iPhone 13 Pre-Scratched iPhones: Stress Relief?

[Mark Stone]

Many ppl obsess over protecting their Eye Phones from scratches and other cosmetic imperfections - so we case, case, case. I was thinking - what if Apple pre-scratched their new phones? If we got our new iDevices pre-scratched, that would sure remove a lot of user stress. For a small fee, you could get your new phone double factory scratched!

My 8 Plus went for over 4 years without getting a scratch. It was constantly cased, so much that I think I forgot what it actually looked like. I went to a high-school football game, and we had to go through metal detectors - and put phones/keys/change in a little container. This happened to be the day I decided to try caseless - and you can guess what happened. The stress was real. I cursed Apple for making me go through this experience by not pre-scratching.

Maybe I’ll start a business - a Smartphone Pre-Scratch business - and advertise it as a stress-reliever and anxiety miracle remover.

 

[Bacong]

you're an interesting guy.

 

[Shirasaki]

OCD is a condition that require proper treatment I see.
People care because otherwise resale value would tank, even though practically speaking, as long as the device works fully and no major dent/damage, it should be fine.
Now that you are talking about it, I kind of hope pre-scratch becomes the norm so people would put less emphasis on taking care of their iPhone more than themselves.

 

[infinilo]

there was a chance on the chamfered edge on the black iPhone 5 coming scuffed out of the box which lead to the space gray iPhone 5s

 

[turbochgd]

You might as well expand that business to new autos as well. I’m sure that same angst is there maybe even worse . It certainly has been for me various times in my life to the point I won’t purchase a new vehicle any longer.

 

[davedvdy]

It's actually a thing with electric guitars and basses. They call them relics -- an aged look, warts and all.
Electronics? not so much.

 

[russell_314]

Many ppl obsess over protecting their Eye Phones from scratches and other cosmetic imperfections - so we case, case, case. I was thinking - what if Apple pre-scratched their new phones? If we got our new iDevices pre-scratched, that would sure remove a lot of user stress. For a small fee, you could get your new phone double factory scratched!

My 8 Plus went for over 4 years without getting a scratch. It was constantly cased, so much that I think I forgot what it actually looked like. I went to a high-school football game, and we had to go through metal detectors - and put phones/keys/change in a little container. This happened to be the day I decided to try caseless - and you can guess what happened. The stress was real. I cursed Apple for making me go through this experience by not pre-scratching.

Maybe I’ll start a business - a Smartphone Pre-Scratch business - and advertise it as a stress-reliever and anxiety miracle remover.

While we're at it how about batteries that come at 99% health out of the box for those setting timers to unplug their phone from the charger 🤦‍♂️🤣

 

[JPack]

I'd suggest a step further.

Apple U.S. should hire thugs outside the store to relieve you of your iPhone immediately after purchase.

No more anxiety and back to Android!

 

[Pakaku]

Well, brushed aluminum used to be popular... but if I want my phone to look used, I'd rather buy used, it's more authentic

 

[josecuervo888]

Lol no way I’m buying a pre-scratched iPhone. Just no.

 

[ian87w]

Many ppl obsess over protecting their Eye Phones from scratches and other cosmetic imperfections - so we case, case, case. I was thinking - what if Apple pre-scratched their new phones? If we got our new iDevices pre-scratched, that would sure remove a lot of user stress. For a small fee, you could get your new phone double factory scratched!

My 8 Plus went for over 4 years without getting a scratch. It was constantly cased, so much that I think I forgot what it actually looked like. I went to a high-school football game, and we had to go through metal detectors - and put phones/keys/change in a little container. This happened to be the day I decided to try caseless - and you can guess what happened. The stress was real. I cursed Apple for making me go through this experience by not pre-scratching.

Maybe I’ll start a business - a Smartphone Pre-Scratch business - and advertise it as a stress-reliever and anxiety miracle remover.

I believe Apple did try pre-scuffing some iPhone 5 out of the box. So it's been done before.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

Well, people buy “vintage” or “distressed” guitars for good money, so maybe a phone could work, too? 😂

 

[one more]

Well, people buy “vintage” or “distressed” guitars for good money, so maybe a phone could work, too? 😂

Well, a 10 year old guitar may still sound great, an iPhone, not so much. It is a rapidly ageing consumable, not an instrument of art, and is better leased and replaced after a few years use, imo.

 

[ninecows]

It's actually a thing with electric guitars and basses. They call them relics -- an aged look, warts and all.
Electronics? not so much.

So the re-sale value of a scratched iDevice depends on WHO scratched it ;-)

 

[TechRunner]

You might as well expand that business to new autos as well. I’m sure that same angst is there maybe even worse. It certainly has been for me various times in my life to the point I won’t purchase a new vehicle any longer.

I worked with a guy once who'd buy a new truck every three years, and the first thing he'd do is take it out in the woods for a drive and get a few marks on it so door dings gotten in parking lots wouldn't freak him out. I thought that was strange, but it seemed to work for him.

 

[Xand&Roby]

The stress is linked to the price is inversely to the value, in fact the more the value perceived the better, the more the value that the price wants to make perceived, the higher the stress of destroying the product.
That's why people get stressed about scratches and batteries that wear out in 3 months.
It's Apple's market strategy: products that are worth nothing sold as if they were gold. If they were worth something they wouldn't scratch themselves (even the screens!) And the batteries would not be 90% after 6 months.
So the problem is not the stress of the user but how much this will be willing to throw real value (the money with which these poor products are paid is not scratched, it is ALWAYS FUNGIBLE money) in junk.
The extreme concentration of companies on the financial side is also due to making up for the loss of income of people who have decided not to stress anymore by buying junk directly and paying for it as such, instead of paying gold.

 

[Reggaenald]

I actually once put sandpaper to the frame of my then new silver iPhone 11 Pro because I was annoyed by a couple scratches it had gotten in my pocket. Been very satisfied afterwards and never worried about a scratch or dent since.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

Well, a 10 year old guitar may still sound great, an iPhone, not so much. It is a rapidly ageing consumable, not an instrument of art, and is better leased and replaced after a few years use, imo.

I jest, of course.
I also meant guitars that are specifically made to look old and used, not actually old instruments. (The process behind the aging/distressing is quite interesting but it's still a strange product to me, tbh.)

But I do agree with your point: I have a 10+ year old guitar here that sounds great, but the HTC Desire I was using 10 years ago would probably not really cut it anymore these days xD

 

[1557750]

I give my iPhone a Xanax and it’s fine after that.

 

[Mark Stone]

It's actually a thing with electric guitars and basses. They call them relics -- an aged look, warts and all.
Electronics? not so much.

True. It’s also true with acoustics - think of Willie Nelson and “Trigger” 😂

 

[Mark Stone]

While we're at it how about batteries that come at 99% health out of the box for those setting timers to unplug their phone from the charger 🤦‍♂️🤣

Brilliant!

 

[imnotthewalrus]

This is/was a fun post!

 

[Apple fan from Korea]

nvm, deleted

 

[Nsousa]

Many ppl obsess over protecting their Eye Phones from scratches and other cosmetic imperfections - so we case, case, case. I was thinking - what if Apple pre-scratched their new phones? If we got our new iDevices pre-scratched, that would sure remove a lot of user stress. For a small fee, you could get your new phone double factory scratched!

My 8 Plus went for over 4 years without getting a scratch. It was constantly cased, so much that I think I forgot what it actually looked like. I went to a high-school football game, and we had to go through metal detectors - and put phones/keys/change in a little container. This happened to be the day I decided to try caseless - and you can guess what happened. The stress was real. I cursed Apple for making me go through this experience by not pre-scratching.

Maybe I’ll start a business - a Smartphone Pre-Scratch business - and advertise it as a stress-reliever and anxiety miracle remover.

I never , ever protect my iPhones.
i truly believe the object must show its life as time goes by.
totally agains a piece of old hardware looking like factory-new.
my 2 cents.

 

[SpotOnT]

You might as well expand that business to new autos as well. I’m sure that same angst is there maybe even worse. It certainly has been for me various times in my life to the point I won’t purchase a new vehicle any longer.

Oh man, at least iPhones don’t rust.

A scratched car around here has its days numbered.