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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
Apple: Let's make this one of the most difficult products to manufacture correctly and then have it mass produced in a country where QC is questionable at best. Brilliant!

Knock on wood* My first iPhone 5 (black) was pretty close to perfect IMO..very happy with it and put it in a minimalistic case immediately.

I wish I had that same luck with my first white iPhone 4S that had to be replaced several times to get a "good" one but I ended up just settling. The OCD/Apple lottery game is just too exhausting and I just don't have the time or patience anymore to deal with it.
 
My launch-day IP5 has been in case since day one. It's in 99.9% flawless condition. There are two very minor scuffs on the band that are hardly noticeable.

I checked out my buddies IP5 he got on launch day as well when he was over on Sunday - the whole band around the phone is scuffed pretty good. He keeps the phone naked.
 
bmwhd said:
Sorry, I disagree. My iP4 had scuffs on the band within a couple of weeks.

People here act like these things get dented or scuffed by wood tables, plastic counters, or denim pockets and that's just not the case.

I just got back from the local Best Buy. I watched a group of kids playing with the store display black iP5 which is flopping about on a security tether and they weren't gentle. The unit is still flawless.
Click to expand...

What a worthless post.
 
cababah said:
The OCD/Apple lottery game is just too exhausting and I just don't have the time or patience anymore to deal with it.
Click to expand...

This. When they were still a relatively unknown brand it was easy to be an early adopter. But now, the mass production has become so high that the chances of you getting a dodgy product first time round is significantly higher than not.

I don't think i'll be doing the early adopter thing again. I'll wait a few months into the production cycle and test one out and if there are still issues i'll just skip that revision altogether.

I simply don't have as much time/money/patience to waste anymore. especially now that there's decent competition available.
 
I am on my third replacement. The first 2 were at the Apple store, when the genius bar brought me 2 units from the back in a white box, both had a few scuffs on the band.

I called Apple since it was an online order and was forwarded to a senior iOS technician, who was aware of the issue. He sent me another white box iPhone 5 that would be opened and inspected before sending to me, along with next day air shipping. The iPhone I received has a flawless band, until I pulled off the clear tape on back, and found a large scuff along the edge where the aluminum and glass meet.
 
When I opened my iPhone 5 box for the first time the band had a few tiny scuffs, nothing I would return it over, we are talking almost invisible. Over the last three weeks the band has become a dotted mess. This is coming from someone who never puts ANYTHING in the same pocket as the phone AND put a bumper on from day one. I've counted a total of 31 scuffs now :confused:

Had a call from Apple's Executive customer relations team this morning. They told me that because I complained about the scuffs before the 14 day returns period they would honour the return out of the 14 days. (Got my phone on launch). I'n now waiting for a TNT rep to call me to arrange the phone's return and Apple have already refunded the AppleCare purchase.

I can honestly say (from the images on the net and my own experience) I won't be getting another iPhone 5 until Apple change the process in which the band is made. Moving from stainless steel to aluminium was a mistake in my opinion.
 
sick z33 said:
I am on my third replacement. The first 2 were at the Apple store, when the genius bar brought me 2 units from the back in a white box, both had a few scuffs on the band.

I called Apple since it was an online order and was forwarded to a senior iOS technician, who was aware of the issue. He sent me another white box iPhone 5 that would be opened and inspected before sending to me, along with next day air shipping. The iPhone I received has a flawless band, until I pulled off the clear tape on back, and found a large scuff along the edge where the aluminum and glass meet.
Click to expand...

same thing here
 
sick z33 said:
I am on my third replacement. The first 2 were at the Apple store, when the genius bar brought me 2 units from the back in a white box, both had a few scuffs on the band.

I called Apple since it was an online order and was forwarded to a senior iOS technician, who was aware of the issue. He sent me another white box iPhone 5 that would be opened and inspected before sending to me, along with next day air shipping. The iPhone I received has a flawless band, until I pulled off the clear tape on back, and found a large scuff along the edge where the aluminum and glass meet.
Click to expand...

sucks. bought a 64gb 5 last week from the AT&T store and mine's flawless.
 
Just got my iPhone 5 32GB Black Verizon today and it was manufactured week 35. It has small nicks around the band as well as soon as I opened the box. I recorded my opening so that I can show Apple if they give me a hassle.
 
Got mine today and it has small scratches.

If I go to apple for replacement, do I have to get an appointment or could I just go in and talk to them.
 
an update to my story...

Recently i posted that i had received a nearly flawless iphone. however, i discovered a metallic piece of debris under the screen shortly after. I took it to an apple store. they immediately gave me a new one. however, once i got home, i discovered a small slice was taken out of the antenna. it had also been anodized over. this was in addition to the small chunks taken out of the antenna where the aluminum was showing through. i was :mad: . i went back to the apple store this morning. they looked at it apoligized and replaced it. i must have been over confident because i went back home and upon putting a new screen protector on, i discovered a few chunks taken out of the antenna once again in addition to a chip in the glass in the face of the iphone. very upset at this point.

this is where it gets interesting.

i went back to the apple store, showed the genius and he apologized. he got me out a new one and inspected it first. this one was worse that the first. opened a second, it was the last he could open he told me. the next one was the worst i had seen. chipped paint and melty looking discoloration. he was getting visibly upset and so was I. he agreed to open one more. this one had pieces taken out as well.

finally, number four was the best of them all. one tiny nick. i finally took this one. at the rate that it was going, the next one would probably be worse. I am happy with this one however as the nick is tiny. i really have to thank the genius though as i think most other stores would just stop at number 2 and make me choose. he went through four.

i still wish i would have waited until the new batches though.
 
nope...

after closer inspection, five areas of scuffing on this iPhone. like tiny chunks taken out of the antenna.

upset because i paid full price for this phone. going back to apple store and will be back until i receive a new one or at least one that doesn't look like its been dropped several times.
 
Verizon replacement phone shipped

Although Verizon originally gave me an October 26th ship date when I called on September 30th to get a replacment for my chipped/scuffed iPhone 5 (that I received on launch day), I just received tracking info from fed ex that it shipped and is expected to be delivered on Monday, October 15th.

I kind of wish it was not coming so soon, as I'm concerned that the production line changes (to avoid chips/scuffs) were not yet in place when my replacement phone was made.

I'll look at the replacement phone carefully and will not activate it if it is in worse condition than my current phone.

I assume that I do NOT need to remove the sim card on my current phone and put in the new phone to activate this new phone, since this is a verizon phone and will come with a new sim? Right? Right? Anyone?
 
Wow kind of surprised some of you are still getting flawed samples straight out of the box. I saw it myself on fresh launch day demo phones at the store.. FWIW I just picked up a black 32 yesterday. I opened it right at the store in front of the genius. My phone is flawless, thankfully, so I thought maybe they increased the QC by now.

Almost went with the white because of the flaws, but glad I went with the black as it's very slick looking.
 
Hello,
I just noticed a minor flaw on my 64gb Sprint Model. On the back, there are two slight burrs where the Aluminum meets the Glass on the top. There is no discoloration. It just does not look seamless where the two materials meet. They are located dead center and the only way to notice it is to hold the phone at eye level.

Needless to say, I am not going to bother to do anything about it. While it certainly would be nice if where the Glass and Aluminum meet were perfect, but it truly is not worth getting upset over.

I do understand those getting 5's with chips all down the sides and scuffs on the top for wanting to get those exchanged. With such a beautiful Industrial Design, it would be quite frustrating to feel the chips and scratches while in general use.

Best of luck to those who have real issues for a satisfactory resolution.
Cheers,
JJ
 
Early Verizon re-shipments

gsugolfer said:
I was told by the rep to ignore the 10/26 date and that it should ship as soon as there is stock available. She CLAIMED that worry-free guarantee replacements are put at the front of the line.

Not sure how true that is.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it is true. Despite the initial 10/26 date, I just got a shipment notice (it shipped yesterday, October 10th). Expected delivery is October 15th.

Not sure if this is good, as I'm not sure my new phone will have been produced under the stricter quality control measures that were recently implemented. I would have preferred to get it more towards the end of this month. We'll see how it looks.

Did yours ship as well?
 
Cover up scuffs

Has anyone found anything that would cover the scuffs? Like paint or anything
 
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