Discoloring on bottom by port and headphone jack, static/muffled when talking (reset did nothing) scratched back, scratched home button. Ridiculous. Phone looks like its been used for over a year. Going back next week. not ocd is anyway, just alone the static and echoing when talking is really annoying.
 
B

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,025
mgb1120 said:
Week 47. Discoloring on bottom by port and headphone jack, static/muffled when talking (reset did nothing) scratched back, scratched home button. Ridiculous. Phone looks like its been used for over a year. Going back next week.
Click to expand...

Similar experiences. My iPhone 5 after 17 days looks more used than my iPhone 4s for a year+ (before I dropped it on cement of course).
 
M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
BigMcGuire said:
Similar experiences. My iPhone 5 after 17 days looks more used than my iPhone 4s for a year+ (before I dropped it on cement of course).
Click to expand...

Exactly! & this is right out of the box! Don't need black that bad, Might just get white next week when I go back.
 
P

Peterg2

macrumors 6502a
Jan 28, 2008
818
15
Montreal, Canada
bmwhd said:
Day one iP5 in black here. I use a cheap gel case off eBay but it fits perfectly. Numerous drops and bangs on hard surfaces and many hours in tight jeans pockets. Still flawless.
Click to expand...

I was really hoping that I would be able to avoid a case with my prospective iphone 5 purchase but clearly that seems impractical. I went caseless with my iphone 4 for a spell of a few months (not initially and not currently) and due to the way I care for my phones it developed no cosmetic damage at all.

The reason I went back to a case was simply that I grew tired of "holding it right" with the antenna issue. With the 5 it seems apparent, from the couple I have seen, that it is a vain hope that it will look as good - caseless - after a few months as my 4 looks after 2 years.
 
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
Jimrod said:
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.
Click to expand...

Just because somethings "easi-ER" to make "perfect" than something else, doesn't mean it's "easy" to make it "perfect". There is almost nothing mass produced that comes out 100% flawless.

And it holds up to wear and tear FINE. No one has had a problem with the operation of their phone because of "scuffgate". This is a purely COSMETIC issue.

Apple could have made it out of diamonds and plutonium. Not only would it have still had "flaws" (I can hear it now... "my diamonds have inclusions... why oh why did Apple use diamonds?!?!"), but it still wouldn't have satisfied everyone. Apple chose the materials they did 1) to maximize profit (they are a business) and 2) because it makes the phone lighter, thinner, and better suited to survive drops. NOT survive them unscathed, but to survive them and not require replacement (like when you drop glass).

The 5 scratches easier than the 4/4S. It doesn't mean it wasn't 100% worth it, and it doesn't mean Apple made some horrible decision just because you can't keep it "perfect" AS easy. It can obviously still be done... mine is a launch day phone that I use without a case, and it still is.

Even being that crappy aluminum. The shock!
 
M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
There's a difference from a blown/defective earpiece that's static and echoes along with discolored and scratched out of the box, it's mass produced so I can understand but an inconvenience to run it back, I can live with scratches not a bad earpiece!
 
J

Jimrod

macrumors 65816
Jun 24, 2010
1,199
659
itjw said:
Just because somethings "easi-ER" to make "perfect" than something else, doesn't mean it's "easy" to make it "perfect". There is almost nothing mass produced that comes out 100% flawless.

And it holds up to wear and tear FINE. No one has had a problem with the operation of their phone because of "scuffgate". This is a purely COSMETIC issue.

Apple could have made it out of diamonds and plutonium. Not only would it have still had "flaws" (I can hear it now... "my diamonds have inclusions... why oh why did Apple use diamonds?!?!"), but it still wouldn't have satisfied everyone. Apple chose the materials they did 1) to maximize profit (they are a business) and 2) because it makes the phone lighter, thinner, and better suited to survive drops. NOT survive them unscathed, but to survive them and not require replacement (like when you drop glass).

The 5 scratches easier than the 4/4S. It doesn't mean it wasn't 100% worth it, and it doesn't mean Apple made some horrible decision just because you can't keep it "perfect" AS easy. It can obviously still be done... mine is a launch day phone that I use without a case, and it still is.

Even being that crappy aluminum. The shock!
Click to expand...

Well that's sort of the point here - many phones seem to be damaged in some way out of the box, let alone after use. You say you can't make everything perfect - well I don't remember problems like this with any previous generation iPhone. I design and manufacture product myself and know full well that I sometimes have to change things if production proves to be problematic. I don't expect my customers to excuse poor quality, especially at high prices.

You will always have a number of faulty items slip through the net, usually a very low percentage - from the fuss being made it seems like the iPhone 5 has more issues than previous generations.
 
M

mgb1120

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
376
0
Jimrod said:
Well that's sort of the point here - many phones seem to be damaged in some way out of the box, let alone after use. You say you can't make everything perfect - well I don't remember problems like this with any previous generation iPhone. I design and manufacture product myself and know full well that I sometimes have to change things if production proves to be problematic. I don't expect my customers to excuse poor quality, especially at high prices.

You will always have a number of faulty items slip through the net, usually a very low percentage - from the fuss being made it seems like the iPhone 5 has more issues than previous generations.
Click to expand...

Agreed 110%. Using the excuse of a "genius" its a new manufacturing process is BS. Get it right then. I purchased my iPhone 4, never took it back, never a issue, especially an earpiece shot out of the box on my 5.
 
Last edited:
John T

John T

macrumors 68020
Mar 18, 2006
2,114
6
UK.
Jimrod said:
You will always have a number of faulty items slip through the net, usually a very low percentage - from the fuss being made it seems like the iPhone 5 has more issues than previous generations.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that the people making "a fuss" are a minuscule percentage of total sales.
 
M

maximumsportz

macrumors regular
Sep 21, 2008
152
7
Went in today picked up a week 47, pretty much flawless just a very small chip on top on the back edge, didn't care for it. But when I used the phone I noticed the screen was pretty yellowed washed even compared to in house phones at the Apple store.

Swapped it out for a week 46, screen is much more vibrant and cooler. However there were 2 very small scuffs/chip on the volume button side near the antennas. Everything flawless. I rather have a crisp screen than worry about some scuffs that will end up coming up on the phone eventually.
 
NovemberWhiskey

NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,022
1,272
Leggy2012 said:
I have had my iPhone 5 white 32GB for 2 months now and there will be scuffs, it is inevitable. The most common place to get scuffs is on the champhered edges which have a too many scuffs for my liking and I also keep my iPhone in a case as I am a very careful person however it is inevitable
Click to expand...

I had my white iphone 5 in a belkin candy grip sheer and it didn't give me one single hairline scratch in over 2 months.

I tried on a hard case, and it immediately scratched the chamfered bezel.

I think it really depends on the case. You need a soft TPU or silicone case.
 
D

desistyle

macrumors regular
Sep 20, 2007
152
3
And I just dropped mine! *****!!!!

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355802973.189337.jpg
 
lamerica80

lamerica80

macrumors 6502a
May 22, 2008
679
506
After only 4 weeks with my Iphone i now have a few tiny scuffs on the upper corners of the phone. I was very surpriced since i keep it in a sleeve and only take it out to use it. I really treat it like a new born baby.

Annoying, but they are so small so i wont do anything about it for now.
 
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