Some Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pros Seeing Discoloration Issue

[MacRumors]

Apple is facing a small but growing cluster of reports that the new Cosmic Orange finish on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max is shifting toward a rose-gold or pink hue for a subset of users, in some cases prompting device replacements.

Image via Reddit user DakAttack316.​

Multiple posts on Reddit and TikTok over the past week describe the color of the anodized aluminum frame of the iPhone 17 Pro changing over time. The earliest widely circulated case came from Reddit user DakAttack316, who said their Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max developed a pink tint without any unusual treatment.

Subsequent threads showed same color shift on other units, with the glass rear panel retaining its original saturation while the exposed aluminum perimeter and camera plateau moved toward a rose-gold-like tone. A separate report showed the camera plateau of a four-day-old Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro that appeared deeper in tone than the surrounding frame when viewed in daylight, despite the phone having been kept in Apple's clear case.

Some reports have concluded that the cause of the discoloration is due to contact with peroxide-based solvents or prolonged ultraviolet exposure. On its support website, Apple instructs consumers:

Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the exterior surfaces of your iPhone. Don't use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Avoid getting moisture in any openings, and don't submerge your iPhone in any cleaning agents. After disinfecting, wipe with a soft, slightly damp (with water), lint-free cloth.

Apple does not explain why peroxide is banned, but color loss confined to the metal frame matches what is known to happen when anodized coatings are exposed to strong oxidizers. The iPhone 17 Pro uses anodized aluminum, which is porous during manufacturing and takes on dye before it is sealed. This allows Apple to deliver the strong Cosmic Orange color, but also means the color can shift if the oxide layer is damaged or if UV breaks down the sealed pores.

The other, less saturated iPhone 17 Pro colors do not seem to be experiencing the same problem. Similarly, the titanium and glass finishes of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are not dyed, making them less vulnerable to this type of change as a result.

Apple has not provided any information about the discoloration cases, but some users say that Apple Support replaced affected devices when inspected.

Article Link: Some Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pros Seeing Discoloration Issue

 

[bigandtasty]

Perhaps, this is a feature?

 

[freezelighter]

Looks like my 90s jacket.

 

[Apple-achian]

Users apply oxidizing agents are literal plants from competitors seeking to damage Apple sales.

 

[CaptainBlue]

Who knew that exposure to a bleaching agent might ... I don't know ... bleach it?

 

[MrENGLISH]

The Orange turned out to be Grapefruit...

 

[acblue94]

Big deal. The phone was already ugly and cheap looking.

 

[Bones402]

The internet if flooded with AI fakes and I think we can all admit it is time to log off and just realize nothing is real anymore online. Real or not, the pro on an aluminum frame is tough sell for me after seeing how it is holding up and how cheap it looks to me. That is an opinion it's ok if you don't agree LOL

 

[Spinarelo]

I would totally keep the limited edition grapefruit 17pro

 

[turbineseaplane]

The internet if flooded with AI fakes and I think we can all admit it is time to log off and just realize nothing is real anymore online.

Why would you mention AI or fakes?

Apple has been replacing the devices exhibiting this.

 

[titanium69]

Apple's newest colour: Sunburnt Pale Tourist Red

 

[canadianreader]

iOS 26.4 will fix it

 

[Bones402]

Why would you mention AI or fakes?

Apple has been replacing the devices exhibiting

because nothing online is real

 

[chrono1081]

I always wondered if it was some type of lotion or hand sanitizer people are using that is causing this.

 

[t0rqx]

We have one user that puts his device in a case with no cleaning or exposing to direct sunlight. It changed to pink within a week.

I said this when the first rumour came out there would be an orange colour. The orange colour is one, if not the most difficult colour to master.

They have definitely cut corners like they have been doing with a lot of pro products like manufacturing Macbook Pro screens that all come with micro scratches and dents. Its basically comical...comical orange.

I bet that the rumour about liquid glass style colour casing, was about the possible outcome due to cheap manufacturing the colour would degrade soon.

I wouldn't surprise they will say this is a feature to complement iOS liquid glass.

Magsafe original Apple accessories scratching a phone, is unheard of.
Shows they do NOT test anything. So do not get fooled with AI marketing videos them testing ANC in a castle with soundproof walls or swinging iPhones in a dungeon of material debris.

They could have added an extra drop of water in the vapor chamber for ultra cooling, the cost are nothing ($0.005) yet they refuse, cause it is not the designers/engineers making products, but marketing and finance.

We received new iPad Pro M5 units and the screens makes a pop/click noise in the bottom right corner in portrait mode.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max makes a click popping noise around the left/middle of the screen.

These are basic manufacturing issues. They have saved on QC "cause nobody noticed" until they clean their device and notice it.

It already came like that and Apple already got your money.

People will "just buy it" cause it is Apple, the exact phrase that got Scott Forstall fired. Now the same shizzle is happening across all products on QC level.

In the meantime China is innovating like crazy...it is still not the best overall experience, but the playbook will repeat itsself for all juggernauts in the past, when they are on the top and think they are invincible they will stop innovating, money being the motivation and crash the company in Oblivion.

Good example: Apple Vision Pro got bleed to death straight after release. Nobody even know the product exist, if you walk in the store (if present) is not given any attention.

The only thing at this very moment that could save them is quality. Quality software and hardware. I get it if physics is a limiting factor, but now the software and hardware is almost on par with Android.

I haven't visited the App Store for ten years, cause its full of monetizing ad filled apps.

PS: I has come to my attention there are few reviewers that noticed the microscratch in the screens, even big names like MKHBD. I think it was the M4 Max Macbook Pro, where he says he noticed some dents, not knowing its a a manufacturing issue across the board.

 

[ralph_sws]

it's been known for 3 weeks

 

[SactoGuy18]

This is why if I had gotten this phone I would have gotten a Silver or Deep Blue phone.

 

[indychris]

I always wondered if it was some type of lotion or hand sanitizer people are using that is causing this.

Unless they are applying the lotion/sanitizer directly to the phone, that wouldn't account for the evenness of the discoloration in the photos or the report that the color change has taken place even when in a case.

Who to believe? Many people want to take Apple down, but Apple also doesn't have a pristine record of transparency when it comes to such issues.

All I can say is I'm still lovin' my blue 15PM.

 

[Archmage]

That definitely makes it look more “cosmic”!

 

[HiVolt]

Even if these are fakes or purposefully damaged, i dunno what Apple was thinking mixing two different materials with colors, aluminum and glass on the same side of the phone. Color differences will appear over time.

I just dont know what was wrong with the whole glass back that they've used forever.

 

[dannyyankou]

That’s a feature, Dynamic Paint ™

 

[ralph_sws]

I always wondered if it was some type of lotion or hand sanitizer people are using that is causing this.

its apple fault and its technological process

 

[DHagan4755]

I always wondered if it was some type of lotion or hand sanitizer people are using that is causing this.

Yeah I've wondered this as well. When I had a space gray MacBook Pro years ago, the areas around the trackpad "wore off" to a more silver color. I thought it might be from the stuff I used to wash my face at night — but my hands were clean after so how could that be it?

 

[sziehr]

This is scratch gate circa iPod nano all over again, where apple had no idea it was going to do this and now suddenly has to scramble to come up with some PR answer for whoops we screwed up and the way we got it that color was subject to pre-mature oxidation that we did not expect. They can not just change the process now, so what do you do, well you lean on they must be doing it wrong, when in reality it is probably a manufacturer variation in the coating / coating supply that is allowing for these to be more subject to rapid and unwanted oxidation.

They need to go yep we found the culprit, it is X or Y return them and we have tighten our already tight tolerances even tight to make this not a thing going forward.

I just wished apple had the stones to be like yep we did that, we had no way to know cause we tested it.

 

[turbineseaplane]

because nothing online is real

These have been getting physically replaced by Apple.
This is not an "online" thing.