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iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 12/13/14/15 Paint Chipping - are we going backwards?

N

ngel22

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 28, 2023
35
42
Good afternoon,

As all of you know, the paint of today's iPhones comes off easily. In the early days I used to be an Android user and owned some HTC phones that used aluminium as well. I just remembered that I never had an issue with the paint coming off those devices, and I really abused them and left them with keys etc...Maybe after a few years of usage there was a small spot but that's it. Those iPhones today apparently have a super low quality paint that start to chip after weeks of usage.

Are we just going backwards with quality? Especially when comparing the prices back then with today's iPhones, it is actually pathetic where we ended today.
 
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BugeyeSTI

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,882
8,742
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Never had any issues with coatings on any of my Apple devices. I definitely don't beat them up though so maybe that's the difference you're experiencing. I also haven't had any battery quality issues like you posted in your other thread. My iPhone X went 4 years before I had Apple replace the battery. By the way, iPhones aren't painted, they use anodizing or PVD coatings depending on the model
 
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StumpyBloke

StumpyBloke

macrumors 603
Apr 21, 2012
5,415
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ngel22 said:
Simply go to the Apple Store and look at their devices. Half of the phones have some chipping.
Click to expand...

So you are actually basing your gross generalisation on a handful of phones you have seen in the Apple Stores? Having had most models from the 4 onwards, I have never had any issues you have described.

Have some people had issues? Yes of course, there are bound to be out of the millions sold everywhere but your original post is based on pure fiction and up there with the myriad ridiculous “gate” posts on here…just my opinion of course.
 
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T

TokyoKiller

macrumors member
Aug 2, 2023
93
217
ngel22 said:
Good afternoon,

As all of you know, the paint of today's iPhones comes off easily. In the early days I used to be an Android user and owned some HTC phones that used aluminium as well. I just remembered that I never had an issue with the paint coming off those devices, and I really abused them and left them with keys etc...Maybe after a few years of usage there was a small spot but that's it. Those iPhones today apparently have a super low quality paint that start to chip after weeks of usage.

Are we just going backwards with quality? Especially when comparing the prices back then with today's iPhones, it is actually pathetic where we ended today.
Click to expand...

I have an iPhone 13 Pro and an iPhone 13 that I have taken camping, travelling and even to concerts, the screen has been replaced on both yet the paint and enclosure are in perfect shape.

Please provide photos of these said phones and retail demos are not a valid sample since they are handled by thousands and are exposed to more abuse and wear/tear than a device used by an average person.

As someone who worked 5 years for Apple, the enclosure quality has definitely been one thing they have improved and not slacked on.
 
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sleeptodream

sleeptodream

macrumors regular
Aug 29, 2022
230
610
IMG_3107.jpeg
My purple 14 PM is the only iPhone I’ve ever had this problem with. It got a lot of chips even when it had a case on, just from dust trapped underneath I guess? I usually baby my iPhones but I gave up on that one, the edges had hundreds of little bits of color missing. Not even scratches, they kind of look like pock marks

edit: Photo added. All the little dots are missing color, probably half happened while it was in a tpu case. It’s never in a purse, or pocket with anything else keys etc
 
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M

MarkNewton2023

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2023
604
602
ngel22 said:
Good afternoon,

As all of you know, the paint of today's iPhones comes off easily. In the early days I used to be an Android user and owned some HTC phones that used aluminium as well. I just remembered that I never had an issue with the paint coming off those devices, and I really abused them and left them with keys etc...Maybe after a few years of usage there was a small spot but that's it. Those iPhones today apparently have a super low quality paint that start to chip after weeks of usage.

Are we just going backwards with quality? Especially when comparing the prices back then with today's iPhones, it is actually pathetic where we ended today.
Click to expand...
It is interesting to hear this. I have not experienced paint chipping on various generation iPhones I bought since its inception. Hopefully, never.
 
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ric22

ric22

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Mar 8, 2022
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ngel22 said:
Good afternoon,

As all of you know, the paint of today's iPhones comes off easily. In the early days I used to be an Android user and owned some HTC phones that used aluminium as well. I just remembered that I never had an issue with the paint coming off those devices, and I really abused them and left them with keys etc...Maybe after a few years of usage there was a small spot but that's it. Those iPhones today apparently have a super low quality paint that start to chip after weeks of usage.

Are we just going backwards with quality? Especially when comparing the prices back then with today's iPhones, it is actually pathetic where we ended today.
Click to expand...
iPhone 6 had shocking problems with the aluminium and coating, on both I had. It didn't agree with humid climates they suggested. I've always bought metallic finishes since. My partner's non Apple laptops and phones that were black all lost paint/coating.
 
A

aetherite

macrumors newbie
Nov 6, 2023
4
15

I remember when the iPhone 5 was released there was chipping on the paint on the sides and the chamfered edge was shaped irregularly on many launch units. Apple allowed me to open 5 phones in the store in order to find one with the least ‘damage’ to it. They weren’t happy with me, but they let me do it and were quite surprised by the lack of quality control. I think that was the year that Tim Cook compared the iPhone to a Rolex watch.
Click to expand...

This has been a known issue since iPhone 5, coincidentally after Steve Jobs passed away.
Steve Jobs would have NEVER shipped iPhones with paint chipping/low quality iPhone finishing.

OP mentions that this is still an issue with iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, and probably also will be with iPhone 16.
 
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Jdizzle188

Jdizzle188

macrumors regular
May 22, 2020
112
187
Ah the iPhone 5 chamfered edges, I remember that working in retail in the UK for one of the major phone providers, Carphone Warehouse said even though they sold this wonderful chap the phone, it was apparently the network who had to change it, wrong. Bless him he got all upset about it jumping up and down then told me he didn't like my tone and asked me out for a fight after work.

This was Infront of his mother, who rather oddly sided with him.

Anyway back on topic 🤣
 
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B

Bstephens

macrumors 6502
Jul 31, 2010
311
175
sleeptodream said:
View attachment 2308158 My purple 14 PM is the only iPhone I’ve ever had this problem with. It got a lot of chips even when it had a case on, just from dust trapped underneath I guess? I usually baby my iPhones but I gave up on that one, the edges had hundreds of little bits of color missing. Not even scratches, they kind of look like pock marks

edit: Photo added. All the little dots are missing color, probably half happened while it was in a tpu case. It’s never in a purse, or pocket with anything else keys etc
Click to expand...
My black one is the same way. Wabi Sabi lol.
 
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RRC

RRC

macrumors 68000
Nov 3, 2020
1,515
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Never had issues with any iPhone other than the slate 5, which still looked great even with the wear on it.
 
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sleeptodream

sleeptodream

macrumors regular
Aug 29, 2022
230
610
ric22 said:
iPhone 6 had shocking problems with the aluminium and coating, on both I had. It didn't agree with humid climates they suggested. I've always bought metallic finishes since. My partner's non Apple laptops and phones that were black all lost paint/coating.
Click to expand...
Humidity? Huh I never thought of that. I wonder if more hand sweat causes issues
aetherite said:



This has been a known issue since iPhone 5, coincidentally after Steve Jobs passed away.
Steve Jobs would have NEVER shipped iPhones with paint chipping/low quality iPhone finishing.

OP mentions that this is still an issue with iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, and probably also will be with iPhone 16.
Click to expand...
If I’d known the SS models had this problem I would have stuck with silver/white :/

This is part of the reason I went back to the regular 15 this year, I’ve had no issues with the anodized aluminum models, or even any anodized iPods from back in the day. They’re very tough
 
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ric22

ric22

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sleeptodream said:
Humidity? Huh I never thought of that. I wonder if more hand sweat causes issues

If I’d known the SS models had this problem I would have stuck with silver/white :/

This is part of the reason I went back to the regular 15 this year, I’ve had no issues with the anodized aluminum models, or even any anodized iPods from back in the day. They’re very tough
Click to expand...
My phones always lived in cases, so not hand sweat. Sometimes on very hot humid days the phones would look sweaty inside their cases! Still, if it was decent aluminium anodised to a high quality, it shouldn't cause problems.
 
A

applepotato666

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2016
359
672
All my iPhones with this design have shown chipping around the cameras and on the frame. 11, 12 mini and 12, 13, even the 15 is already chipping on the top camera. I tend to baby my phones and they live in cases but still. I think it isn’t a real problem and I’m not sure whether it’s ‘going back’ as it’s always been the reality of how iPhones show wear. It also doesn’t hurt resale value much because they pretty much all end up looking like this. My iPhones look pretty beat compared to Samsung phones I’ve had which I’ve used the same way. But Google Pixels for example have fared much, much worse. I think it is also the cases that scratch the paint. Make sure you remove the case once in a while to clean out dust that could be scratching the frame.
 
ToddH

ToddH

macrumors 68030
Jul 5, 2010
2,650
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I always use a case on my phone, so I don’t have this problem. Those of you who choose not to use a case will encounter this problem much sooner than those of us who use a case.
 
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