Scratches on the iPhone 5 are “normal”, according to Phil Schiller

The other day we reported that some iPhone 5 owners had stated that their iPhone units were damaged out of the box. According to some, this is due to Apple’s choice of anodized aluminum instead of stainless steel, with the former not only being lighter, but apparently softer which makes it more susceptible to scratches. Naturally after forking out a few hundred dollars for a new phone, many users are upset about this.

Was this an engineering or production problem that can be fixed? Apparently not as according to an email sent by Apple’s Senior Marketing VP Phil Schiller, this is “normal”. This email was sent in response to an iPhone user who asked if the scuffs and scratches were a problem that Apple would be fixing. In the email Schiller stated, “Any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural silver color.”

His response feels similar to the answer Apple gave during the “antennagate” incident in which they responded by saying users were holding the phone the “wrong way”. While we understand that our phones are prone to scratches and scuffs over time, like we said earlier, forking out a few hundred dollars we expect our phones to stay in pristine condition for at least a good few months before the wear and tear sets in, assuming you don’t abuse it of course, wouldn’t you agree?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones
Tags: iPhone 5