Black iPhone 5 Anodized Aluminum Susceptible to Scratching?

MacRumors · Sep 21, 2012, 08:19 AM

After the original announcement of the iPhone 5, one early concern amongst readers was how well the anodized aluminum back and edges of the black iPhone 5 would hold up over time.

One lengthy thread on our forums has been actively discussing the potential issue and Pocket-Lint in their review did note some wear around the edges after some early usage.

Quote:

Ditching the glass back and reducing the thickness of the glass panel on the front has affected the design of the metal band around the edge of the iPhone. It is now chamfered and while that looks pretty, we've already noticed that on the black model the edge has started to wear, revealing the shiny silver aluminium metal underneath the "slate" coloured coating and, indeed, we've witnessed it on two separate models, ruling out a fluke manufacturing error.

One person on another forum got straight to the matter and took keys and a SIM card tray pin to the back and edges of an in-store iPhone 5 unit with these results.

Of course, purposefully scratching a device is a bit extreme, but daily usage of any phone will generate some wear and tear. This may be a concern if you are particularly sensitive to the issue.

Article Link: Black iPhone 5 Anodized Aluminum Susceptible to Scratching?

iapplelove · Sep 21, 2012, 08:19 AM

It's always something

Thankfully mines good

jabingla2810 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM

It scratches when you take keys to it?!

That's it, I'm getting a refund!

UnseenLlama · Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM

Guess what happens when you itch poison ivy?

GLS · Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM

Metal scratches, even anodized. Not sure why this is even worthy of mention.

Caliber26 · 08:34 AM

Something had to replace the yellow screen drama.

First maps, now this.

And the guy who scratched the in-store iPhone should be made to pay for it. He should've scratched his own phone.

EDIT: UPS just delivered my phone no more than two minutes ago and I can confirm that there are no scratches on mine out of the box (as others have reported to be the case with theirs).

AdeFowler · Sep 21, 2012, 08:21 AM

Yet another thread about it

satchow · Sep 21, 2012, 08:21 AM

WTF metal scratches if you take hard sharp objects to it? God forbid the glass screen cracks if you drop it too!

nfl46 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

A few people complained when they got their iPhone this morning. I'm assuming they read the forums and knew to examine their phone after they got it. Seriously Apple, some people are paying $600 plus for these people. We want HIGH quality devices. Get it together! It was scuffed up right out the box. It wasn't major but still...

gwelmarten · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

If that's true they screwed up big time!

rwilliams · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

That's pretty disrespectful of the store display unit to start scratching it up like that.

dlewis23 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

What a surprise metal scratches. I think plastic, glass and just about every other material also scratches.

yanki01 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

meh, in other news....

JonnyIreland · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

Nice way to condone the vandalism of someone else's property, wonder if that person will be conducting the same special 'tests' on their own $700 piece of equipment?

i5pro · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

That dude who scratched it in the store should be forced to pay full price for it.

mmberry1 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

Let me take a metal key to any other product scratch it and see what happens...really?

Dwalls90 · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

As someone who preordered a black iPhone 5, this concerns me.

MGCP · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

So you're saying that if I buy one I won't be able to attack it with keys and expect to see no damage afterwards?

Thanks for the heads up.

lukefinch · Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM

So it will scratch when someone tries to scratch it? Seriously?

I have two pockets for a reason. iPhone in one, everything else in the other.

MultiMediaWill · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

I am anxious to see Apple's response to this.

musio · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

So kills this story of the iPhone 5 needing projection

http://www.cultofmac.com/190499/why-...your-iphone-5/

suit up people!

KdParker · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabingla2810

It scratches when you take keys to it?!

That's it, I'm getting a refund!

WTF. That is my first test for any phone I get. Apple rushed this phone out too fast.

/sarcasm - for those that missed it.

Unggoy Murderer · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

"particularly sensitive"

I'd cry if iPhone got scratched up like that on day one.

bsimpsen · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

iPod Mini/Nano/Shuffle and all recent Macs have anodized aluminum shells. Other than being black, there's nothing new about this surface treatment. My 6 year old Motorola Razr has a black anodized aluminum case and it looks fine.

mcinally · Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM

I don't understand why this issue is such a surprise to people.. A classic example of anodisation are bicycle rims, with brake pads they'll always turn to the true colour.

Sep 21, 2012, 08:19 AM	#2
iapplelove macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: East Coast USA	It's always something Thankfully mines good __________________ 15" MBP 2012 ,4gb ram,500gb hd iphone 5 64gb ipad 3 64gb ipod nano apple tv 3rd gen
	5

Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM	#3
jabingla2810 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Oct 2008	It scratches when you take keys to it?! That's it, I'm getting a refund! __________________ 2.4 Alu Macbook 2GB 250GB
	114

Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM	#4
UnseenLlama macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN	Guess what happens when you itch poison ivy?
	14

Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM	#5
GLS macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2010	Metal scratches, even anodized. Not sure why this is even worthy of mention. __________________ 13 MBA 4GB 256 GB 13 MBP 8GB 750 GB 7200 Mac Pro 12 Core w/2 Cinema Display iPhone 4S iPad2 64 GB 2 Apple TV 2 MacMini Servers
	38

Sep 21, 2012, 08:20 AM	#6
Caliber26 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Orlando, FL	Something had to replace the yellow screen drama. First maps, now this. And the guy who scratched the in-store iPhone should be made to pay for it. He should've scratched his own phone. EDIT: UPS just delivered my phone no more than two minutes ago and I can confirm that there are no scratches on mine out of the box (as others have reported to be the case with theirs). __________________ My happiness is measured by the battery percentage displayed on my iPhone. Last edited by Caliber26; Sep 21, 2012 at 08:34 AM.
	56

Sep 21, 2012, 08:21 AM	#7
AdeFowler macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: England	Yet another thread about it __________________ 15” 2012 MacBook Pro \| Mac Pro 6-core \| 30” ACD 64gb 3g iPad and an iPod or two
	2

Sep 21, 2012, 08:21 AM	#8
satchow macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2011	WTF metal scratches if you take hard sharp objects to it? God forbid the glass screen cracks if you drop it too! __________________ MBP, iPad, iPhone, all retina everything
	44

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#9
nfl46 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008	A few people complained when they got their iPhone this morning. I'm assuming they read the forums and knew to examine their phone after they got it. Seriously Apple, some people are paying $600 plus for these people. We want HIGH quality devices. Get it together! It was scuffed up right out the box. It wasn't major but still... __________________ \| 16GB Apple iPhone 5 \| 13" Macbook Pro \| Apple TV 2 \| 16GB Apple iPad Mini \| 8GB LG Google Nexus 4 \|
	14

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#10
gwelmarten macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: England!	If that's true they screwed up big time!
	6

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#11
rwilliams macrumors 68020 Join Date: Apr 2009	That's pretty disrespectful of the store display unit to start scratching it up like that.
	80

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#12
dlewis23 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2007	What a surprise metal scratches. I think plastic, glass and just about every other material also scratches. __________________ FireFile.io - Cloud storage for all Speedtest X HD - The #1 iPad Speedtest
	14

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#13
yanki01 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas	meh, in other news....
	7

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#14
JonnyIreland macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2010	Nice way to condone the vandalism of someone else's property, wonder if that person will be conducting the same special 'tests' on their own $700 piece of equipment?
	57

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#15
i5pro macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NNJ	That dude who scratched it in the store should be forced to pay full price for it.
	93

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#16
mmberry1 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2012	Let me take a metal key to any other product scratch it and see what happens...really?
	10

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#17
Dwalls90 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Feb 2009	As someone who preordered a black iPhone 5, this concerns me. __________________ MacBook Pro 2820QM + iPhone 5 + iPad 3 Jailbreaking An iOS Device - iOS Themes
	20

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#18
MGCP macrumors member Join Date: Sep 2012	So you're saying that if I buy one I won't be able to attack it with keys and expect to see no damage afterwards? Thanks for the heads up.
	22

Sep 21, 2012, 08:22 AM	#19
lukefinch macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2009 Location: South Yorkshire, England	So it will scratch when someone tries to scratch it? Seriously? I have two pockets for a reason. iPhone in one, everything else in the other. __________________ White MacBook 2.13GHz 4gb RAM 120gb SSD Black iPhone 5 16Gb White iPad Mini 32gb
	55

Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM	#20
MultiMediaWill macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Illinois	I am anxious to see Apple's response to this. __________________ Click here for the iPhone 5 iOS 6.0 Jailbreak! MacBook Pro 15" 2011 , 2.2 GHz Quad i7, 750GB HDD, 8GB RAM, Anti-Glare iPhone 5 32gb iPad 3 16gb
	6

Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM	#21
musio macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jun 2008	So kills this story of the iPhone 5 needing projection http://www.cultofmac.com/190499/why-...your-iphone-5/ suit up people!
	4

Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM	#23
Unggoy Murderer macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Livingston, Scotland	"particularly sensitive" I'd cry if iPhone got scratched up like that on day one. __________________ 27" iMac, i7 3.4GHz, 16GB RAM 13" MBP 2.66 GHz, 8GB RAM 3rd Gen iPad 64 GB Wifi+4G, iOS 5.1 iPhone 5 32 GB, iOS 6.0 Mac Mini 2.00 GHz, 2GB RAM
	5

Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM	#24
bsimpsen macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2012	iPod Mini/Nano/Shuffle and all recent Macs have anodized aluminum shells. Other than being black, there's nothing new about this surface treatment. My 6 year old Motorola Razr has a black anodized aluminum case and it looks fine.
	4

Sep 21, 2012, 08:23 AM	#25
mcinally macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manchester, UK	I don't understand why this issue is such a surprise to people.. A classic example of anodisation are bicycle rims, with brake pads they'll always turn to the true colour.
	1

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