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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
Was at a genius appt. last eve. They sat me at a table to wait. While there, a lady was picking up here new iPhone 5 black, and from a distance of about 6 feet, I could blatantly see (as the salesman was setting it up) white showing around the entire upper left corner of the device (the curved part/edge).

It was so noticeable, I was waiting for the rep to actually stop and grab a new one. Both the rep and the lady seemed clueless about it- I did not say a word, but my son who was next to me and saw it first brought it to my attention.
 
Well my replacement 5 came yesterday and it has more little dings than the first one so it’s going back to Apple. I will just wait another 2 weeks and hope the Apple store gets some better ones in. I'm honestly thinking maybe I should just keep the one I have and live with it but it shouldn't be that hard to get a perfect one. The 48% flawless on this poll is keeping me hopeful that my next one will be perfect.
 
madKIR said:
It really amuses me how every year people believe in miracles. When the iPhone 4 was released the forum was full of the same crappy myths of how Apple fixed the antenna or put a coating on it and the signal got much stronger.
These things never happen to Apple! We all know that it took them half a year to redesign the antenna, which became the iPhone 4 for Verizon and later the 4S.
Here's the same situation: they were producing the test devices a long time ago. This is the manufacturing process for the iPhone 5. They're not gonna fix and change it in a month or two. Even if they decide to tweak something, it will take at least another 6 months, which I don't believe will happen since it's just the cosmetic issue. If Apple could get away with the faulty antenna, which made the phone unusable in some cases, I think they have nothing to worry about this time around.
Click to expand...

Agreed. 100%
 
I've got a replacement coming today and just called apple yesterday morning. If its nick free ill be a happy guy. They said it could take weeks.
 
tigres said:
Was at a genius appt. last eve. They sat me at a table to wait. While there, a lady was picking up here new iPhone 5 black, and from a distance of about 6 feet, I could blatantly see (as the salesman was setting it up) white showing around the entire upper left corner of the device (the curved part/edge).

It was so noticeable, I was waiting for the rep to actually stop and grab a new one. Both the rep and the lady seemed clueless about it- I did not say a word, but my son who was next to me and saw it first brought it to my attention.
Click to expand...

That's pretty clear evidence of what I've said many times, the average consumer doesn't care about these kinds of things and doesn't scour every nook and cranny of their device looking for the slightest imperfections. Tech geeks like us do and rant about it on forums like this and the press picks up on it and runs with it trying to make a big issue out of it. The press seems to relish any chance to bash Apple.

But for 99.9% of people it's a non issue. It's a fantastic device and a small percentage have slight flaws. Some people here seem to think that these things fall from heaven and that every one should be perfect. The fact that a high percentage are near perfect is amazing givin the fact that a bunch of low wage workers in China are putting them together. Some will have flaws, just like any other man made product.
 
So I just picked up my black iPhone 5 today after doing Personal Pickup at the Apple Store and now I've noticed a scuff near one of the bands on the lower right corner. I'm not too picky, but I do feel like I should get it swapped out. What's Apple's policy on this right now? Can I go to the Genius Bar and get it swapped? I don't want to wait again though so if its a big deal then ill just ignore it.
 
stringerhye said:
So I just picked up my black iPhone 5 today after doing Personal Pickup at the Apple Store and now I've noticed a scuff near one of the bands on the lower right corner. I'm not too picky, but I do feel like I should get it swapped out. What's Apple's policy on this right now? Can I go to the Genius Bar and get it swapped? I don't want to wait again though so if its a big deal then ill just ignore it.
Click to expand...

Call Apple and have them make an appointment for you, easier. Take pics and post here.

----------
mjpearce023 said:
Well my replacement 5 came yesterday and it has more little dings than the first one so it’s going back to Apple. I will just wait another 2 weeks and hope the Apple store gets some better ones in. I'm honestly thinking maybe I should just keep the one I have and live with it but it shouldn't be that hard to get a perfect one. The 48% flawless on this poll is keeping me hopeful that my next one will be perfect.
Click to expand...

Don't wait two weeks. Take pictures and call Apple. Have them ship you a good phone. Don't settle for this crap.
 
tigres said:
Was at a genius appt. last eve. They sat me at a table to wait. While there, a lady was picking up here new iPhone 5 black, and from a distance of about 6 feet, I could blatantly see (as the salesman was setting it up) white showing around the entire upper left corner of the device (the curved part/edge).

It was so noticeable, I was waiting for the rep to actually stop and grab a new one. Both the rep and the lady seemed clueless about it- I did not say a word, but my son who was next to me and saw it first brought it to my attention.
Click to expand...

Most likely, she'll be back in the store when she realises or somebody tells her. It is a lot of money, either she will go back or grudgingly accept it being more careful with the next apple purchase.
 
Can someone list the problems with iPhone 5 really quick cause it seems like there are new reports every day.

Mine came flawless. Been using it without case and it's still flawless. No yellow screen, no jittering images. Wifi is amazing. Battery life is OK. What other problems have people seen?
 
Figured I'd give an update on my situation.

Recap: I had a small scratch near the volume button on my original. Then got a replacement with a bigger scratch and switched volume buttons.

Today I received my second replacement. The "Inspected by Applecare" seal was broken, so I am thinking that someone else looked it over after to double check. The phone is free of scratches however there are some marks where the aluminum meets the bands on the sides. One band has discoloration, the other has a silver mark. Overall it is much better than my original and the first replacement. I am keeping it.

Attached are pictures of replacement #2.


Update/Edit: I found a couple more marks after taking off the back plastic protector. Pictures are attached.
 

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NYY423 said:
Figured I'd give an update on my situation.

Recap: I had a small scratch near the volume button on my original. Then got a replacement with a bigger scratch and switched volume buttons.

Today I received my second replacement. The "Inspected by Applecare" seal was broken, so I am thinking that someone else looked it over after to double check. The phone is free of scratches however there are some marks where the aluminum meets the bands on the sides. One band has discoloration, the other has a silver mark. Overall it is much better than my original and the first replacement. I am keeping it.

Attached are pictures of replacement #2.
Click to expand...

I'd keep that phone too, but its very sad that it has come to this. I feel like the process Apple is using to make the aluminum frame has a much too high failure rate.
 
drew0020 said:
I'd keep that phone too, but its very sad that it has come to this. I feel like the process Apple is using to make the aluminum frame has a much too high failure rate.
Click to expand...

After finding those additional marks, I am going to keep my original.
 
drew0020 said:
I'd keep that phone too, but its very sad that it has come to this. I feel like the process Apple is using to make the aluminum frame has a much too high failure rate.
Click to expand...

Or someone at the factory is screwing Apple by allowing those predamaged iPhones to slip past QC in order to meet the higher demand under a time gun, something that has never happened in the past because demand has never been as high as before.
 
Rocko1 said:
Call Apple and have them make an appointment for you, easier. Take pics and post here.

----------



Don't wait two weeks. Take pictures and call Apple. Have them ship you a good phone. Don't settle for this crap.
Click to expand...

I just figure in 2 weeks they will have some in the store and I go in there and do an exchange. I would rather have the option of checking out a few different phones than to just have Apple send them to me 1 at a time. Also it seems like the white box iPhones have more damage than the Retail ones.
 
NYY423 said:
Figured I'd give an update on my situation.

Recap: I had a small scratch near the volume button on my original. Then got a replacement with a bigger scratch and switched volume buttons.

Today I received my second replacement. The "Inspected by Applecare" seal was broken, so I am thinking that someone else looked it over after to double check. The phone is free of scratches however there are some marks where the aluminum meets the bands on the sides. One band has discoloration, the other has a silver mark. Overall it is much better than my original and the first replacement. I am keeping it.

Attached are pictures of replacement #2.


Update/Edit: I found a couple more marks after taking off the back plastic protector. Pictures are attached.
Click to expand...

At this point we might add some "bad luck" factor to the formula. Do you still have your 4S/previous phone? I'd seriously consider getting a refund and waiting for a new batch. I don't expect the manufacturing process to change a single bit, but I'm pretty sure QC is gonna be super rigorous from now on. (Well, from first batch on...)
 
dasx said:
At this point we might add some "bad luck" factor to the formula. Do you still have your 4S/previous phone? I'd seriously consider getting a refund and waiting for a new batch. I don't expect the manufacturing process to change a single bit, but I'm pretty sure QC is gonna be super rigorous from now on. (Well, from first batch on...)
Click to expand...

I used eBay instant sale prior to iPhone 5 launch day, and had to ship my iPhone 4 out a few days ago. I am going to wait until day 30 and then go to an Apple store.
 
Got a scratch next to volume rocker, and on top near lock button on black model. None on white so far.
 
NYY423 said:
I used eBay instant sale prior to iPhone 5 launch day, and had to ship my iPhone 4 out a few days ago. I am going to wait until day 30 and then go to an Apple store.
Click to expand...

Take extra care of it then. You don't wanna have your phone rejected for a refund because of too many scuffs. :D
 
tiny

tiny nick on sim tray. otherwise flawless phone. i'll just deal with it since i have a feeling if i trade it in, the replacement may be worse.

Model introduced: 2012
Serial number:
Production year: 2012
Production week: 34 (August)
Name: iPhone 5
ModelCode: iphone_5
Model Number: MD654
Group1: iPhone
Group2:
Generation: 7
Machine Model: iPhone5,2
CPU speed: 1.3GHz
Family name: Become a pro user to see this information. (sorry)
Screen size: 4 inch
Screen resolution: 1136x640 pixels
Colour: Black
Capacity: 16GB
Factory: C3 (China)
 
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