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Poly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 14, 2013
444
14
Germany
So is really EVERY black iP5 affected by the scuffgate? Or are these only 5% that get scratched that easily?

I can get a brand new iP5 16GB black for 550€(=730$)....
 
So is really EVERY black iP5 affected by the scuffgate? Or are these only 5% that get scratched that easily?

I can get a brand new iP5 16GB black for 550€(=730$)....

No matter what anyone says the black anodized finish on soft aluminum will scratch! Heck, many got scratched during assembly.

Beware as others will claim their looks like new.:rolleyes:

They are in denial!:p

$730!!!!!! Ouch!
 
Non-tempered 6061 aluminum is a poor substrate for anodizing. It is soft and light and is easily malleable.
 
Yup it's pretty bad. I had the black for about 6 months before switching to the white. It's especially bad around the edge of the phone. Shame since when new the black is gorgeous.
 
Okay and is the white one better? I think there it is pure aluminium?


The 5S is supposed to have the exact same body...so how could this be done any better?
 
Okay and is the white one better? I think there it is pure aluminium?


The 5S is supposed to have the exact same body...so how could this be done any better?

The finish can only be as strong as what its coating. And the aluminum on an iPhone is soft.

I own a Xoom which I actually still use and its some sort of aluminum but the coating on it is very durable. Its mint for the most part (one microscopic nick on an edge). So it is possible.
 
Question on black 5 "scuffgate"

Not just the black iPhone 5, even the white one. I have a white iPhone 5 and the anodized silver edging gets scuffed so easily.
 
So is really EVERY black iP5 affected by the scuffgate? Or are these only 5% that get scratched that easily?

I can get a brand new iP5 16GB black for 550€(=730$)....

Every iPhone 5 is affected by scuffing.. 100%. The black ones show it more than the white ones, obviously, but they are both equally prone to scuffs.
 
I've had my white iPhone 5 since early November (no case) and have only had a few minor (practically invisible) scratches on it (dropped it once on a wooden floor). The easiest thing to scratch, I think, is the Apple logo on the back.
 
The white gets dings and scratches, its just the scratch is the same colour as the metal so it's less obvious.

Just accept it that your black will get a ding and you will enjoy it. If you stick it in a case and wrap it in cotton wool you may as well get an old nokia brick.
 
Ok thanks so far.

You think that there is ANY way, that Apple was able to fix those issues for the 5S?
 
My babied, sleeved, black 5, while not decimated, has not held up nearly as well as my black 4 and 4s.

Little specks here and there with about 5-6 very obvious ones. I've actually taken the sleeve off, perhaps dust/etc has been the cause.

I did not cover any of the 4 models.
 
Mine has not scratched. Black iPhone 5, 64GB. That is NOT to say that it is not scuffed or nicked around the bezel edges, because it is.

But I don't lay my phone on it's back or it's front on a rough surface. Consequently the back and the front have no scratches at all. 90% of the time my iPhone is either in my pocket or one of the two plastic-covered metal business card holders that I use to put it in, or on the sofa next to me at home.

I don't put it in the same hand as my keys and I generally tend to handle it with two hands when transitioning it from places (such as the center console in my car to my pocket or vice versa). I do have some rough abrasions on a couple corners though because of being stupid and allowing it to fall out of my pocket on to concrete (I was bent down so it didn't fall too far fortunately).

Except for all of that and the fact that the finish has rubbed off on one edge because of sitting in the business card holder at work all day my IPhone is fine.

It scratches, it scuffs and it nicks but you can mitigate this as much as you can by being careful with it.

One of the things I do not understand is why people will lay their expensive iPhones face down on a rough surface or a desk or something like that. Some say it's to prevent dust in the ear piece. All I can see is complaints about scratched screens. If I lay my iPhone down it's always on the back.

EDIT: Note, I do not use a case at all.
 
Yeah my 4S is now nearly 2years old(got it on release day) and it still is BRAND NEW. I always kept it in a case by "incase".
I'm always someone that cares really much to keep their electronics in good shape. My younger brother is someone that doesn't care, he keeps dropping his things quite often.

It scratches, it scuffs and it nicks but you can mitigate this as much as you can by being careful with it.

One of the things I do not understand is why people will lay their expensive iPhones face down on a rough surface or a desk or something like that. Some say it's to prevent dust in the ear piece. All I can see is complaints about scratched screens. If I lay my iPhone down it's always on the back.

Mine also always lays on the back, besides i have a soft surface like my sofa or my leather wallet.
As said above, I'm really careful with my devices....

I'll wait until the 5S is released and see if I prefer it and if not, i'll take the 5 with the additional discounts being offered(probably).
 
I'm hoping they fix this on the 5s but they probably won't .

If the phone looks bad after a few months then less people are going to want to buy it on the 2nd hand market and will be more likely to buy the new one instead which = extra money to apple .

Owner of scuffed phone who was going to sell for next iphone will still probably buy new iphone so it's still money to apple.
 
I felt bad initially when I got the white iPhone 5 but now I think I made the right choice. The apple logo has small sings of scratch but the rest still looks fine.

The white iPhone 5 also seem to be the color of choice by apple themselves when they put out their adverts.

The next iPhone will have this scuff problem addressed am sure.
 
You think they'll do anything about the scratching issues in the next generation? Or is that too much of a change for an S series?
 
You think they'll do anything about the scratching issues in the next generation? Or is that too much of a change for an S series?

When they moved from the 4 to the 4S they also fixed the antennagate but the scuffgate IMHO seems like a lot more complicated to fix. Scuffgate is all about the entire housing of the phone....so my personal hopes are low, that's why i was asking this here, too.
 
IMO, White is the way to go with iphone 5s. My white looks great two months on, my black was a mess after a month. I don't use a case and didn't drop the black once. It was just stupidly easy to scuff. Like the person above, my white iphone has scratched a little on the apple but that seems like the only part prone to scratching which doesn't bother me.
 
Beware as others will claim their looks like new.:rolleyes:

They are in denial!:p

Wrong!

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Mine has not scratched. Black iPhone 5, 64GB.

Right

Had mine since launch (Black) and have used it with a case. If I take it out of a case there are no scuffs scratches or anything. It's how you look after a phone that will determine its condition.
 
Right

Had mine since launch (Black) and have used it with a case. If I take it out of a case there are no scuffs scratches or anything. It's how you look after a phone that will determine its condition.
Yeah, that's what I don't get. I had my original iPhone 5 from launch day to November 2012 and my replacement from November 2013 to now and no scratches on the back of either of them.

No scratches near "the Apple", no scratches anywhere else in the back. How do you get a scratch near "the Apple" or even discover that it's prone to it unless you are bringing something that can scratch to it?

Are people sliding their phones around on desks and tables and such, or holding their phone with their keys or some other metal object? IDK, but I find it difficult to understand how you get a scratch on the back if you lay the phone down on a non-rough surface and don't move it or how you get a scratch on the back when the only thing touching your iPhone is your bare hands.
 
Yeah, that's what I don't get. I had my original iPhone 5 from launch day to November 2012 and my replacement from November 2013 to now and no scratches on the back of either of them.

No scratches near "the Apple", no scratches anywhere else in the back. How do you get a scratch near "the Apple" or even discover that it's prone to it unless you are bringing something that can scratch to it?

Are people sliding their phones around on desks and tables and such, or holding their phone with their keys or some other metal object? IDK, but I find it difficult to understand how you get a scratch on the back if you lay the phone down on a non-rough surface and don't move it or how you get a scratch on the back when the only thing touching your iPhone is your bare hands.
Rough hands?:D
 
Yeah, that's what I don't get. I had my original iPhone 5 from launch day to November 2012 and my replacement from November 2013 to now and no scratches on the back of either of them.

No scratches near "the Apple", no scratches anywhere else in the back. How do you get a scratch near "the Apple" or even discover that it's prone to it unless you are bringing something that can scratch to it?

Are people sliding their phones around on desks and tables and such, or holding their phone with their keys or some other metal object? IDK, but I find it difficult to understand how you get a scratch on the back if you lay the phone down on a non-rough surface and don't move it or how you get a scratch on the back when the only thing touching your iPhone is your bare hands.

I agree they don't scratch on there own. I think the point is they are infinitely easier to scratch the previous generations.

Look at display models. Tethered to a 6" leash onto a soft back and they look like complete crap. Ok well its a display model and a lot of hands are on it. Look at the 4S, mint condition.
 
I agree they don't scratch on there own. I think the point is they are infinitely easier to scratch the previous generations.

Look at display models. Tethered to a 6" leash onto a soft back and they look like complete crap. Ok well its a display model and a lot of hands are on it. Look at the 4S, mint condition.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not denying that they are easy to scratch. It is easy and Apple should fix it. But you got my point about handling, which is the point I was trying to make.

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rough hands?:d
lol!
 
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