Apple today said the marks customers are seeing on demonstrator iPhone 17 Pro models at Apple retail stores are caused by the MagSafe Chargers used to keep them charged.
Apple told 9to5Mac’s Chance Miller that worn MagSafe charging stands in the stores are the culprit behind the marks seen on the in-store demo models of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Cupertino company also confirmed tha the marks are not scratches, but are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone that is removable with cleaning.
The company also said it is working to address the problems in stores, presumably by replacing the worn MagSafe stands with new ones. Other iPhones on display are also affected by this, including iPhone 16 models.
While this does explain the in-store scuff marks, there have been third-party scratch tests that indicate that the the camera plateau area on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max is prone to scratching.
iFixit conducted a scratch test on the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum frame, and found the camera plateau to be an area that’s prone to scratching. The site spoke with David Niebuhr, a mechanical engineering professor at Cal Poly. Niebuhr said that the damage is called “spalling.” The sharp, flat edge of the camera plateau doesn’t allow for the anodized finish to adhere as well, so the color can rub off when exposed to hard objects like keys.
Apple says that the edges of the iPhone 17 Pro camera plateau are designed to be durable and undergo testing prior to release. However, users may see normal wear and tear that includes small abrasions over time.
