iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air: Scratch Issues with Dark Colors

Key Takeaways

1. Apple launched the iPhone 17 series on September 9, introducing the slim iPhone Air alongside Pro and Pro Max versions.
2. Display units in multiple countries showed noticeable scratches after a few hours of use, raising concerns about durability.
3. A scratch test by YouTuber Wylsacom revealed significant vulnerability to scratches, especially on the Deep Blue iPhone 17 Pro.
4. Scratches were commonly found around the MagSafe charging area of the iPhone Air and on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models.
5. Apple claims the iPhone’s front is three times more resistant to scratches and the back is four times less prone to cracking than previous models, though scratch resistance on the back is not emphasized.

Apple introduced the iPhone 17 series on September 9, bringing forth the slimmest model yet, called the iPhone Air, along with the familiar Pro and Pro Max versions. The iPhone 17 Pro features an aluminum body, while the iPhone Air has a ceramic shield on both the front and back. Nevertheless, display units at Apple Stores in China, France, and London have been observed to have noticeable scratches and marks after just a few hours of use.

YouTuber’s Scratch Test

On September 18, Russian YouTuber Wylsacom released a video where he conducted a scratch test on the iPhone 17 Pro. He pointed out that the Deep Blue iPhone 17 Pro showed a significant vulnerability to scratches. This observation was supported by French publication Consomac, which confirmed similar issues during their hands-on experience at the Apple Store in Lyon Confluence. The dark-colored variants, like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Space Black iPhone Air, also experienced these problems.

Findings on Scratches

Scratches were especially common around the MagSafe charging area of the iPhone Air and throughout the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg similarly reported finding scratches on demo units in cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong, and London. The Pro models feature an aluminum unibody, a choice made by Apple to incorporate a vapor chamber for better heat dissipation.

The iPhone Air, in contrast, features a ceramic shield that is fairly resistant to bending, but struggles with color retention. According to Apple, the front of the phone is three times more resistant to scratches and the back is four times less prone to cracking than earlier iPhone models, though they do not emphasize the back’s scratch resistance. Many enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the well-known JerryRigEverything to test the durability of the iPhone 17 series, particularly the iPhone Air. Meanwhile, several bend tests available online demonstrate the strength of the iPhone Air.

Wylsacom’s YouTube channel, along with reports from Consomac and Bloomberg, highlight these concerns regarding the iPhone 17 series.

Source:
Link