Three days in and even with meticulous care taken over the weekend I have already found two spots on the metal band that have scuffed.
Ugh.
Ugh.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)
- Thread starter Pagemakers
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Bwahahah! This is what I mean! We all expect to recieve a phone that looks as perfect and as gorgeous as the marketing shots.
Haha yeah me too.
What people don't seem to realize is that that picture of the scratches could be done to ANYTHING made out of aluminum. Take a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro, iPad, iPhone, iPod, the hood of most modern cars (under the paint)and scraped the case with a sharp metal object and you'll get the same effect. Obviously its more noticeable when you go through the anodized layer and expose un-dyed aluminum on a slate/black iPhone.
I'm sick of people posting things talking about how we should not care about scratches out of the box or from setting your phone down , because its going to get scratched after having the phone for a while. ! Guess what it doesn't matter if it happens later it shouldn't be the second you take it out of the box. And also guess what, it's not guaranteed too have scratches after use because I have a iPhone 2G the original with the metal back, guess what I've babied that device and years later It has zero ( 0 ) scratches!
Picked up a black 5 yesterday (no lines, no wait!). Had a scuff in the edge right out of the box. Talked to two other people who were purchasing at the same time, both of their phones also had scuffs. I felt a little guilty pointing them out, but I just had to know 
Not what I'd expect from a "premium" device.
Not what I'd expect from a "premium" device.
Well for one, this thread is mostly about the nicks/chipping or scuff and for the majority here they're out of the box. The broken glass you see there on the 4 isn't out of box (neither is your second photo)
iPhone 4 metal band is stainless steel, which is harder than the iPhone 5 aluminum, and less susceptible to scratching. iPhone 5, black, shows the scratches more because it is anodized/dyed black and the bare aluminum underneath provides more of a contrast.
I realize this isn't going to happen (at least not in this thread) but I wish we could separate the obvious and undeniable issue that something caused almost 40% of respondents here to have received damaged goods from the assumption that the entire design/process is defective.
On this poll, less than 10% have reported damage since unpacking an otherwise flawless phone. There is simply no way at this time to declare that the iPhone 5 design and/or manufacturing process is flawed.
To be clear - this in no way diminishes our anger at the fact that so many seem to have been damaged either during production or shipping. Those simply must be dealt with by Apple and the carriers. No question.
Going from that to saying all phones need to be recalled or that there's no hope for this design, is a leap not yet supported by data.
On this poll, less than 10% have reported damage since unpacking an otherwise flawless phone. There is simply no way at this time to declare that the iPhone 5 design and/or manufacturing process is flawed.
To be clear - this in no way diminishes our anger at the fact that so many seem to have been damaged either during production or shipping. Those simply must be dealt with by Apple and the carriers. No question.
Going from that to saying all phones need to be recalled or that there's no hope for this design, is a leap not yet supported by data.
All cellphones scratch.
A week after you own your cellphone you don't care anyway. It becomes as important to you as a blender. The iPhone 5's job is about providing reliable content on a piece of glass. The edge of the phone has no functional value other than to help you grip it. Scuffs don't interfere with grip, therefore there's nothing wrong with the iPhone 5.
BJ
Only unhappy people complain in online internet polls. Happy people have no reason to seek them out. So the 40% merely represents the amount of unhappy people that are taking the time to vote. Not scientific.
I haven't read a groundswell of articles on this issue nor is Apple addressing it. Just a couple of hundred buyers with a few superficial scuffs. Return the phone if it bothers you, get a new one, move on.
BJ
Most of the problems people have in life are based around the fact that their expectations don't match reality.
The expectation is that this phone should be perfect out of the box (and I don't disagree), but what evidence do you have to prove that is the case?
The expectation, based on everything we have seen (and common sense), is that you can find the tiniest flaws in every product.
If your expectations match that reality, you won't be upset. This is my new mantra to get over device OCD
The expectation is that this phone should be perfect out of the box (and I don't disagree), but what evidence do you have to prove that is the case?
The expectation, based on everything we have seen (and common sense), is that you can find the tiniest flaws in every product.
If your expectations match that reality, you won't be upset. This is my new mantra to get over device OCD
With all of these complaints surely everyone can agree that something went drastically wrong at the manufacture of these.
I don't know whether it was the over-worked employees or machining of the cases but I have no doubts that apple have engineers over there now making sure that the next batch will be right.
If you're not happy at the moment, I would wait it out.
I am waiting for the desmay case and power support film to arrive before I upgrade so luckily for me I can wait this one out.
I don't know whether it was the over-worked employees or machining of the cases but I have no doubts that apple have engineers over there now making sure that the next batch will be right.
If you're not happy at the moment, I would wait it out.
I am waiting for the desmay case and power support film to arrive before I upgrade so luckily for me I can wait this one out.
hmmmm, Do you own other apple devices/computers? If so, why? why pay the premium over a dell?
Sorry, Apple users pay a premium for their devices, and that price should include a level of durability. Id be pissed if my MBP scratched as easily as the new iphone 5.
My 5 black/slate was perfect out box and still is thanks to be being super careful. I do prefer back over white but considering how much more noticable a scratch on the black model will be I'm sorry I did not go white.
That being said I have 3 different cases on order. Sadly it will have to go into one for protection.
That being said I have 3 different cases on order. Sadly it will have to go into one for protection.
Comparing two bad designs doesn't make either one good. Glass is more scratch resistant, but it can shatter. Aluminum scratches easily, but doesn't shatter. Apple should've chosen a material that is both durable and doesn't scratch easily.
I got my ip5 64 GB Black yesterday at the apple store.
They opened it for me and i looked it over and saw two small spec issues on the band.
I asked if i could replace with another and they opened another one. This one was sizeably chipped on the bottom chamfer.
They said they couldn't open any more so i had to pick between the two flawed phones lol.
They then went on to say that the process of creating the phones is so difficult that if we opened 25 more boxes for you, you would find a flaw in every single phone.
They also said that only about 20/100 you would find no flaws.
These were apple store employees.
I still cant believe they said this to me as i was buying the phone.
Unreal.
They opened it for me and i looked it over and saw two small spec issues on the band.
I asked if i could replace with another and they opened another one. This one was sizeably chipped on the bottom chamfer.
They said they couldn't open any more so i had to pick between the two flawed phones lol.
They then went on to say that the process of creating the phones is so difficult that if we opened 25 more boxes for you, you would find a flaw in every single phone.
They also said that only about 20/100 you would find no flaws.
These were apple store employees.
I still cant believe they said this to me as i was buying the phone.
Unreal.
I presently own 3 iPads, 5 iPhones, 3 Apple TV's, 10+ iPods, 1 Airport Express, 1 MacBook, and 1 iMac.
I think back to the iPod Nano or iPod Touch when they first came out with their chrome backs and edges. Common sense said that those surfaces would get scratched if you placed them in a jeans pocket with or without coins/keys or down on a table. The fronts of those products never scratched, screens and control surfaces perfect. The first day you owned your Nano or Touch it was scuffed. There was no attempt at "Scuffgate". Customers knew the reality.
My iPod Nano 1 is in a drawer with pens and pencils, sliding around as an afterthought, hasn't been used in more than 5 years. Yet I could charge it up and it would work beautifully right this moment. The chrome is all scratched, but the front and screen and scroll wheel good as new.
A what quality score do you give my iPod Nano 1? A "3" because its all scratched up or a "10" because it functions as-new?
BJ
----------
Most iPhone customers do not care about the bezel. It's the screen that matters. They understand that all mobile devices that live in pants pockets, purses, or car cupholders will get scuffed on the edges or on the back. It's not unexpected. A few dents the size of a pin aren't considered 'bad'. They're considered normal.
BJ
I think the point is that it should at least be defect free at the time of purchase. ......
turns out the back isn't that sensitive after all. check this vid.. there are marks but you can just whipe them off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2BxL0nRDlY&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2BxL0nRDlY&feature=player_embedded#!
There's a good video on this page about Apple's anodizing process: http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/apple-...how-apple-anodizes-aluminum-for-its-products/
Apple should have coated the aluminum parts of the iPhone similar to how Bamford (http://www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com/about-us.cfm?section=the-process) coats their watches (PVD), but I assume the cost is much higher and Apple was more concerned about profit margins rather than producing a quality product. I half agree with those that mentioned Steve Jobs would not have put up with this, but having said that, he did tell people to just hold their iPhone 4 in a different way. Who knows ...
Apple should have coated the aluminum parts of the iPhone similar to how Bamford (http://www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com/about-us.cfm?section=the-process) coats their watches (PVD), but I assume the cost is much higher and Apple was more concerned about profit margins rather than producing a quality product. I half agree with those that mentioned Steve Jobs would not have put up with this, but having said that, he did tell people to just hold their iPhone 4 in a different way. Who knows ...
While that's a reasonable expectation, if the reality is that it's going to have scuffs 10 minutes after you own it why does it matter if they're there 10 minutes before? You want the right to scuff it yourself or something? Apple depriving you of that fun?
If there are thousands of these in the wild and people aren't complaining its because they understand that scuffing cellphones is inevitable. What comes out of the box has 'issues' the size of a pinhead, it's not a concern considering what happens a few minutes later when Mrs. Camry puts it in her purse.
BJ