I originally voted mine was flawless but upon closer inspection this is false. I have a small scuff right above the top antenna band on the right of the phone. Doesn't bother me though.
I checked out the display units at my local Apple Store. There were 10 on display, I checked like 7 of them. 5/7 of them were completely perfect. 1 had a < 0.1mm silver nick near the antenna black paint band. 1 had a small marr, that remained in the black annodized color.
Then there's another guy checking out the iPhone that dropped it for about a foot from chest level to the bench. I checked it out afterwards. There's a small marr, but that also remained in the black annodized color.
This leads me to believe that to strip the annodization off, even at the chambered edges, you need to literally scratch it with something moderately hard. That is, if your phone doesn't come pre scuffed.
I originally voted mine was flawless but upon closer inspection this is false. I have a small scuff right above the top antenna band on the right of the phone. Doesn't bother me though.
It's a phone. Your phone functions. You can call or visit an Apple store to get it replaced.
Chipped glass, I would immediately exchange for (like you did).
What I've got? Not worth the hassle, but I'll keep an eye out. The slight discoloration at the end of the band seems common. My tiny little nick is there for sure, but it is so small that you really would need to be inspecting the phone closely to notice it. I'm not going to worry about it.
Next scuffgate thread will be: You've got your black phone with scuffs/dings out of the box: are you going to return it?
Flawless out of the box
So, you a chicken little yet?
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/21/black-iphone-5-anodized-aluminum-susceptible-to-scratching/
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/edit/10525/38314
Reality is a funny thing isn't it?
Im thinking by the end of the cycle when I do sell it, everybody's phones (who are supposedly flawless) will have the little nick mine does and maybe even worse since im putting a body shield on and take extremely good care of the phone. So resale value will not be hurt by this that's all I really care about.
I knew this would be what happened today! Could have seen that a mile away. You simply cannot make a really durable black finish on brushed Alu. Scuff gate in full effect now. Apple is going to once again have to deal with major scandal on the release of an iPhone! Someone at apple will now have take the fall for making final approval on going anodized Alu.
You're calling them liars?