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5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
Still looks like a fungus eating the anodized surface. Seen these little "trails" on the inside of lenses that were stored in humid conditions.
That might not be a bad guess. I updated a previous post on the subject. I was able to wash my "scuff" off with soap and water and an abrasively textured washcloth. A dry polishing cloth did not work. My iPhone goes into the bathroom with me when I take a shower or soak in the tub so it can be my music player. So in my case my iPhone does get subjected to high humidity for a short time each day. If this is a fungus I think I caught it in time (thanks to this forum) before real pitting could occur. There is no way I could have actually scuffed the iPhone in the conventional sense. Not in the location where the stuff was located on my iPhone. I think when my daughter gets her SE I'll take my old iPhone 5S back to use as an iPod in the bathroom.

I did throw away one of the leather cases to my old iPad mini because it got covered in some sort of white fungus. I don't consider my area to be particularly humid but in my last house and in this one I've had a hard time keeping mold out of the air line in my aquarium and encounter mold more frequently. It wasn't a huge problem before when I lived in close to the city but the closer I've gotten out to the agricultural area the more battles I've had with various kinds of mold.
 
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msp3

Suspended
May 9, 2015
489
608
I’m an iPhone 11 Pro user with the Apple clear case. Sometimes phone gets wet and water is around the edges if the case (in contact with phone underneath). Today I’ve noticed a rusty color around where the antenna meets the case. Is this rust? I took off the case and cleaned it and now it’s gone. Aren’t these made of stainless steel?
 

Fried_Gold

macrumors 68040
Feb 6, 2013
3,816
3,679
United Kingdom
I’m an iPhone 11 Pro user with the Apple clear case. Sometimes phone gets wet and water is around the edges if the case (in contact with phone underneath). Today I’ve noticed a rusty color around where the antenna meets the case. Is this rust? I took off the case and cleaned it and now it’s gone. Aren’t these made of stainless steel?
A picture would have been helpful, is it totally gone after cleaning?
 

freeagent

macrumors 6502a
Mar 9, 2020
597
400
Stainless doesn’t rust unless it’s a lower grade like 409-410 or something. A magnet will stick to low grade stainless. Pond scum can stick to anything if you don’t clean it.

Clean your phones lol.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,494
I’m an iPhone 11 Pro user with the Apple clear case. Sometimes phone gets wet and water is around the edges if the case (in contact with phone underneath). Today I’ve noticed a rusty color around where the antenna meets the case. Is this rust? I took off the case and cleaned it and now it’s gone. Aren’t these made of stainless steel?

I suspect it’s moisture combined with oxidation with the metal, but doesn’t really result in rusting. If it wipes off, then it’s just Moisture trapped with heat, probably that results in what you found. Clean your phone/case regularly, it won’t be a problem.
 
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