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iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)
- Thread starter Pagemakers
- Start date
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I got mine on launch day, about two days later I started noticing scratching on the bottom corners of my phone. I haven't made it up to Apple yet, but I expect to get a new phone. 
I tried this and it looked worse than the initial scratch!
It's a completely different finish to the glossy chamfered edge.
Fortunately my iPhone has developed other issues and I'm getting it exchanged for a new one via Apple Online so I'm hoping the new one doesn't come with any scratches on it!
How preventing the scuffs? = case. Guess what? It's also removable so you can take your iPhone out of it when you want to show off.
I haven't taken the iPhone 5 apart, so this might not work. But, if you could separate the aluminum back piece from everything else, you could probably have a shop re-anodize it for you. Might be a little overkill, but it would work.
A little overkill?
I found two dead pixels on my launch day phone. Took it in to get an exchange. The genius guy looked and said they'll swap it out for a new one in a retail box (didn't have to ask). Was sent over to one of the guys on the display floor and he swapped mine out. My original one had two very minor scuffs that I were too small to be noticeable unless you carefully inspect it.
The new one I got looked like it was dropped on the floor on a corner. Scuffed and scratched and showed silver. The guy apologized and swapped out immediately for another retail box. Next one had dents along the bezel and plastic frame around glass and a very loud rattling which even he thought wasn't normal. Swapped one more time for another new one and this one is scuffed up along the edges.
At this point, I just told him I'd keep this one. I'll most likely just return for a refund before the 30 days is up (confirmed that I could). iOS has always been plain and boring to me but the hardware was always top notch. Can't really say that with this current iPhone.
The new one I got looked like it was dropped on the floor on a corner. Scuffed and scratched and showed silver. The guy apologized and swapped out immediately for another retail box. Next one had dents along the bezel and plastic frame around glass and a very loud rattling which even he thought wasn't normal. Swapped one more time for another new one and this one is scuffed up along the edges.
At this point, I just told him I'd keep this one. I'll most likely just return for a refund before the 30 days is up (confirmed that I could). iOS has always been plain and boring to me but the hardware was always top notch. Can't really say that with this current iPhone.
Sharpie is good for tiny nicks. It isn't going to look good on a bigger scratch, especially if it's on the flat back of the phone.
I've used black Sharpie to touch up little dings and nicks on treated metal cameras and golf clubs, and it works well. Works well on the chamfer of the iPhone 5, too. Just noticed a very tiny nick on the back edge near the volume buttons earlier today. A little dab with a black Sharpie and you'd never know it was there. (First blemish after more than two weeks without a case, and without any special care/handling, FWIW.)
I've used black Sharpie to touch up little dings and nicks on treated metal cameras and golf clubs, and it works well. Works well on the chamfer of the iPhone 5, too. Just noticed a very tiny nick on the back edge near the volume buttons earlier today. A little dab with a black Sharpie and you'd never know it was there. (First blemish after more than two weeks without a case, and without any special care/handling, FWIW.)
Update...
I went to a different apple store than the ones I have been going to to try and get a decent iphone. So this morning I am on my third replacement. After speaking to AppleCare last night, they set me up with an appointment at a different apple store to see if their stock fares better than the other two apple stores I have been going to. Yes; it's a lot of traveling.
So I get to the third apple store. I show the genius my iphone and he goes into the back. He comes out and I forms me that they will not replace it today because my iphone contains only dings around the antenna. He says they are low on replacement stock of iPhones so they are only replacing iPhones with "real technical problems" and not ones with damage out of the box.
Ok I say, " then may I have a new retail sealed one? " he says no and explains why. Ok, I am mad. I leave this store and immediately make an appointment at one of the other apple stores. I get there and the genius looks at the phone closely and sees the dings. He says he will replace it. He brings out the first one and opens it; looks like a winner. No damage that I can see.
This is the strange part. I immediately put a screen protector and a TPU case on it.( I always baby my iPhones and take extreme measures to protect them). After a couple of hours of use, the chamfered edge is peeling off in tiny flakes around the antenna. W t F?
And at this point, I am at my fourth replacement. I have learned that not only are units arriving damaged, but it also takes very very VERY little effort for the chamfered edge to start chipping the anodized black off of it. At this point I will either just give up or wait for a month or two and possibly have a better quality replacement. What should I do? What should all of us experiencing such a problem do?
I went to a different apple store than the ones I have been going to to try and get a decent iphone. So this morning I am on my third replacement. After speaking to AppleCare last night, they set me up with an appointment at a different apple store to see if their stock fares better than the other two apple stores I have been going to. Yes; it's a lot of traveling.
So I get to the third apple store. I show the genius my iphone and he goes into the back. He comes out and I forms me that they will not replace it today because my iphone contains only dings around the antenna. He says they are low on replacement stock of iPhones so they are only replacing iPhones with "real technical problems" and not ones with damage out of the box.
Ok I say, " then may I have a new retail sealed one? " he says no and explains why. Ok, I am mad. I leave this store and immediately make an appointment at one of the other apple stores. I get there and the genius looks at the phone closely and sees the dings. He says he will replace it. He brings out the first one and opens it; looks like a winner. No damage that I can see.
This is the strange part. I immediately put a screen protector and a TPU case on it.( I always baby my iPhones and take extreme measures to protect them). After a couple of hours of use, the chamfered edge is peeling off in tiny flakes around the antenna. W t F?
And at this point, I am at my fourth replacement. I have learned that not only are units arriving damaged, but it also takes very very VERY little effort for the chamfered edge to start chipping the anodized black off of it. At this point I will either just give up or wait for a month or two and possibly have a better quality replacement. What should I do? What should all of us experiencing such a problem do?
Decided i would venture down to the apple store to see for myself.
Im shocked at what i saw. The demo unit i examined was showing bare aluminium all around the connector port (so thats what it will look like after 2 weeks of going in and out of a table charger?) aswell as plenty edge scuffs.
I took a coin to the edge and the black paint came off just a little to easy.
WTF Apple??
Im shocked at what i saw. The demo unit i examined was showing bare aluminium all around the connector port (so thats what it will look like after 2 weeks of going in and out of a table charger?) aswell as plenty edge scuffs.
I took a coin to the edge and the black paint came off just a little to easy.
WTF Apple??
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This is absolutely nuts.
Today I was looking at my iPhone 5 and I was almost blinded by some shiny silver.
Thought I'd been saved, but there it was. A nice decent size annoying as %#&? nick right on my beautiful bezel.
Am I annoyed. You betcha I am.
IF SOMEONE AT APPLE CAN READ THIS, WHY CAN'T YOU FIX THIS TINY LITTLE ANNOYING NICKS AND SCUFFS ON THE $700 PHONE YOU SELL WITHOUT RUNNING MORE CHINESE WORKERS TO INSANITY, RIOTS OR SUICIDE?
MARIA BARTIROMO ALWAYS MENTIONS HOW MUCH CASH YOU ALL HAVE AND HOW YOUR STOCKS BEEN GOING UP TO INFINITY.
HERE'S A HINT. STOP BEING SO CHEAP AND GREEDY AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS WHO COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR AND SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON YOUR PHONES AND TAKE CARE OF THE WORKERS THAT HELP PUT THESE PRODUCTS TOGETHER. IM ALL FOR HIGHER PROFITS AND MORE MONEY BUT NOT AT THE COST OF THE CUSTOMER AND THE WORKERS WHO MAKE APPLE HAPPEN.
THEY ARE ALL YOU HAVE!
END.
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in Germany, on Telekom - just recieved my 32GB Black (that I ordered on Sep 14th at 7am)... some small nicks by the headphone sockets - and a little dent by the ariel band.
Now deciding whether to visit the apple store for a swap - or just put it in a case and move on....
Now deciding whether to visit the apple store for a swap - or just put it in a case and move on....
I have a white one and it was near perfect out of the box. It did have some small scuffing on the chamfer but its hardly noticeable. The white simply doesn't show imperfections and I love it. Also fwiw, my phone was on my center console yesterday when I was driving and I took a turn which sent my phone flying across my truck into the plastic pocket in the passenger door. Not a single ding scratch or anything and my iphone 5 is totally naked.
in Germany, on Telekom - just recieved my 32GB Black (that I ordered on Sep 14th at 7am)... some small nicks by the headphone sockets - and a little dent by the ariel band.
Now deciding whether to visit the apple store for a swap - or just put it in a case and move on....
Change it! You will get a new undamaged phone and you will doing the rest of us a favour, since the more people that do it the more likely Apple will do something about it.
I am still having trouble deciding what to do. Apparently some of the phones have very sensitive anodized coating while some do not. My phone came with 2 nicks on it but I have not had any new scratches or nicks since I got the phone. I have taken several cases on and off and it still looks perfect other than the two original places. I would hate to get a replacement that looks perfect at first but then comes off very easily. This is a tough one.
Awaiting my third replacement iPhone 5.. first one was retail boxed, second was white box "inspected" by applecare, and the third one will be another retail box... 3rd time a charm?
My replacement had 4 small nicks on it that look like everybody else's. The weird thing was the SIM card car trey was a completely different color. I've seen some others report this same issue.
