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Nope not believing that you put a unscratched Iphone in a case and took it out to this. Sorry logic won't allow me too.

That in fact happened with a subset of Black and Slate iPhone 5 with defective anodization coating. Additionally, one could put a microfiber to it and the black would rub off on it.

The chipped glass could be a separate incident so it doesn't necessarily rule out the OP's simply getting an unit with defective anodization coating.
 
Sadly, I see nothing has changed regarding clear cases. I bought a clear case for my gold iPhone 6 and dirt messed up my phone also. As much as it pains me to cover up such a great color, Apple Leather Black cases have kept my phones pristine since.
I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and cover it with the leather case.
 
Only phone I ever kept perfect was my 5 which was never in a case. 6 and 7 are too big and slick to go caseless therefore they got/will get the lovely damage from the case. But I would rather have some marks than shattered screens I guess...
 
I had a Tech 21 case on my 6 Plus and it got little dot scuffs all over it cause of the crap that got in the case...so I get it. I just wish the Apple cases covered the bottom.

The tech21 case is a good option besides the Apple leather brand. I normally rotate between the two and sometimes my Mophie depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing.

Tech 21 cases are what our whole family has used for years. Never caused any scuffing or scratching ever
 
Can you get the anodized coating to rub off? If so, it's only continue to get worse as it's defective.

That in fact happened with a subset of Black and Slate iPhone 5 with defective anodization coating. Additionally, one could put a microfiber to it and the black would rub off on it.

The chipped glass could be a separate incident so it doesn't necessarily rule out the OP's simply getting an unit with defective anodization coating.

But I haven't seen any other complaints that the Black i7's are having an issue with the anodization coating, so it's alittle premature to say that's the cause.
 
But I haven't seen any other complaints that the Black i7's are having an issue with the anodization coating, so it's alittle premature to say that's the cause.

It could be an isolated incident. Not all Black and Slate iPhone 5 units had defective anodizing coating either (although it had a bigger, unrelated problem in which the Chinese workers allowed them to slip past QC and they arrived out of the box full of nicks and scratches).
 
Tech 21 cases are what our whole family has used for years. Never caused any scuffing or scratching ever

I'll probably never buy a Tech 21 case again, not worth it. Those little dots on the inside of the case are to blame...the debris got in there and made dot scuffs on the back.
 
It could be an isolated incident. Not all Black and Slate iPhone 5 units had defective anodizing coating either (although it had a bigger, unrelated problem in which the Chinese workers allowed them to slip past QC and they arrived out of the box full of nicks and scratches).

Yes, that is true and it was on the chamfered edges on the 5's, but hopefully Apple would have learned their lesson and not used the same anodizing method on the 7's.
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I'll probably never buy a Tech 21 case again, not worth it. Those little dots on the inside of the case are to blame...the debris got in there and made dot scuffs on the back.

That's fine, just saying that hasn't happened with any of our cases and is not a common occurrence
 
You're really on about this aren't you? I'm not attributing the chip to the case. It could have happened at any time. What I meant was under normal usage as per every iPhone I've had, this is the first time I've encountered a chip, and that's within the first two weeks. For your sake I hope nothing happens to your phone.

Yeah that's because none of your claims add-up. Good luck to you sir ...
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That in fact happened with a subset of Black and Slate iPhone 5 with defective anodization coating. Additionally, one could put a microfiber to it and the black would rub off on it.

The chipped glass could be a separate incident so it doesn't necessarily rule out the OP's simply getting an unit with defective anodization coating.

He's already said he didn't drop the phone. The chip just magically appeared, lol ...
 
Yes, that is true and it was on the chamfered edges on the 5's, but hopefully Apple would have learned their lesson and not used the same anodizing method on the 7's.
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That's fine, just saying that hasn't happened with any of our cases and is not a common occurrence

I hear that...I do need a better case, though. I installed a full screen tempered glass protector and while it's awesome, it makes the raised lip on my current case even with the screen now...
 
Yes, that is true and it was on the chamfered edges on the 5's, but hopefully Apple would have learned their lesson and not used the same anodizing method on the 7's.

That was actually a design flaw with the normal coating and it affected a large percentage of Black and Slate iPhone 5 units. I'm talking about a subset of Black and Slate iPhone 5 with defective anodizing coating where the black would rub off like crazy when scrubbed with a microfiber, and it'd rub off all over, not just the edges. There were only a few of these, as you can't normally get the color off with a microfiber cloth.

That's why I've asked the OP to take a microfiber to it and see if the black would rub off, in order to rule this out.
 
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After reading about the case you bought and watching the video, it looks like it is two pieces that snap together. How easy is it to take off? Could you have possibly scratched the sides while prying it apart? Was it hard to pull apart and the slight force of pulling the case apart, popped your phone out and landed on the the table on the screen? In doing so, chipping the screen without you realizing it?
 
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The anodizing damage plus the glass chip hints abuse of the device.

Glass doesnt chip itself even if you believe the dust/grit in the case (which would need a LOT of sand in there to do that much damage too)
 
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It's a bummer to have one's new toy sustain damage. I'm still kinda bummed in an OCD way that my old iP5 has a ding in the chamfer, even though it just sits in a drawer.

However, judging solely from the photographic evidence provided, esp. the second picture, those look more like nicks than scratches, and consistent with a phone that has been dropped.

The quantity of damage to the lower volume button, and the bottom corner of the phone, would require some strongly abrasive particles...and/or an extremely weak anodized coating to produce such damage from simply installing/removing it from a case.

Not saying it's right or wrong; just my perspective.

I wish Apple would offer a black fascia to go with the silver case. Black looks great only when it's new, or been just cleaned/restored, but it's a not practical in many use cases.

Does anyone know what type of anodizing iPhones use? Would not seem to be the Type III hard anodizing like you'd find on a tool like a flashlight, and even that's not invulnerable to damage.
 
Yeah some of those nicks look to be from a drop because I dropped my 6+ out of a case and that's exactly how it looked. the scratches look like it slid across the ground after is bounced. I literally just cleaned the ish out of my phone and clear spigen phone case and used a can of air after cleaning to remove any debris. Now I'm concerned about my matte black phone when I find this to be either isolated or not true.
 
My matte black regular 7 is flawless in a spigen case. Around the Apple logo I put a little piece of plastic in behind that so it doesn't get any scratches on it either..
 
I use the Apple Silicone Case. It has that soft textile lining so it won't scratch your phone when you put it on and take it off.

This is why i like the apple silicone case, leather one has it as well. Fits the phone absolutely awesome as well. Pricey but worth it. I have had my matte black naked, but its starting to get annoying giving the phone extra care and worrying about dropping it lol. I think i am going to bite the bullet and use the silicone case and not return it. Its sitting on my desk un opened.
 
I've been switching back and forth between the leather and silicon Apple cases for the last couple of years. I've decided I like the silicon better because they're INCREDIBLY durable (much like the silicon iPad back covers and smart covers). I feel like the leather ones kind of look gross after awhile.

Now that that's out of the way, I feel like the pictures posted indicate that this phone was dropped or slid across an abrasive surface. That really doesn't look like a simple case of anodization coming off, especially when you consider that there are also screen scratches/nicks to go with the damage. That doesn't just happen on its own.

I had the anodization issue on my iPhone 5 right out of the box. The chamfered edge had a nick in it and some of the anodization was already gone in that spot right out of the box. I've seen those models get really worn looking due to anodization issues. The damage in these pictures does not look like that, and even if it was from a case rubbing on the phone, that would take at LEAST a few days to happen.

I apologize for my skepticism, but something just isn't adding up here.
 
Either you aren't telling us something or that is one destructive case. I have the genuine Apple leather case for my Matte Black iPhone 7 Plus. I take it in and out of it's case all of the time. The sides of mine are flawless.

So, either that is the worst case ever made or something else happened to your phone. Why spend sooo much on a phone and not buy a proper case for it?
 
Your pics and the damage seen in the pics, is consistent with a drop onto pavement/concrete. The side got scratched and the rocks or something else chipped the screen.

Logic rules here and it tells me it's impossible for a case to do this (in less than a day without having sand or other very rough items inside). Sorry bud, I don't buy it.
 
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Most cases don't protect any buttons, they protrude from the case...it looks like the buttons are scratched
 
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