Worried about your iPhone 17 scratching? iFixit's teardown reveals what's happening - and why

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Customers say they notice scratches on new iPhone 17 Pro units.
• An iFixit teardown reveals the truth behind 'scratchgate.'
• iPhone 17 buyers should use a case to protect their phones.

Another new iPhone rollout, another controversy. This time, the iPhone 17 is in the crosshairs as buyers and potential customers are complaining that the phones scratch too easily, even ones still on display in Apple stores.

The reports started surfacing this past weekend after the new iPhone lineup officially appeared in stores last Friday. So far, people have noticed scuffs on the deep blue variants of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max and scratches on the iPhone 17 Air Space Black edition, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

Also: I've tested every iPhone 17 model, and I'm recommending something different this time

The flaws have been discovered on new phones in Apple stores across New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and London. Apple's MagSafe charger is also apparently leaving a visible circular mark on the backs of iPhone 17 Pro models, Bloomberg added.

Unhappy customers have been chiming in on social media. In China, where the iPhone 17 first popped up for sale last Friday, people took to the Weibo social network to post photos of the scratched phones. The related hashtag was one of the top trending topics on the network, grabbing more than 40 million views, according to Bloomberg. Users also posted on Facebook and X with images of scuffs and scratches.

Videos showing scratched phones have appeared on YouTube, as well. In one video, popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything intentionally scratched the back of an iPhone 17 Pro to show how some areas are more susceptible than others.

Also: I'm skipping the iPhone 17 Pro this year - 3 reasons the base model makes more sense

But confusion has reigned over where and why the scuffs and scratches are appearing. A writer and editor at CultofMedia said he found scratch marks on several demo units at an Apple store. These weren't surface-level scratches that could be easily removed, even after trying to wipe them off with a microfiber cloth.

After visiting my local Apple store, I also noticed scratch marks on the backs of several demo iPhone 17 Pro models. Investigating further, I found circular marks on several phones where the MagSafe charger normally would attach. In both cases, I was unable to remove the marks even after vigorous cleaning with a cloth.

However, in JerryRigEverything's analysis, the YouTuber was easily able to wipe off the scratches that he created on the back.

Findings from the teardown

To dig deeper, the folks at iFixit have published the results of a teardown of the iPhone 17 Pro. Using their usual tricks and tools, the team sought to get to the bottom of the scratchgate controversy.

As iFixit pointed out, Apple switched the material used for the frame and back of this year's iPhones. For the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro lineup, the company turned to titanium, a material that's more durable than other types of metals but can run hot. Likely to deal with the overheating, Apple outfitted the iPhone 17 Pro models with an aluminum frame, which doesn't run as hot but is softer than titanium.

Further, the heat-forged aluminum is anodized. As iFixit explained, anodizing is an electrolytic process that adds a protective layer of oxide onto a metal surface. The surface is actually corroded in a way to protect the metal underneath. This process is also a handy way to add color to the metal, such as with the iPhone 17's new Cosmic Orange tone.

Also: I compared the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max: Here's who should upgrade

Does this mean the scuffing and scratching are due to the switch from titanium to aluminum? Not so fast, said iFixit. Based on input from David Niebuhr, a metallurgical engineering expert, titanium oxide is a little harder than aluminum oxide, but the difference wouldn't account for the scratches found on the phones.

Instead, the problem lies in the shape of the phone. Specifically, the flaking and scratching are most noticeable on the sharp edges of the camera bump. This year, Apple expanded the camera plateau to stretch across almost the entire top width of the phone. But with such a sharp edge, the anodizing doesn't stick as evenly to the camera bump as it does across the rest of the phone. The weakness of the camera plateau's sharp edges also leads to flaking, shearing off, and even getting sliced.

In its own testing, iFixit found that the camera plateau on the iPhone Air, which uses Ceramic Shield 2, was much more scratch resistant than the aluminum used on the Pro models. As for the rest of the back on the iPhone 17 Pro, the anodization gets a better grip, so shallow scratches don't cut through to bare metal.

How to protect your iPhone 17

Could Apple have nipped this problem in the bud? Yes, according to Niebuhr. "Apple could have prevented this by making a more gradual curve and avoiding a relatively sharp corner," he said.

Apple has faced other iPhone controversies in the past, including Antennagate with the iPhone 4s and Bendgate with the iPhone 6. Will this latest problem also prove a headache for the company?

However Apple decides to handle this issue, the best advice is to always secure your phone with a case and a screen protector. That will safeguard it against scratches, scuffs, cracks, and other flaws. I use a clear case for my iPhone, which shows off the color but protects the back and edges. I do have to remove the case sometimes, if only to clean it. But even then, I'm careful how and where I place the phone while the case is off.

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