Apple's Phil Schiller Comments On iPhone 5 Scuffing Issues

[Anthony Bouchard]

Last week, ModMyi reported that iPhone 5 customers were bringing their iPhone 5 units home to find scuffmarks all over the aluminum band right out of the manufacturer’s box. The issue was prevalent with the black and white models of the iPhone 5, though because of the natural color of aluminum, the issue was much easier to see on the black iPhone 5 because it shined right through the colored coating.


Example of a scuffed iPhone 5 right out of the box.

As a major issue that might just be recognized as easily as the iPhone 4’s antenna issue, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, Phil Schiller, has begun to comment on the issue. Schiller is quoted by 9to5Mac responding to a user that asked about the issue:

I love my black and slate iPhone 5, but I've been seeing some scuffs, scratches, and marks throughout the band around the phone along with many others. What should we all do? Any plans to fix this?

Any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural color. That is normal.

It almost seems as though Schiller has tiptoed around the issue, placing blame on the user for the scuffmarks in that he says, “with use.” It would make sense that with use, the aluminum may be subject to scratching, but when it happens right out of the box then it is a major issue. If Schiller meant that this is normal right out of the box then it is enough to leave most of us speechless, if not angry with Apple for their spotty iPhone 5 assembly process.

For now, if you do experience any scuffmarks right out of the box, you will be able to return the iPhone 5 unit to the store you bought it from for a replacement. This may be the only fix for now, as Apple hasn’t revealed any plans to look into the issue just yet.

Sources: 9to5Mac

[itsTrentB]

Apple is just plain out greedy. Period.

[iLoveWindows&iPhone]

I would be FURIOUS if my brand new iPhone 5 have scuff marks out of the box!! I would be even more furious of told that it is "normal"!!!

[feidhlim1986]

Sounds like another case of " you're holding wrong".

[scroogelives]

Free cases round 2!! Glad I have chosen to hold off before ditching my current iPhone! But if it was meant to be silver surely it would come as silver??

[EVO]

I hope Phil was not referring to those who opened their sealed iPhone to find out there were scuffs and blemishes

I already went through a couple exchanges yielding the same bad scuffs, some worse then the previous replacements

[DarkoNova]

Couldn't they just apply a clear coat to the aluminum? Or instead of anodizing it, they could powder coat it.

Anodizing isn't the most reliable way to coat something if it's going to see a lot of wear.

[unison999]

hahaha agreed! Antennagate all over again.
How do we fix that? With a bumper! But Apple being cheap this time and just danced around the problem.

[jrhudson]

you bastards. =(

[HighTymes]

The customer never mentioned that phones where coming in that condition right out of the box. So how else would someone warrant a product for scratches over time?

I would respond the same way, normal use over time will scratch any case.

If your phone comes scratched right out I the box then return it, seems like such a simple task but I guess too much for some to handle. No phone is going to be perfect every time.

[Carvensno]

This why I went with white! Regular raw aluminum finish on the edge and not anodized/painted that will wear over time. But I agree out of the box isn't good! Just sound like wear while going down the assembly line from the workers.

[alirz]

Fu#$#@@ airplanes are made of aluminum and painted/anodized or whatever... so eventually after 10000's hours of flying at hundreds of mph through, dust, snow, sand or whatever..they should all be silver by now then? Right Phil?

yeh right apple

[hogcia]

I have this scuffing issue. Noticed it as soon as I opened the box. My scuffing is located by the volume buttons. Apple literally starts manufacturing right after the keynote introduction of the iPhone, they been doing this since day one. How can they expect to manufacture 6 million iPhones in 2 weeks, and not have issues? I remember my iPhone 4 having a yellow tint in the display. Apple said this would eventually go away, we'll it Didn't. It turnout that there was too much glue between the LCD and glass. Apple needs to give the manufacturing process more time, no wonder there are riots at Foxconn!

[cgfusion]

Get a clue people, Apple is not Greedy, they are not out to screw us over....my god I've never seen so many frickin' whiners. They recognize it and looking into it, and replacing where noted. Obviously none of you work in a manufacturing side of life, crap happens it's all about once recognized what is done about it. God you people must be hell to live with. Go tell your Mommies and suck you thumbs....

[LUFT5_THOR]

Normal wear and tear is different than damaged from the manufacturer.

[wukillabee]

Lol at these complaints. This is why you buy important things at the store, not online. If you where at the store, opened your new iphone while they were getting your new nano sim card, look and see any visible defects, you say i want another. Do the same step as above until you find one in mint condition. Done. What's so hard about that? Silly people, never cease to amaze the ignorance.

[Carvensno]

Fu#$#@@ airplanes are made of aluminum and painted/anodized or whatever... so eventually after 10000's hours of flying at hundreds of mph through, dust, snow, sand or whatever..they should all be silver by now then? Right Phil?

yeh right apple

And the paint used on airliners and aerospace industry are a specially formulated paints too! Your trying to compare apples to oranges. That's like comparing paints use for housing and for cars.

[Silverado1987]

Ya know there are vehicles that come with tiny scuffs and marks on your $30,000 vehicles all the time from the manufacturer.

[docmagoo2]

you bastards. =(

This made me laugh

[christoph1028]

Lol at these complaints. This is why you buy important things at the store, not online. If you where at the store, opened your new iphone while they were getting your new nano sim card, look and see any visible defects, you say i want another. Do the same step as above until you find one in mint condition. Done. What's so hard about that? Silly people, never cease to amaze the ignorance.

You shouldn't have to baby sit apple until you get a mint phone. If a phone has scratches it never belonged in the box in the first place, I understand they can't check every single one but if your buying a new product it should always come in perfect condition. Out of everyone apple should know this best since they put so much work into making sexy *** products.