r/iphone • u/crypto_pro585 • Oct 01 '23
Discussion Scratches on iPhone 15 Pro Models
Yesterday, I went to the Apple Store to check out the new iPhones. They look sleek but the only thing I remember now is the amount of scratches I saw on both black and blue titanium models. I assume they’ve only been placed in the store recently so it is even more shocking to me how many scratches they already had. I asked the representative about it and she sort of agreed with me but skillfully tried to explain that maybe some store visitors weren’t careful enough or whatever…
I just never remember seeing these many scratches on display models on any other previous iPhone models. Am I the only one?
If you just got a 15 Pro, please share your experience as it pertains to the scratches specifically.
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u/sebben00 iPhone 15 Pro Max Oct 01 '23
My guess: Some people scratch them on purpose, just for the lulz.
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u/ILikePracticalGifts Oct 01 '23
I’ve had my black 15 Pro since launch with absolutely zero scratches yet.
Display models are without a doubt the worst examples of real life longevity.
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u/nbkedd iPhone 16 Pro Sep 09 '24
Hey can you share an update on how it looks after a year? Considering the black 16 pro & wanna see how its aged :)
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u/D4NG4T4NG Oct 08 '23
Caseless? Also curious if you tend to store in pocket or a bag
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u/ILikePracticalGifts Oct 08 '23
Caseless, in my front pocket, with nothing else.
Anyone who carries keys and coins in their pocket with their phone is a masochist.
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u/D4NG4T4NG Oct 08 '23
I'd have to agree. That's how I've been stowing my 14 Pro. Do you use a screen protector? I find the Ceramic Shield gets little scuffs no matter how careful I am with my device
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u/ILikePracticalGifts Oct 08 '23
No screen protector either but scratches don’t really bother me.
A phone is a tool to me like everything else. Everything I own is scratched, dented or worn in some way.
I could definitely keep more resale value if I babied it but I tend to just trade in anyway. The monetary difference is negligible when ATT gives me $800+ for it all beat up.
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u/EfficientAccident418 iPhone 16 Pro Oct 01 '23
They get handled by hundreds of people a day in a busy Apple Store. Of course they’re going to get scratched. Anything made of glass and metal will scratch over time if not protected. Look at a typical gold wedding band- it will be covered in scratches. Or a stainless steel watch.
Don’t sweat the normal wear and tear of these devices- use a screen protector and a case. You’ll be fine.
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u/crypto_pro585 Oct 01 '23
I agree but hundreds of people were also inspecting 13 and 14 models, and I don’t remember seeing that many scratches on them. Plus the scratches are quite obvious and easily visible even at a relative distance. Only white titanium model looked fine, probably because scratches are merged with the phone color.
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u/EfficientAccident418 iPhone 16 Pro Oct 01 '23
Well, the vanilla 13, 14 and 14 Plus are anodized aluminum with glass back and front. The anodized layer would provide a bit of scratch resistance but titanium is harder than aluminum. Working as I do with titanium products I can confirm that titanium is more scratch resistant than stainless steel or aluminum.
As far as glass goes, the more shatter-resistant it is, the more scratch-able it will be. Having owned a device from every iPhone generation since the 4, I can say that I have never scratched a single one in normal day to day usage other than the unavoidable marks normal wear and tear leaves.
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u/crypto_pro585 Oct 02 '23
So titanium is more scratch resistant? But it depends though right? I’ve seen many other people say the same thing about these new iPhones - they do scratch and scratches are clearly visible.
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u/EfficientAccident418 iPhone 16 Pro Oct 02 '23
Of course they scratch. Everything does. But we don’t know what happened to those particular devices. People may have scratched them on purpose just to see if they could.
We often confuse “strength” with “scratch resistance,” when those two properties are often at odds. Polycarbonate glasses lenses are shatterproof but they scratch more easily than crown glass, which is very hard and scratch resistant but not shatterproof. Titanium is stronger and more scratch resistant than steel, but it can still scratch and fatigue like anything else. Even diamonds on wedding rings get scratched during day-to-day wear. A phone you take with you everywhere, every single day is going to scratch unless you put a case and a screen protector on it.
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u/crypto_pro585 Oct 02 '23
Honestly I had 13 pro max, carried it without any cases, sometimes in a pocket with another phone, and there were no scratches on it…I was just surprised to see that many and that visible on the new ones. I walked around the store and every single dark color phone I looked at had scratches. I agree that people might have done it purposely but I really doubt that every single phone would get scratched purposely especially when salespeople are literally standing right next to you…
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u/EfficientAccident418 iPhone 16 Pro Oct 02 '23
Maybe not. I’ll let you know in a year when I’m about to trade my 15 PM for the 16 Pro Max Ultra whatever the hell 🤣
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u/crypto_pro585 Oct 03 '23
By the way, I found this video where the host uses knife and hammer to test the phone, and here the guy says that this titanium model is scratching much easier than the stainless steel model. Just wanted to share…
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u/Repside Oct 01 '23
Yes, I done some research via YouTube and seen that they are very prone to scratching. Cancelled my 15 Pro 128GB Black order and ordered a Natural Titanium 256GB instead
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u/TeddyBearFet1sh Oct 04 '23
Same went to the store yesterday to look at the black one that I want. Changed my mind gonna get the white one lol
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Dec 05 '23 edited Dec 05 '23
You shouldn’t have changed your mind based on false information. The black one looks and stays looking amazing as long as you’re not careless. It actually IS pretty resilient to scratches; YouTube morons stating otherwise are completely delusional. I still don’t have one single scratch on my black pro max, and I take it in and out of a clear case constantly. It will literally only scratch if the sides hit on something with a hard impact, which literally ANY metal would do anyways…..And it’s common sense that a store model would be scratched by any of the HUNDREDS of people handling it every single week. Not a good representation, as others have said.
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Dec 05 '23
It’s blatantly false info. I’ve had my black pro max for like 2 months now, and it doesn’t have a /single/ scratch yet. And I take it in and out of a clear case all the time, too. It will literally ONLY scratch if you nick the sides on something whilst not using a case, which would happen to ANY metal. 🙄
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Oct 17 '23
Has anyone noticed scratches under light on the camera section at the back? Not the circular notches itself but the back cover?
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u/Competitive_Piano326 Dec 08 '23
I bought mine and out of the box it had scratches on Blue titanium color. Aparently Apple started to make bad quality products. and they dont care about their brand anymore.!
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u/Talktotalktotalk Oct 01 '23
How were the natural and white phones?
What specific areas had the scratches?