The new range iPhone 17 It only has been in stores since last Friday, but it already has a controversy. It is what has been informally baptized as Scratchgate and affects the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max and Air. And it is that these mobiles, despite their high price – the 17 pro starts in the € 1,319, the 17 pro max in the € 1,469 and the Air in € 1,219 – they are apparently, they are apparently ‘Magnets for scratches’.
The phenomenon, beyond the real reach it has, is going viral on social networks not only by the experiences of some users, but because It is appreciable in exposure models that can be found in Apple stores. According to Bloomberg, scratches are mainly appearing in the versions With the dark blue color of the iPhone 17 pro and pro max And they can be seen in the Apple stores in New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and London.
Besides, The Black iPhone Air would also be prone to scratchwhile the magnetic charger Magsafe You can sometimes leave a circular mark on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a problem #Scratchgatepic.twitter.com/n0MPF4PDQN
– Federico Ini (@FECHU) SEPTEMBER 21, 2025
The problem seems so much in glass Ceramic Shieldwhich occupies the area in which the Apple logo appears, as in the aluminum body that protects the cameras and the rest of the mobile.
Among the experiences with this problem published on social networks, a user qualifies the new iPhone Air as ‘literally a magnet for scratches’. Another considers it ‘disappointing’ and negatively compares the resistance of the iPhone 17 with that of its old iPhone 13.
@Apple Sorry but #Scratchgate IS REAL AND VERY DISappointing – A Case Will Help But I Reckon Even A Few Minutes Without A Case in the Pocket With Keys and The Phone Is Damaged – Truly Shame On You!
My iPhone 13 pro max haen without a case and there are scratches at all … pic.twitter.com/towqy2osv2
– Loving Singh🔹 (@amisecured) SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
When Apple announced this month the new models, which with the exception of the iPhone Air left the titanium in favor of aluminum, justified it that it is a more resistant and light material. Affected users recommend Use it with protective case To avoid the appearance of Rayones in a terminal that, let’s not forget, only takes 4 days available to consumers.
Mark Gurmanfrom Bloomberg, attributes the problems detected in the dark blue model of 17 Pro to its anodized aluminum frame. The Apple specialist recalls that the aluminum iPhone and dark colors of previous years, such as the iPhone 14 Of 2022, they suffered a similar problem. He believes that this may be the reason why there is no black version of the iPhone 17.
The technological blogger Zack Nelson He has tested the resistance of the terminal on his YouTube channel and proven that the edges of the camera module are easily damaged. Explain that the anodized aluminum layer of iPhone 17 Pro and 17 pro max ‘Does not adhere very well to the corners’which creates a weak point in the coating. It is a known problem of the electrochemical anodized process, so it would be A design decision that Apple knew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krobzfwvzwa
‘For some reason, Apple did not add a bezel, a rounding or a radius around the camera module, and I think it was intentional, so that it looks more attractive‘, says Nelson in the video. ‘But that decision to prioritize the output aesthetics of the box will be a problem for all those who have this phone over time.’
The video shows that everyday objects, as a currency or a key that is carried in the same pocket as the iPhone 17 ProThey can lift the anodized coating on the corners of the camera module. However, that same level of scratching on the flat surface of the module only generated dust that could easily withdraw.