iPhone 5 'scuff gate' theory.

[MikeyMike01]

That's exactly why I'm going Champagne this time around lol

That's why I'm looking at the plastic iPhone, myself. It's really quite unacceptable.

 

[Giuly]

Something like a transparent aliphatic polyurethane coating would've prevented and/or fixed the whole scuff gate thing.

However, gold looks like it's a different process from the old gunmetal coating, so that might scratch differently.

 

[JaySoul]

My Day 1 black iPhone 5 was terrible on this issue.

Got a replacement White iP5 and it has fared very, very well.

I'm generally careful but have dropped it once - it got a little kick on the chamfered bezel and that's all. I can live with that!

 

[Skika]

I wonder if these issues will come up with the 5C

You wonder if aluminium getting scratched will be an issue with a plastic built phone?

 

[cynics]

Here is the non engineering version :

There is another type of anodizing that is more than 20 times harder than the one used on the iPhone and is equally thin. It is used on on high quality aluminum flashlights. This anodizing is so hard that a surefire or Phenix flashlight can cut trough a cheaper maglite flashlight when used as a saw.

In summary the hardness of anodizing is not dependent on thickness but on type. Apple can use the Type III and make the iPhone almost scratchproof. Im sure the increase in manufacturing cost will be less than what they are loosing from the returned scratched units.

To be fair the body of a flashlight even a cheap maglite is stronger and thicker then an iPhones case. I've read that has a lot to do with anodization or the process that can be done on the metal.

Btw are maglites even anodized? I not a flashlight snob but comparing to my surefires and foursevens it looks completely different like its powdercoated or something.

 

[Sodner]

News Flash: Metal scratches. Update at 11.