iPhone 5 Rear Case Scratch Test Video

[Michael Scrip]

What is the point of buying a metal phone and placing it in a plastic case to prevent scratches? Just buy a phone with a plastic shell. A good chunk of the purchase price goes towards making these smartphones thin and looking good. Adding a case makes them simply thicker and uglier than a caseless phone with a few scratches here and there.

I don't want the phone itself to have scratches on it. That's not an unusual feeling.

One reason? Resale value. My iPhone 4S has been in a case for the last 9 months... and it's still in pristine condition.

Glass or metal phones will pick up scratches from any fine grit they may come in contact with on surfaces. That's something I would like to avoid.

The nice thing about other plastic phones is that you can easily replace the plastic back or battery cover if you need to resell it.

As for thickness... my iPhone 4S with a case is still thinner than my old Blackberry without a case.

And an iPhone 5 with a case would be thinner still.

 

[mentaluproar]

I think I'll order the white model once iPhone 5 has a working Maps app.

Navigon. Done.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Navigon. Done.

Exactly.

I already have Motion X for turn-by-turn navigation (something the old iOS maps didn't do at all)

I still have a few months left on my Motion X license so I'm testing Apple's new maps in the meantime.

If Apple's maps are the fail everyone says they are... I'm glad there are other options.

But as of right now... I haven't noticed anything funky with the way I use Apple's maps.

 

[baller1308]

Now the kid is going to scratch all of mommy's phones.

All the ring did was take the black coating off. Saw the black and white in store and while they both look great, I'm liking the white one this time. The backing is just like their laptops.

 

[prvt.donut]

For people worried about resale value, just replace the rear when you want to sell it.

If you add up all the money you spend on cases trying to keep it perfect throughout daily left for the next 2 years, also making your thin phone thick. You could use that money at the end and replace the back frame and front glass if needed. You can swap the battery at the same time and it will be a brand new phone.

For reference using the iPhone 4 as a guide.

It costs to buy new parts shipped from china:

Battery $8USD
Metal frame $20USD
Front and back replacement glass with LCD $30

The iPhone 5 looks nice and easy to repair too.

 

[iZac]

Presumably the iPod mini / nano / shuffle has been doing this for years?

 

[jmpnop]

Is this seriously what we are resorting to now for news clicks? If you gouge a 2 year old a set of keys and have her bang the crap out of an iPhone, it scratches. SCUFFGATE.

I'm seriously worried for humanity.

I don't know why everybody is so surprised by this. Obviously, glass is harder than aluminum. But it does break more easily, too... There's just no material that resists everything.

Its just a phone, who cares if it has a bunch of scratches and scrapes, if its a big deal in your life, you have worse problems.

Anyone with a brain can understand that taking a steel nail to aluminum will scratch it. Next they'll say the iPhone doesn't hold up in hot tubs!

I dont' understand everyone's concern - you actually abuse the iPhone and it shows it????? I'm sure if you abuse one of the Android or MS based phones that won't happen!!!! (sarcasm) Take a set of keys to anything (try the surface of your car) and you will see some damage.

You guys are missing the point, iPhone 5 is much more prone to scratches than iPhone 4S. With regular use, 5 will look much worse than 4S. It would've been a big deal if that was the case with Galaxy S3, but its absolutely fine when Apple does it

 

[donniedarko]

Pretty bad that Apple didnt evaluate this on the front end and didnt do an appropriate hard anodizing. I have this done on my race motorcycle parts with zero chipping etc. Pretty weak my 800+$ phone cant even wear better then the old. :thumbsdown

 

[flameproof]

That video is plain silly. All phones except the iPhone 4/4s coz of their glass would scratch.

If the shell is plastic you can probably polish the scratch away. For painted/anodized aluminum you can't, you would remove the outer paint/finish.

I would be more concerned about report that Apple sells iPhone 5 often with scratches.

 

[Tilezzzzz]

White Iphone with Black Front?

Is anyone else thinking of getting the White Iphone and then at a later date just replacing the screen with one for the black Iphone?

I think Black front with silver back and sides is ultimately the best look. (Shame it will have the white top and bottom still though on the back.

From what I can see in Ifixits tear down the back and sides will be the most difficult part to replace as everything is screwed into it this time.

 

[superman23]

Pretty bad that Apple didnt evaluate this on the front end and didnt do an appropriate hard anodizing. I have this done on my race motorcycle parts with zero chipping etc. Pretty weak my 800+$ phone cant even wear better then the old. :thumbsdown

they can find a better way. which is why it's always better to wait for the 2nd production run

 

[a0me]

Navigon. Done.

Too bad the app is not available in Japan (where I live) and that it's made for people with a car, not for people who rely on walking and public transit, like myself and most people living in a urban area in Japan (about 90 million people, or 70% of the population).

Japan is one of Apple's (iPhone) biggest market after the US. I'm still amazed that Apple managed to ***** up on a functionality that Japanese feature phones have had since the early 2000s. Sure the apps were less user friendly back then but they were far more accurate.

 

[nick_elt]

For those of you who are interesting in how the back of the phone might ware with time, here is a picture of the back on my original iPhone.

This is after many years of use/abuse.

Image

That is in much better condition than my plastic 3g to all the complainers

 

[nordicappeal]

Couldn't care let! I'm not sure what people care so much about scratches!?

 

[GameSlayerGS]

I think glass is better, just in general, I dropped my iPhone 4 on several occasions and it's fine, this is a drop from roughly shoulder height on to tile in most cases, sometimes carpet though. It never cracked. I am unhappy with the minor scratching though. I just wished they had used Gorilla Glass on the back too, not just the front. The aluminum they have now is thinner, which I like, once I get one, in March when my contract expires, I'm sure I'll like it more because it's thinner.

----------

Couldn't care let! I'm not sure what people care so much about scratches!?

It uh... looks bad.

 

[davidjearly]

I'm quite gutted she has a child.

 

[clownie]

Scuffgate

Two year old twins did same thing to my Camry. They couldn't find the keys so they used a sharp metal rod. By age 3, maybe they can hoist a sledge in unison... If the antenna works better, I say fair trade...

 

[frostiex]

Humanity just needs to stop bitching about it. If you drop ANY delicate electronics on the ground, run keys to it etc....

IT IS GOING TO HAVE SCRATCHES!

I have seem many CHEAP ASS / OLD cars getting into an accident with a Land Rover and it is not like the LR just dust off and looks just like new. Just be realistic people. Making a name like scuffgate against a PHONE?? VERY LAME!

Apple needs to come up with something elegant looking that can permanently strapped on these morons in life, they seems to expect things to be perfect when they screw up.

 

[JS82712]

You guys are missing the point, iPhone 5 is much more prone to scratches than iPhone 4S. With regular use, 5 will look much worse than 4S. It would've been a big deal if that was the case with Galaxy S3, but its absolutely fine when Apple does it

and the S3 is relevant to this thread because?

or are you just butthurt because apple is smoking the s3 sales.

 

[Technarchy]

and the S3 is relevant to this thread because?

or are you just butthurt because apple is smoking the s3 sales.

...and drop tests

...and performance tests

....and the GS3 screen is still utterly horrendous

 

[Drag'nGT]

Who isn't surprised that aluminum scratches? The back of the iPad and the whole iPod line both scratch and then we have the entire Mac line! We all hate that the pieces can scratch but its kind of a well established fact.

I take it a lot of you didn't have the original iPhone with its aluminum case?

 

[Tonewheel]

I am AMAZED (but probably shouldn't be) at the number of apologists for this iPhone 5. But then again, these are many of the same people that paid hundreds of dollars to upgrade from an iP4S for no good reason and are out of sorts with this issue.

Forget key scratching. The repeated in-and-out from your pants pocket is going to mar this thing in short order, not so much on the back but on the chamfered edges.

The case mfrs are enjoying their Sunday!

 

[Bendrix]

This is a real problem. Why are so many of you in denial about it? It certainly was not intended to look like a black phone with scuffs in it after a few weeks of regular use.

"Don't drop it." "Don't treat it roughly." "Don't store it with other items."

How can a normal person using it normally follow that advice all the time? Jony Ive says himself in the iPhone ad that it's the device that you have with you all the time. iPhones are prone to incidental damage, like anything that you carry around with you all the time. Not everyone has perfect coordination, and not everyone can be constantly mindful of their phone. Busy people don't think oh I better not put the phone in the same pocket as my change or in my purse with my keys.

They will probably change the manufacturing process a bit for later runs of this phone. Or I'm sure this will become Scuffgate.

 

[darkslide29]

48 hours with my black iPhone 5... Still in perfect shape.
I always go caseless with my phone. I rarely, if ever, drop it. I always keep it in my empty right pocket (keys, coins etc always in left).

My phone looks as pristine as when I first got it, and the black looks stunning. No regrets.

Sure, I will drop or ding my phone eventually. That first time is always a little traumatic. But after two days of handling my phone (and others handling my phone to look at it) it's held up fine. And that's great because last two days have been normal usage.
I understand that aluminum won't act the same way and hold up the same way as glass (they each have advantages and disadvantages).. It may damage slightly with a hard fall or scratch. But since the last couple days have proved fine, and not as fragile as it has been made to look as if it would scratch by merely looking at it, I am pleased.

If I had to do it all again I'd still get the black one.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

Apple can't win. They use a hard material like glass, people slam them on the ground and cry about the glass breaking. They use a softer material like anodized aluminum, and people key the thing and cry about little scratches.

I prefer the glass, but oh well, nobody understands how good glass is until they see the alternative. This is like people complaining about the paint job on their Bentley after they drove it through a barrier into a ditch.

Yeah it does suck. The glass on my 4 that I got on release day has not one scratch still. I love the look of this, but I might have to throw it in a clear case to make sure it doesn't get scratched up. I just came home to the box last night so I've only used it for a few hours, but I love the black and it is gorgeous. Hopefully it holds up. I'm definitely not blaming Apple though. What does everyone want them to do, use hideous plastic that looks worse than destroyed aluminum?