Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

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
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1348909303.503472.jpg

My friends 64gb Verizon. Out of box damage.


The Verizon rep here said over 150 people have requested replacements
 
hi. just one question. i was wondering how long does it take to produce and get one iphone? i explain... if i order one today with a 3/4 weeks delivery, the phone i would get has to be produced yet or not?
because if it has to be produced, i suppose they must have solved the dent/scuff problem by now, right?
what do you think?

What you have to remember, there is nothing wrong with the design of the iPhone5, and apple have not dropped the ball in any way. The problem here is the manufacturing plants (which are independent company's) and the lack of quality control. THAT is the problem.

I would imagine apple have already had strong words and changes will be made fast, if they haven't already.

However if YOU damage your phone afterwards that is solely down to you. Just as if you drop a 4 or 4S it will smash. If you drop an iPad it will dent. If you drop a rival plastic smartphone you will get chips and chunks out of the plastic.

Sadly, as with any iPhone launch, mass hysteria prevails and common sense is left behind :rolleyes:
 
I got a nicked one which drives me mad.

However my friend came round with his yesterday (wasn't a launch phone) and his is absolutely flawless.

I tried to exchange for a newer 32 but I couldn't do it in store as I bought online and they told me to return it for a refund and re order (which will be 5 weeks without a phone).

LOL.

Guess I'm screwed.
 
Wow I don't know what some of you are doing with your phones (excluding already damaged ones). Here's mine (naked since launch):

Wow your iPhone is so flawless, it exudes raw sex, legs spread apart and all, so black and sexy..... can't wait to get mine :D
 
My 32GB black launch day phone was flawless out of the box. However, after 8 days its starting to show little nicks in the bezel.

The easy answer is to buy a case, but i have had every iPhone since the 3GS and always rocked them naked without any issues. It seems this phone isn't just fragile but not upto the job of even being inside your pocket without showing wear and tear.

I feel sorry for anyone who has a black iPhone 5 on a 2 year deal as the phone will look awful after 2 years.
 
call one last time to customer service, kill them with kindness - ask right away to speak with a manager - try chit chatting with them - oh you guys must be so busy, blah, blah. blah......they can do it with manager approval - tell them you have called countless times and you want it sorted now sweet but stern.....good luck

Tried that already many times. No go.
 
Hey guys. I paid a visit to Carphone Warehouse in Swansea, Wales, UK. They had a black iPhone 5 on display. It was flawless. I tried rubbing the anodizing and it was perfect - no signs of premature wear.
 
Except for the fact that they do anodize iMacs, iPads, and MacBook Pros -- the silver finish on those devices is a bead-blasted, anodized finish. There are so many links confirming this that you should just Google it.

correct! think this is the problem! wonder if it is more expensive to bead blast??
 
I think this 'gate' is almost it's over. Was in best buy and Apple store. Saw two dozen. All were flawless except for a few. And those few were dinged; could feel it was my finger, not just lack of black color wearing off. Asked the rep and he said they had no returns recently.
 
Last edited:
I think this 'gate' is almost it's over. Was in best buy and Apple store. Saw two dozen. All were flawless except for a few. And those few were dinged; could feel it was my finger, not just lack of black color wearing off. Asked the rep and he said they had no returns recently.

Same here, seems like its slowing down now. Shame there was a lack of quality control for the launch batch. Maybe they were trying to get an many iPhones manufactured as possible?
 
What you have to remember, there is nothing wrong with the design of the iPhone5, and apple have not dropped the ball in any way. The problem here is the manufacturing plants (which are independent company's) and the lack of quality control. THAT is the problem.

Wow some people on here REALLY drank the Kool-Aid! There IS a problem with the design of this phone! It may be normal for this type of metal coating to wear off from basically air blowing on it but then this type of metal coating should NOT be used on a phone that you carry everywhere you go! Maybe on an iMac or Mac Pro or something, but not on any portable device. It doesn't matter if Apple subcontracts part of the manufacturing process. At the end of the day, it is THEIR product with THEIR name on it and they have to stand behind the final product!
 
My black 64gb had an obvious dent mark in the rear bottom right where the glass and the aluminum joins. Took it in, showed it a genius and a replacement came in today. Surprise, surprise the replacement even had more chip, ding marks on it. They showed me 2 more and even those had cosmetic damages and told me they cannot show me anymore b/c they need to reserve em for other customers.

I said whatever and walked out not happy.

Gave apple a call and asked for a replacement. He said they can do an advanced replacement but they need to charge 29 bucks for that express service. I asked him why I should be charged for a 1000-dollar phone that comes w/ a 1-year warranty when the phone came w/ a manufacturing defect right out of the box. Then talked a senior advisor and she said they can waive the fee but they need my cc as collateral in case I decide to keep both phones.

Now I'm waiting on that replacement and god if even that comes w/ some kind of perceptable damage, looks like this will be an arduous journey. :(

Seriously qc of apple started to go downhill since 4s trying to meet the massive demands. I really hope this gate is almost over. Dings and chip marks on a 1000-dollar phone right out of the box is unacceptable.
 
Last edited:
Wow some people on here REALLY drank the Kool-Aid! There IS a problem with the design of this phone! It may be normal for this type of metal coating to wear off from basically air blowing on it but then this type of metal coating should NOT be used on a phone that you carry everywhere you go! Maybe on an iMac or Mac Pro or something, but not on any portable device. It doesn't matter if Apple subcontracts part of the manufacturing process. At the end of the day, it is THEIR product with THEIR name on it and they have to stand behind the final product!

There is no problem with scuffs.

BJ
 
Wow some people on here REALLY drank the Kool-Aid! There IS a problem with the design of this phone! It may be normal for this type of metal coating to wear off from basically air blowing on it but then this type of metal coating should NOT be used on a phone that you carry everywhere you go! Maybe on an iMac or Mac Pro or something, but not on any portable device. It doesn't matter if Apple subcontracts part of the manufacturing process. At the end of the day, it is THEIR product with THEIR name on it and they have to stand behind the final product!

Sorry but I think you are talking rubbish. I own the new black iPhone 5 and I can tell you now that nothing is "rubbing off", its a solid device. There are 2 things going on:

1) factory damaged models due to lack of quality control
2) iPhones damages by users dinging them, dropping them, etc

There is no flaw here. This is just a case of bad quality control at the manufacturing plants. Nothing to do with Apple whatsoever. Previously if you dropped an iPhone you would get a smashed back or front. With the iPhone 5, you drop it you will get a scratch or a ding. No difference really.

I don't love apple, I almost bought a SGS3 a couple of months ago and I have previously owned a SGS2. With either of them, drop it and the battery cover will pop off and the plastic will likely get dented.

Once the damaged units have been filtered out and the manufacturing plants given a dressing down this will be a thing of the past. What you do with your phone beyond that is up to you. Now please, get a grip :D
 
Sorry but I think you are talking rubbish. I own the new black iPhone 5 and I can tell you now that nothing is "rubbing off", its a solid device. There are 2 things going on:

1) factory damaged models due to lack of quality control
2) iPhones damages by users dinging them, dropping them, etc

There is no flaw here. This is just a case of bad quality control at the manufacturing plants. Nothing to do with Apple whatsoever. Previously if you dropped an iPhone you would get a smashed back or front. With the iPhone 5, you drop it you will get a scratch or a ding. No difference really.

I don't love apple, I almost bought a SGS3 a couple of months ago and I have previously owned a SGS2. With either of them, drop it and the battery cover will pop off and the plastic will likely get dented.

Once the damaged units have been filtered out and the manufacturing plants given a dressing down this will be a thing of the past. What you do with your phone beyond that is up to you. Now please, get a grip :D

I concur. The display model I examined was absolutely solid and there was no indication that the coating would just flake off during normal use.
 
I concur. The display model I examined was absolutely solid and there was no indication that the coating would just flake off during normal use.

Lol it doesn't. It's just that some people on this forum lose the plot and believe everything they read. As an example I ran my fingernail along the chamfered edges of the phone, then held it to the light to check the damage. Nothing at all, absolutely nothing. The anodised surface felt solid.

Now.....if I chucked my phone into a jeans pocket with a bunch of keys, well, what on earth do you expect?!? If I chucked ANY device into a pocket with a bunch of keys I would EXPECT damage, I be surprised if there wasn't any!!!
 
So what's the latest? Are the Apple Care+ replacements still a shot in the dark (possible nicks and scuffs), and are new iPhone 5s coming out less damaged?

Here's my 9/21 iPhone 5 (damaged right out of the box). It's been a week, and it bothers me a little, but if there is a chance that the newer stock is undamaged I think I would like to exchange. What do you think?

3hrKO.jpg
 
So what's the latest? Are the Apple Care+ replacements still a shot in the dark (possible nicks and scuffs), and are new iPhone 5s coming out less damaged?

Here's my 9/21 iPhone 5 (damaged right out of the box). It's been a week, and it bothers me a little, but if there is a chance that the newer stock is undamaged I think I would like to exchange. What do you think?

Image


I would exchange it but I am very fussy.
 
So what's the latest? Are the Apple Care+ replacements still a shot in the dark (possible nicks and scuffs), and are new iPhone 5s coming out less damaged?

Here's my 9/21 iPhone 5 (damaged right out of the box). It's been a week, and it bothers me a little, but if there is a chance that the newer stock is undamaged I think I would like to exchange. What do you think?

Image

I have an AppleCare replacement in the mail and the production week is still 36. Seems like it is still a crapshoot.
 
So what's the latest? Are the Apple Care+ replacements still a shot in the dark (possible nicks and scuffs), and are new iPhone 5s coming out less damaged?

Here's my 9/21 iPhone 5 (damaged right out of the box). It's been a week, and it bothers me a little, but if there is a chance that the newer stock is undamaged I think I would like to exchange. What do you think?

Image

Omg!

That thing must be, what, the size of a grain of salt, yes?

BJ
 
Just got back from the apple store to replace my black 64gb unit. It took no less than 6 different replacement units before I got a good one! The genius I was helped by was frustrated with the whole thing but not at me but at all the replacement were as bad as my original unit. He was very apologetic about it and stayed friend and calm. Perfect service and I ended up with a perfect phone now.
 
Crazy how much of this is going on. Got my iPhone 5 today and it has blemishes straight out of the box.

I noticed this on my friends 5 after he said it was flawless..I didn't mention it to him lol. thinking about waiting to buy the 5 now.
 
So what's the latest? Are the Apple Care+ replacements still a shot in the dark (possible nicks and scuffs), and are new iPhone 5s coming out less damaged?

Here's my 9/21 iPhone 5 (damaged right out of the box). It's been a week, and it bothers me a little, but if there is a chance that the newer stock is undamaged I think I would like to exchange. What do you think?

Image

Well that is not a scuff. That's a ding. If your good china came like that, you would ask for a replacement.
 
Sorry but I think you are talking rubbish. I own the new black iPhone 5 and I can tell you now that nothing is "rubbing off", its a solid device. There are 2 things going on:

1) factory damaged models due to lack of quality control
2) iPhones damages by users dinging them, dropping them, etc

There is no flaw here. This is just a case of bad quality control at the manufacturing plants. Nothing to do with Apple whatsoever. Previously if you dropped an iPhone you would get a smashed back or front. With the iPhone 5, you drop it you will get a scratch or a ding. No difference really.

I don't love apple, I almost bought a SGS3 a couple of months ago and I have previously owned a SGS2. With either of them, drop it and the battery cover will pop off and the plastic will likely get dented.

Once the damaged units have been filtered out and the manufacturing plants given a dressing down this will be a thing of the past. What you do with your phone beyond that is up to you. Now please, get a grip :D

Yes, I agree. There probably was a bad anodization batch too. May be independent of production week too.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.