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cappo3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 3, 2014
205
66
Hi all!
I bought my green iPhone 11 pro a couple of months after it was released. Since day one it has lived in a green leather case from Apple.
Sometimes I would take the iPhone out of the cover in order to clean the edges of the screen, where dust would collect.
I did this same thing today and, probably also due to the better natural light of this warmer season, I noticed that the green stainless steel bezel around the phone now has a yellow hue.
It is especially noticeable because of the contrast to the exposed bottom of the phone: the stainless steel on the bottom is not covered by the Apple leather case and does not present this yellowing. The color difference is obvious to the naked eye, I will try to take a photograph as well. Unfortunately the only other camera I have in the house is that of an iPhone 6, I hope it will pick it up.
To my question: Am I the only one noticing this?
 

Al Rukh

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2017
1,143
1,276
Hi all!
I bought my green iPhone 11 pro a couple of months after it was released. Since day one it has lived in a green leather case from Apple.
Sometimes I would take the iPhone out of the cover in order to clean the edges of the screen, where dust would collect.
I did this same thing today and, probably also due to the better natural light of this warmer season, I noticed that the green stainless steel bezel around the phone now has a yellow hue.
It is especially noticeable because of the contrast to the exposed bottom of the phone: the stainless steel on the bottom is not covered by the Apple leather case and does not present this yellowing. The color difference is obvious to the naked eye, I will try to take a photograph as well. Unfortunately the only other camera I have in the house is that of an iPhone 6, I hope it will pick it up.
To my question: Am I the only one noticing this?
I have it too on my launch day 11 PM SG. It’s a common wear and tear issue of the coating.
 

cappo3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 3, 2014
205
66
Thanks for your answer!
I think this is simply terrible. I thought by using a cover the already very resilient coating would have been preserved even better. Unfortunately the opposite is true! And the contrast with the bottom makes it obvious.
Did you use a leather case from Apple as well? Or do other materials cause the same degradation I am experiencing?
 

Al Rukh

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2017
1,143
1,276
Thanks for your answer!
I think this is simply terrible. I thought by using a cover the already very resilient coating would have been preserved even better. Unfortunately the opposite is true! And the contrast with the bottom makes it obvious.
Did you use a leather case from Apple as well? Or do other materials cause the same degradation I am experiencing?
No worries.

I have been using my 11 PM naked since day one. I have never gotten a case for it, ever. So in my situation, the wear and tear of the coating is somewhat expected. Though I first noticed the wear around 5-6 months into owning the device. I did an experiment on my device by rubbing a particular edge with my fingers when I take it out of my pocket. The coating on the particular area was worn off slightly about a week later.

Not sure what caused your situation but what you're seeing is normal I would think. But you did mentioned about cleaning the edge of the screen. Did you use a wet cloth or did you have some alcohol on it? Taking your phone in and out of the case may cause friction which could result in the coating to wear off.
 

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,832
4,649
Johannesburg, South Africa
Are you able to post some pictures? I have had my midnight green 11 Pro Max in a Forest Green leather case for most of its time with me, the frame still looks good however the metal camera rings have had a slight change of colour because I always wipe the camera before using it and also probably because of all the hand sanitizer I use when I am out.
 

cappo3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 3, 2014
205
66
No worries.

I have been using my 11 PM naked since day one. I have never gotten a case for it, ever. So in my situation, the wear and tear of the coating is somewhat expected. Though I first noticed the wear around 5-6 months into owning the device. I did an experiment on my device by rubbing a particular edge with my fingers when I take it out of my pocket. The coating on the particular area was worn off slightly about a week later.

Not sure what caused your situation but what you're seeing is normal I would think. But you did mentioned about cleaning the edge of the screen. Did you use a wet cloth or did you have some alcohol on it? Taking your phone in and out of the case may cause friction which could result in the coating to wear off.
I never wipe it with anything more than the dry soft cloth I use for my sunglasses. I have done so probably 8-10 times since I own the phone.
What bothers me the most is the fact that this yellowing appears exclusively where the steel is covered by the case, while not at all on the exposed bottom. That in particular annoys me!
I just hope this is not normal and I am one of the few experiencing a rare defect, but you encountering the same thing is indeed discouraging.
 

cappo3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 3, 2014
205
66
Are you able to post some pictures? I have had my midnight green 11 Pro Max in a Forest Green leather case for most of its time with me, the frame still looks good however the metal camera rings have had a slight change of colour because I always wipe the camera before using it and also probably because of all the hand sanitizer I use when I am out.
I will try to take the pictures tomorrow morning, hoping in a break in the terrible weather and a bit of natural light. Anything to help the cameras in the old iPhone 6.
I am not an assiduous "wiper"... If this yellow hue is the result of rubbing, it's all the case's fault.
 

cappo3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 3, 2014
205
66
Here are the best pictures I could take with the iPhone 6.

The first two pictures show the obvious difference in tone between the middle of the bottom of the phone and the yellowing corners:



Here a pic with a bit more perspective, for added "obviousness":


And finally a pic of the upper left corner, to show that every inch of the steel covered by the leather case is now yellow:


I hope I am not the only one noticing this on the pictures! I'd like to hear your impressions!
 

Al Rukh

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2017
1,143
1,276
Here are the best pictures I could take with the iPhone 6.

The first two pictures show the obvious difference in tone between the middle of the bottom of the phone and the yellowing corners:



Here a pic with a bit more perspective, for added "obviousness":


And finally a pic of the upper left corner, to show that every inch of the steel covered by the leather case is now yellow:


I hope I am not the only one noticing this on the pictures! I'd like to hear your impressions!
Thanks for sharing the photos. I would think it is normal wear and tear but in our case, it happened sooner than later. I got over it after sometime, thinking as if it was patina on a leather...kinda. Haha. I would think the Silver model will not have this.
 
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