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To make matters worse, some claim that their handset was scratched straight out of the box, with the damage having occurred at the assembly plant before the iPhone 5 was put into the box. The damage was underneath the protective film that Apple applies to its devices and couldn’t have been caused in transit.
Scratches and scuffs appear to range from tiny ones of the edge of the handset, to massive Freddy Kruger style scratches on the back. Either way this is not good for customers, and unacceptable for a device that costs as much money as Apple’s flagship handset does.
Another problem that some are complaining of is that the new iPhone scratches too easily. While their handsets were OK coming out of the box, they soon picked up significant damage on the back and sides from light usage. Again, for a device as pricey as the iPhone 5, this is intolerable.
The black model seems more prone to damage, but I’ve heard reports of similar problems with the white model. Perhaps the damage is easier to see on the black version.
This is not the first time that Apple has released a product that appeared to scratch easily. Back in early 2009 the company settled a $22.5 million lawsuit over scratch problems related to the iPod nano.
So, what do you do if you have a scratched iPhone 5? Well, the good news is that you have a couple of options. First, in the U.S., Apple give iPhone customers 30 days to return they handset if they are unhappy with it. If you want a refund, this may be the best option for you. If you want a replacement instead of a refund then I suggest you take a trip over to your nearest Apple and show one of the Apple Genii the problem. If they have a replacements, chances are good that you will walk out with a new iPhone 5 — although there’s still a chance that this one too will have the robustness of sliced cheese.
The problem with buying a product fresh off the production line is that you’re going to encounter these sorts of problems a lot more than if you’d waited a few months. Maybe the easily-scratched iPhones have more been finished properly, or maybe there’s a problem with Apple’s process. Either way, chances are the problems will be fixed soon and you will get an iPhone that meets your expectation.
