iPhone 17 series 'Scratchgate' controversy: Here is what Apple said on it

Responding to "Scratchgate," Apple has reportedly said that the visible marks are material transfer caused by worn MagSafe stands, not surface damage

Apple has reportedly responded to the “Scratchgate” controversy that flooded social media platforms like X and Instagram. According to a report by 9To5Mac, Apple has said that the damage marks appearing on some of the Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue colour variants of iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and on some of the black colour variants of iPhone Air, are not scratches and can be removed through cleaning. The company further added that it is working to address these problems at the stores, possibly by replacing the MagSafe stands.

 

For the uninitiated, as per Mashable India, the flood of scratch-related complaints on social platforms has been labelled “scratchgate.”

Apple’s take on ‘Scratchgate’

As per 9To5Mac, Apple has said that the scratch marks are not actually scratches but material transfer from the MagSafe stand to the phone. The company reportedly added that they can be removed with cleaning. 

 

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that certain display models of the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max developed scratches near the MagSafe cutout just hours after being showcased in New York and Hong Kong. The iPhone maker while responding to this said that they were caused by old and worn MagSafe stands used in some stores, 9To5Mac reported. It further added that other iPhones on display, including iPhone 16 series models were also affected by this.

 

YouTuber Zack Nelson, better known as JerryRigEverything, earlier tested the durability of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max and found that the raised edges around the camera plateau on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro are especially scratch-prone. As per him, it happened mainly because Apple did not add a chamfer, fillet, or radius around the plateau. Apple, while responding to this, said that the plateau has similar characteristics to the edges of the anodised aluminium cases on other Apple products, including other iPhone models and MacBooks. It further said that users may see normal wear and tear, including small abrasions, over time.

What’s causing ‘Scratchgate’ 

As per Mashable India and Mark Gurman, the anodised layer on certain variants of the iPhone 17 series is the main reason behind this issue. Mashable India, while explaining this with an example, wrote, “Anodised aluminium has a top layer that acts like the candy shell around an M&M. Once you scratch off the shell, you’re left with what’s underneath, and what’s underneath is your everyday silver-coloured aluminium. Thus, even after a couple of days, people who rock their iPhone 17 Pro models without a case have noticed some surface damage.” 

 

For those hoping the issue has a fix, there technically is one. The only practical safeguard for now is to use a protective case right away to shield the iPhone’s rear panel.