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Received gold iphone today, nicks and scratches.

L

likeknives

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
5
0
Hi all!

This is my first post here. I've followed the forums for awhile but never felt the need to post. Like a lot of you who were lucky to be in the first wave of orders at launch, I received my iPhone today. Gold 16gb Verizon.

It came out of the box with a few nicks and scratches on the back gold plate:

phone2.jpg


As small as they are, it's still disheartening to have a product come out of the box not at 100%. I'm not upset about it really but I went ahead and called Apple and was moved up the line to a top manager. I sent him the pictures. I told him I understand we're in a predicament because replacing it isn't so easy with the gold production situation. They're trying to come up with a solution and he's going to call me back. I told him I might be being ridiculous even calling about this but he assured me that I wasn't, that my phone should have come out of the box with no nicks or scratches.

I'm coming from a 4s and this is my first experience with the new aluminum/metal backing which I realize scratches more easily.

If it's easy to replace, even if it takes a few weeks I might go ahead and do it. Obviously I'm not wanting to part from the phone I have until I get the new one. :)

I just wanted thoughts from other Apple customers on what you would do. Would you want a replacement?

Also congrats to everyone getting their phones this week and for those of you still waiting, hang in there! It will be worth the wait!
 
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If it was all as per that photograph then I would probably live with it. However, you have to live with it and if you aren't happy then get it replaced.
 
Hmmm. My black 5 came with marks but I don't use a case so I didn't care.


If I were the type to keep it in amazing condition in a case and everything, I would do what you are doing. But to me I would just move on knowing its gonna get worse :).
 
My Space Gray 5s came with stuff under the protective covers, but there were no scratches.

I did find it odd for stuff to be under the plastic though.
 
It's like everything in life bro. You want perfect at the start, but within 6 months you'll be chucking your phone around, in your pocket with your keys, etc not giving it a second thought.

Slightly jelly you received your phone...

For me, as long as the screen is without issue I'd be cool with it.
 
Yeah I might just live with it. I'm upgrading from a 4s that I bought at launch two years ago. I sold it last week without a scratch on it but I kept it in a case. Not a otterbox or anything. Just a plastic case on the back. I do take good care of my products but this is my first iphone with the new backing so I've not yet had to baby the aluminum and metal yet. I guess nicks and scratches to these surfaces is normal! :)

I told Apple that I was probably being ridiculous even calling about it but they said not at all, that it shouldn't have any blemishes on it out the box.
 
I don't blame you. Those aren't earth shattering blemishes but when I bought my 5 last year, there was a couple of nicks on the chamfered edge and I brought it back to get replaced. I'll admit it's a bit nit-picky but I wanted it to be perfect. When you pay that much money for something, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for perfection.
 
stridemat said:
If it was all as per that photograph then I would probably live with it. However, you have to live with it and if you aren't happy then get it replaced.
Click to expand...

Agreed. To me, they aren't that big of a deal. But that is for you to decide OP.
 
If you're going to put a case on it don't worry about it because you won't see it. If you're not gonna put a case on it then don't worry about it because it's going to get scratched up anyway.
likeknives said:
Hi all!

This is my first post here. I've followed the forums for awhile but never felt the need to post. Like a lot of you who were lucky to be in the first wave of orders at launch, I received my iPhone today. Gold 16gb Verizon.

It came out of the box with a few nicks and scratches on the back gold plate:

Image

As small as they are, it's still disheartening to have a product come out of the box not at 100%. I called Apple and was moved up the line to a top manager. I sent him the pictures. I told him I understand we're in a predicament because replacing it isn't so easy with the gold production situation. They're trying to come up with a solution and he's going to call me back.

If it's easy to replace, even if it takes a few weeks I'll probably go ahead and do it. Am I being ridiculous? I just wanted thoughts from other Apple customers. Would you want a replacement?

Also congrats to everyone getting their phones this week and for those of you still waiting, hang in there! It will be worth the wait!
Click to expand...
 
Donoban said:
It's like everything in life bro. You want perfect at the start, but within 6 months you'll be chucking your phone around, in your pocket with your keys, etc not giving it a second thought.

Slightly jelly you received your phone...

For me, as long as the screen is without issue I'd be cool with it.
Click to expand...

Haha! I usually take good care of my tech!

Don't be jelly! You'll get yours! Hang in there! Enjoy tracking packages and watching the forums until yours comes! :)
 
Wow, are you for real?

1. It will get much worse than that in one day without a case.
2. You can't see it with a case, and most cases will make worse marks than that after extended use.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
payfields said:
Wow, are you for real?

1. It will get much worse than that in one day without a case.
2. You can't see it with a case, and most cases will make worse marks than that after extended use.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I guess my tone was misunderstood. I wasn't super upset about this at all. I even told Apple it wasn't a big deal but they insisted that it was and a phone should come out of the box in perfect condition.

I'm not freaking out over it or anything. And I like I said in comments above, I'm coming from a 4s that was a in a case and never had a scratch on it after two years so this is my first experience with the new aluminum/metal surfaces. I've yet to experience the scratching like this.

Sorry you had such a strong reaction to my simply asking what other people would do if their phone had come with nicks and scratches on it.
 
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I'm totally with you.

You will get those that say it wouldn't bother them, and it's just mad to want to replace it, and if that's their opinion then good for them. Personally I'm of the mindset that if I'm paying top dollar for a premium phone, then it should come out the box flawless.
 
stridemat said:
If it was all as per that photograph then I would probably live with it. However, you have to live with it and if you aren't happy then get it replaced.
Click to expand...

agree with stridemat, the reality is if they cannot replace it very quickly, by the time a replacement arrives you will have scratched your iphone more simply by using it.
 
Up to you. Personally, I'd send it back as those would inevitably drive me crazy.

Other people can deal with it and that's fine too. (obviously)
 
likeknives said:
I'm sorry, I guess my tone was misunderstood. I wasn't super upset about this at all. I even told Apple it wasn't a big deal but they insisted that it was and a phone should come out of the box in perfect condition.

I'm not freaking out over it or anything. And I like I said in comments above, I'm coming from a 4s that was a in a case and never had a scratch on it after two years so this is my first experience with the new aluminum/metal surfaces. I've yet to experience the scratching like this.

Sorry you had such a strong reaction to my simply asking what other people would do if their phone had come with nicks and scratches on it.
Click to expand...
Won't hurt to ask for a free case or Applecare+ instead of a replacement. I picked up my Yellow 5c today and saw the gold 5S in person for the first time. Photos just don't do it justice, very nice looking.
 
Just got mine today too and there's a huge nick in the chamfered edge. While my iPhone 5 looks like crap, I prefer putting nicks in it myself. I'll swing by Apple to see what they say.
 
Did you unbox it and take a 10x loupe or microscope to it? Jesus people will find anything to complain about
 
Donoban said:
It's like everything in life bro. You want perfect at the start, but within 6 months you'll be chucking your phone around, in your pocket with your keys, etc not giving it a second thought.

Slightly jelly you received your phone...

For me, as long as the screen is without issue I'd be cool with it.
Click to expand...


This is such a true statement!I try to remind myself of this all the time when I get something new but can never accept that its true.Only thing I really worry about is my screen also,speaking of screens does anyone know if the 5s has gorilla glass?Everyone always think that just because its a new high end phone it has gorilla glass which I know isnt the case but I have been curious about it.
 
I would send it back. Yes the damage isn't bad and yes over time you would probably sustain some sort of marks on the phone by yourself but the point is these things are a lot of money and should be perfect out of the box.

The marks you put on the phone yourself you obviously curse yourself over but at least they're your doing and wasn't there to begin with.
 
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