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Heads up: Griffin case traps dust/scratches phone
- Thread starter appleofmy"i"
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It's the crappy anodizing. The plastic on my Otterbox Commuter is doing the same thing around the speaker and mic, and i clean it every 12-24 hours. I'm exchanging my iPhone sometime in December for a bad touch sensor, hopefully the anodizing is better then.
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This is the problem with cases. It can protect them from drops but can actually cause scratches when dust gets trapped. This happened on both my iPhone 4 and 4S. The area around the camera lens had a ring of marks on it left by the cutout on the case!
Maybe it's better to go naked!
Maybe it's better to go naked!
Partial reason as to why I have a back screen protector on my iPhone even though it's in a case. The otterbox commuter I have exposes the apple logo, so I wanted to cover that up.
still doesn't prevent the band from scratching (i have a 4s) but hey.
still doesn't prevent the band from scratching (i have a 4s) but hey.
Well, it should technically be impossible for plastic to scratch anodized aluminum or glass, right? The marks like this guy has usually only happen from long term neglect, but I ham getting shiny spots and some rubbed off anodizing just from taking my phone out of the case and putting it back in. The anodizing on these phones just straight up sucks.
I haven't had any problems yet with my red nano 7th gen getting scratched and I haven't even picked up a case for it yet. I do kind of worry about not having the case and keep thinking I shouldn't be jamming it in my jeans pocket all the while. Anyway point = so far no scratching. I wonder if the anodizing on the phone is somehow a different process than for the new nano. Or red just tougher to nick?
I have the same scratches on my iPhone 5 now 
I emailed Griffin waiting for a reply, they better do something about this!
I emailed Griffin waiting for a reply, they better do something about this!
I have the same scratches on my iPhone 5 now
Doubt they will do a thing.. and they aren't obligated to either.
I don't think it's surprising that a hard surface like polycarbonate in direct contact with the phone will cause scratching. I've had the Griffin since day 1 and added a back protection film because I knew scratching was inevitable. The Griffin is my everyday "beater" case.
No, this is a common problem on dyed anodized aluminium. Same thing happened on my old Samsung phone. For this reason, I use a full body film in addition to a case.
Bad Griffin
I have the same problem with my Black iPhone5, I also use the Griffin Reveal Case. I have little white aluminium dots all over the back. I clean my phone regularly, it is very disappointing.
The Griffin even damaged the black strips in the top and the bottom at the back of my iPhone5. I cant rub the dots off.
My iPhone4 is still in mint condition with the CAPDASE case, never caused this problem.
I wish Apple would allow us to swap out our Black iPhone5 for the white iPhone5, or for an iPhone5 that wont do this.
I have been using the iPhone since the 1st generation iPhone, and I never had this problem before.
I hope Apple learns their lesson and does not make the same mistake again.
I think I am going to change to CAPDASE before the Griffin messes up the phone any further.
I have the same problem with my Black iPhone5, I also use the Griffin Reveal Case. I have little white aluminium dots all over the back. I clean my phone regularly, it is very disappointing.
The Griffin even damaged the black strips in the top and the bottom at the back of my iPhone5. I cant rub the dots off.
My iPhone4 is still in mint condition with the CAPDASE case, never caused this problem.
I wish Apple would allow us to swap out our Black iPhone5 for the white iPhone5, or for an iPhone5 that wont do this.
I have been using the iPhone since the 1st generation iPhone, and I never had this problem before.
I hope Apple learns their lesson and does not make the same mistake again.
I think I am going to change to CAPDASE before the Griffin messes up the phone any further.
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I took off my Belkin Candy Sheer and found lots of scratches on the back of my black iphone 5.
Basically any case will cause this, its apples fault for making the iphone 5 so easy to scratch.
Basically any case will cause this, its apples fault for making the iphone 5 so easy to scratch.
New member here. I wish I had seen this thread before buying my 5. I got it 4 weeks ago as an upgrade and ordered the Griffin Survivor Clear case which was offered by the network carrier (O2 UK). The case seemed to have good reviews and I liked the fact that the back of the phone was visible. It's a similar design to the Reveal but with a chunkier rubber bumper.
However it soon became clear (ha!) that the design was flawed. The large camera cutout wasn't tight to the back of the phone and allowed all sorts of dirt and fluff inside, made worse by the fact that the plastic seemed to generate a lot of static making the dirt stick. Within a day or two including carrying it in my work bag there was a lot of visible lint etc inside making it look pretty poor.
To make matters worse I then stayed for a week by the beach. Whenever on the beach itself I put the phone in a waterproof pouch but being in a seaside town there must have been a lot of sand around which quickly found its way inside the case. I could actually feel it crunching as I held the phone! Sure enough there are now several small "pits" where the back of the phone is scratched, both in the aluminium and in the glass bands at top and bottom.
I stopped using the case after a couple of weeks and went back to a cheap £5 silicone case while I researched a better one. I've just taken delivery of a Spigen Neo Hybrid which seems a world away in terms of quality - slim and tight-fitting, I doubt much dirt will find its way inside!
TL;DR: Griffin clear-backed cases WILL scratch your phone, especially if there is any sand or grit around. They also let loads of dirt in and look nasty.
However it soon became clear (ha!) that the design was flawed. The large camera cutout wasn't tight to the back of the phone and allowed all sorts of dirt and fluff inside, made worse by the fact that the plastic seemed to generate a lot of static making the dirt stick. Within a day or two including carrying it in my work bag there was a lot of visible lint etc inside making it look pretty poor.
To make matters worse I then stayed for a week by the beach. Whenever on the beach itself I put the phone in a waterproof pouch but being in a seaside town there must have been a lot of sand around which quickly found its way inside the case. I could actually feel it crunching as I held the phone! Sure enough there are now several small "pits" where the back of the phone is scratched, both in the aluminium and in the glass bands at top and bottom.
I stopped using the case after a couple of weeks and went back to a cheap £5 silicone case while I researched a better one. I've just taken delivery of a Spigen Neo Hybrid which seems a world away in terms of quality - slim and tight-fitting, I doubt much dirt will find its way inside!
TL;DR: Griffin clear-backed cases WILL scratch your phone, especially if there is any sand or grit around. They also let loads of dirt in and look nasty.