'Scratchgate': Do Apple iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max Have A Problem?

Just two few weeks following the release of the iPhone 17 series, Apple is encountering increasing backlash from consumers and tech experts alike, who claim that the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are particularly susceptible to scratches. 

The problem has been dubbed “Scratchgate” by users online and is rapidly garnering attention.

Among the first experts to report about the problem was Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who wrote in an article that certain models of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, particularly the deep blue versions, displayed scratch marks after just a few hours on display. 

“The black iPhone Air also showed itself to be prone to scratching, and Apple’s magnetic MagSafe charger can leave a visible circular mark on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models,” wrote Gurman.

On X, Gurman wrote that “It looks like the iPhone 17 Pro in Deep Blue is scratch prone due to its anodized aluminum frame. Not entirely surprising. The dark aluminum iPhone models in prior years had a similar issue. This is actually probably why there’s no black version.”

Consumers too are taking to social media to share images of scratches on the new iPhone 17 phones, with some voicing their dissatisfaction with the quality particularly of the Pro models.

Notably, Apple transitioned from the titanium frame used in last year’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max to a newly designed anodised aluminium unibody frame in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The aim was to make the Pro devices lighter.

However, buyers say that the aluminium body is susceptible to scratches. Consumers are noticing that especially the darker colours of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, like Deep Blue, begin to show scratches just hours after use.

Furthermore, while durability tester JerryRigEverything evaluated the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max and found that they succeeded in the bend test, he noted a concern he referred to as “Scratch Gate” near the camera island as a result of the anodisation technique. He observed that the Deep Blue finish was more prone to damage compared to the new orange variant, although marks on the back glass could be easily cleaned off.