You may have missed it, but the internet is having a collective meltdown over a brand new iPhone 17 Pro, Pro MaxAnd iPhone Air Demonstration models in stores look scratched. Finally we have the answer. And no, phones aren't actually made of butter.
Apple has officially spoken out about the “scratch” and the culprit is not a design flaw, but dirty stands. Apparently, old and worn MagSafe holders were rubbing on the back of the new devices, creating the illusion of a scratch.
The company says it repairs problematic displays, and the marks can simply be erased. The great iPhone panic of 2025 ended not with a bang, but with a microfiber cloth.
Not all scratches are created equal, and the shape of the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max can make the anodized finish susceptible to chipping. People also react to videos from iFixIt and Zach Nelson's YouTube channel JerryRigAll. The videos show a possible issue with the anodized coating around the edges of the camera plateau on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. In his video, Nelson takes a quarter and rubs it along the edge of the camera plateau, causing the coating to peel off.
Apple explained to CNET that the anodizing on the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max is just as durable as on other products. However, over time it may develop minor scuffs from normal wear and tear. The company said its anodizing layer is extremely hard and exceeds industry microhardness standards.
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Concerns about scratches and durability come on the heels of one of Apple's biggest iPhone redesigns in years. And while marks and scratches don't affect the performance of Apple phones, no one wants the new $800-plus iPhone to look its best. The iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro devices CNET tested over the past two weeks showed no scratches, chips, or scuff marks.
If you're worried about your new iPhone if you get scratched, you can always buy a case and protective film.
What is the iPhone 17 Pro made of?
Depending on the lighting, the Ceramic Shield's cutout can sometimes appear lighter than the rest of the 17 Pro Max's body.
The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have bodies made from 7000 Series aircraft grade aluminum, Ceramic Shield, and Ceramic Shield 2. The Pro models have a unibody aluminum frame, which means most of the back is no longer made of glass.
While some on social media are pointing to the new aluminum casing as the issue behind the demo device's damage, several videos show scratches on the back of the Ceramic Shield on the dark blue iPhone 17 Pro (and the black iPhone Air). There are even videos like this thiswhen a person intentionally scratches the back of their new iPhone Air just to wipe off the mostly clean residue.
The Ceramic Shield, made of ceramic nanocrystals suspended in a glass matrix, covers most of the back of the 17 Pro under the camera panel. Apple says it's four times more crack-resistant than back glass iPhone 16 pro.
Additionally, the 17 Pro's display features Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is three times more scratch-resistant than the Ceramic Shield found on previous iPhone models (and on the back of the new Pro and Air models).
During a briefing on the new iPhone models on the day of their announcement, an Apple representative noted that Ceramic Shield is focused on protection from drops and cracks, and Ceramic Shield 2 is focused on resistance to cracks and scratches.
Video JerryRigEverything and edge anodizing
In his video about iPhone 17 ProJerryRigEverything's Nelson does his usual scratch, bend, and burn tests, but points out a possible problem with the iPhone 17 Pro's anodized aluminum finish.
“Apple forgot to do one really important thing. They ignored the international standard. And it will haunt every person who buys this phone,” Nelson warns in his video.
ISO standard Nelson refers to decorative anodizing and recommends a certain radius threshold of 10 times the thickness of the coating, which the edge around the camera panel obviously doesn't meet.
Apple explained to CNET that the anodization of the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max exceeds industry standards and that the edges of the camera plateau have similar characteristics to the edges of the anodized bodies of other Apple products.
In his video, Nelson explains that corners, such as the corners around the iPhone 17 Pro's camera plateau, are weak spots for the anodized coating. Think of the anodized layer of aluminum like nail polish: it adds color to the phone, but also helps protect it. If the coating is scratched too deeply, you will be able to see the true metallic color of the aluminum underneath. More people are likely to notice damage to dark colors than space orange.
In his video, Nelson shows that the corners around the 17 Pro's camera plateau are of particular concern because they lack the chamfer, fillet, or chamfer that typically helps protect the edge from chipping the anodized coating. He acknowledges that Apple used a durable coating and shows how it protects the back panel from a coin slipping or a key scratching it.
But when he takes the same quarter and runs it along the edge of the chamber plateau, pieces of the trim come off.
iPhone 17 Pro in deep blue and iPhone 17 Pro Max in space orange.
I should note that Nelson used a knife to inflict all of the scratches on the phone's body, which makes me suspect that someone may have intentionally scratched the in-store demo models, in addition to Apple's explanation for MagSafe risers.
It's also possible that people were holding multiple iPhone display samples in one hand for photos or videos, and that the sapphire glass on the rear camera was rubbing against the back of another iPhone. Sapphire glass is second only to diamond in hardness. Anyone who has worked in retail knows that store displays often receive the worst treatment from customers.
“I'm a big fan of the new iPhone design,” Nelson says at the end of his video. “Less glass and more aluminum is always a good thing.”
iFixIt cracked iPhone 17 Pro during disassembly
In iFixIt iPhone 17 Pro disassembly videoShahram Mokhtari, the company's lead demolition specialist, confirmed Nelson's conclusion that there was a problem with the anodized coating on the edges of the chamber plateau. Mokhtari said the problem is not with the aluminum unibody body, but with the shape of the phone's camera bump. The sharp edges of the plateau don't stick to the anodized finish, but flat surfaces like the back of the phone do.
Under a microscope, Mokhtari runs a hard instrument (worth a penny) across the flat back of the chamber plateau. You can see where it was dragged, but the anodized coating remains intact. He runs the same tool along the edge of the chamber's plateau and the coating peels away, revealing the metal underneath. The technical term for this is flaking.
“When the oxide layer has an edge, such as the edge of a chamber plateau, the brittle oxide can withstand the stress of your keys or coins rubbing against it. And that’s why it splits,” Mokhtari explains in the video.
He also admits that iFixIt did not find the same level of vulnerability on the iPhone Air and standard iPhone 17 because their backs are made of a ceramic shield and glass, respectively.
Are iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air reliable?
In short, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air are durable, yes. But normal wear and tear on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models may result in minor scuffs. These issues won't affect the performance or use of the phone, but installing a case on the Pro models seems to be the only way to avoid chipping.
The iPhone Air and base iPhone 17 don't seem to have the same cracking problem as the Pro models because their backs are made of glass.
If you find that your new iPhone is scratched or its anodized coating has chipped, take it back to where you bought it and see if you can exchange it. If those scratches were made intentionally, you're probably stuck with this.
If you're worried about your new iPhone getting damaged, the best solution is a case. Luckily you have many options.
