iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)

[Gix1k]

Pocket-lint posted a close up of the scuff. Makes me sad, I really wanted the all black one.

This depresses me. I'm off on Friday, I'm considering not even opening my black phone when it comes and just take it straight to one of the apple stores to exchange.
Here's how I see it working, I won't have to deal with the line cause I am not there to purchase. I'll walk right up to the counter and do a return/exchange. If they have a white phone there, I don't see how they can tell me they cannot exchange it due to people in a line. That or say its ok for me to open the black phone and use it until they have plenty of phones in stock. I really don't care either way.

 

[Rogifan]

Just as others have posted, I can't deal with that scuffing. What is the process for exchanging this thing? I'm expecting it to be a massive pain in the butt because they're all backordered...

What scuffing? You don't even have your device yet.

 

[luked14]

What are the chances that some retailers won't accept returns if this is a problem with the black iPhones? After all, it is cosmetic damage and they wouldn't have to accept the return based on that alone.

 

[trozau]

If you watch the iPhone 5 official video from Apple from 5:00 - 5:12 time mark, you'll see the anodized frame going thru grinding and polishing for the chamfer. I doubt that they anodized it again but instead just painted it and that is why that chamfer portion is easily susceptible to scuffing.

 

[Apple Corps]

After only a few hours you have a black substance rubbing off yet no one at Apple caught this through numerous product testing nor was it mentioned by any of the reviewers AND you're telling everyone to get a white phone yet you're ordering a black one anyway? Hmmm.....I call BS on this.

You need to purchase an advanced sarcasm filter quickly LOL...

While it could happen, i think it would be a very low probability that Apple would let something like that happen.

OTOH - Mark Papermaster & AntenneGate = no more Papermaster.

I have confidence in Mansfield & his team to have caught something this basic.

 

[mgb1120]

This depresses me. I'm off on Friday, I'm considering not even opening my black phone when it comes and just take it straight to one of the apple stores to exchange.
Here's how I see it working, I won't have to deal with the line cause I am not there to purchase. I'll walk right up to the counter and do a return/exchange. If they have a white phone there, I don't see how they can tell me they cannot exchange it due to people in a line. That or say its ok for me to open the black phone and use it until they have plenty of phones in stock. I really don't care either way.

Likewise but im thinking they wont have any, ill just use it until they get white models in.

 

[RjaylinS06]

I mean the site posting this review has is without a case a wood.... LMAO!!! Yeah it shouldnt scuff so easily but cmon son!!! Clearly your not handling your iphone well if your laying on a rough surface like a WOOD bench. Buy a full body protector and get a bumper case and problem solved. I mean who doesnt do this to begin with smh. I take care of my iphones for resell value alone. paid $200 for my 4S and sold it for $350 on ebay so the value is worth the effort to protect your phone.

 

[ECUpirate44]

so basically no one on here can return the phone to an apple store?!

So it appears.

 

[mgb1120]

So it appears.

cant be.... hmmmmmmm.....

 

[kellte2]

I have confidence in Mansfield & his team to have caught something this basic.

Why is that? Two review sites are reporting it, one with several pictures of affected areas. It seems arguably clear that they didn't catch it.

I always expected this sort of effect after a drop, but handling the device and seeing the bezel chip away is unacceptable.

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cant be.... hmmmmmmm.....

Perhaps RETURN =/= EXCHANGE.

 

[Advil]

i haven't seen many hard anodized metals scuff like that so i have high hopes... we'll see what happens.

 

[JohnnyAndre]

OK - I just got an early delivery on my black iPhone5 - awesome looking and great feel with the longer screen.

However, scuffgate is real - after only a few hours of use there is a black substance that rubs off and the silver colored material underneath shows through.

It looks like hell

So, I recommend that all of you cancel your orders fast - go for the white one.

Do it quickly - that'll move my order for my black 64GB up in the cue and I'll get it sooner (for real this time) !!!

Pics or GTFO.

 

[Akash.B]

You can return the phone, just that you'll have to ship it back to the warehouse. The retail store won't take it

 

[ECUpirate44]

cant be.... hmmmmmmm.....

This is for returns I assume, not sure what the policy is for exchanges. Even then though, i'm sure you would have to wait on line.

 

[Sikaffy]

OK - I just got an early delivery on my black iPhone5 - awesome looking and great feel with the longer screen.

However, scuffgate is real - after only a few hours of use there is a black substance that rubs off and the silver colored material underneath shows through.

It looks like hell

So, I recommend that all of you cancel your orders fast - go for the white one.

Do it quickly - that'll move my order for my black 64GB up in the cue and I'll get it sooner (for real this time) !!!

Maybe the "paint" is too fresh? Like what happened with the iPhone 4S screens going yellow because of the glue being to fresh or something like that?

 

[Apple Corps]

Pics or GTFO.

You also need to turn you sarcasm alert on

 

[JohnnyAndre]

Why is that? Two review sites are reporting it, one with several pictures of affected areas. It seems arguably clear that they didn't catch.

Which other site?

 

[Macdude2010]

Which other site?

Slashgear

 

[kanesw]

You also need to turn you sarcasm alert on

To be fair - it was a poor example of sarcasm

 

[Apple Corps]

Why is that? Two review sites are reporting it, one with several pictures of affected areas. It seems arguably clear that they didn't catch it.

I always expected this sort of effect after a drop, but handling the device and seeing the bezel chip away is unacceptable.

----------



Perhaps RETURN =/= EXCHANGE.

My belief is that the initial "reports" are simply bogus. Anodizing is an electrical / chemical process that significantly hardens the top layers of aluminum.

If this turns out to be a real issue (which I doubt it will) Apple and Mansfield will look like huge idiots.

I guess we will know soon - in the meantime my Black iP5 stays on order.

----------

To be fair - it was a poor example of sarcasm

Not too hard to detect if some slowed down and actually READ it ("...for real this time")

In either case - I think this scuffgate thing will be a tempest in a teapot.

 

[trozau]

My belief is that the initial "reports" are simply bogus. Anodizing is an electrical / chemical process that significantly hardens the top layers of aluminum.

If this turns out to be a real issue (which I doubt it will) Apple and Mansfield will look like huge idiots.

I guess we will know soon - in the meantime my Black iP5 stays on order.

The anodized portion has been grounded and polished off on the chamfer. If you watch the iPhone 5 official video from Apple from 5:00 - 5:12 time mark, you'll see the anodized frame going thru grinding and polishing for the chamfer. I doubt that they anodized it again but instead just painted it and that is why that chamfer portion is easily susceptible to scuffing.

 

[Domino8282]

problem I have with that is you spend $100 for for AppleCare+ then you spend $50 on replacement. Now if you didn't have the service you pay $200 flat($50 more). I only see this as worthwhile unless you think going break two phones.

Bear in mind that the $50 fee only comes into play if it was damage caused by you. In some cases this is very subjective and it has been my experience that Apple Store clerks err on the side of helping you out.

For example, I got a free replacement iPhone 4 nine months after purchase because I found a piece of dust under the screen. Now, to be perfectly honest, the real reason I was exchanging it was a scuff that was clearly my fault. However, the dust under the screen was considered a "manufacturing defect" and so the replacement was free.

I would be willing to bet that if this problem is even half as severe as everyone here assumes, it would fall under that same category... Trust me, speak to the right Apple rep about how you don't expect a $849 phone to wear like this with careful use, how you've come to expect more from Apple, etc., and they'll be more than happy to swap it out. I have even had out of warranty items replaced (not that I expected them to be) by being friendly and reasonable.

 

[mgb1120]

My belief is that the initial "reports" are simply bogus. Anodizing is an electrical / chemical process that significantly hardens the top layers of aluminum.

If this turns out to be a real issue (which I doubt it will) Apple and Mansfield will look like huge idiots.

I guess we will know soon - in the meantime my Black iP5 stays on order.

I second this, theres no way this phone can be this delicate to rub off the finish by touching it alone

 

[JohnnyAndre]

Slashgear

Link?

 

[kellte2]

My belief is that the initial "reports" are simply bogus. Anodizing is an electrical / chemical process that significantly hardens the top layers of aluminum.

If this turns out to be a real issue (which I doubt it will) Apple and Mansfield will look like huge idiots.

I guess we will know soon - in the meantime my Black iP5 stays on order.

At least for the picture posted by pocket-lint, and featured on the OP, the fault appears to be where the anodized surface was "diamond finished." The process is detailed on some apple promotional video on their website, but it carves an edge on the anodized surface leaving a small, exposed aluminum area in natural silver color. My guess is that this process is inherently inexact and it leaves the edge of the anodized surface prone to wear that would not otherwise occur if the finish were left undisturbed. So much for being cute with that diamond finish...