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sparkles61785

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 13, 2009
141
26
My new iPhone 16 Pro Max came with these blemishes straight out of the box. They only come off with a lens wipe, but quickly reappear once you touch the phone. Is this due to the coating used to achieve the gold color? does anyone else have this issue on their titanium frame?
 

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Lyric

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2019
189
619
The same thing happens on my Desert 16 Pro. When I wipe them away they end up coming back. 🤷🏽‍♀️
 
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PaladinGuy

macrumors 68000
Sep 22, 2014
1,698
1,098
Yep. For that reason, I ended up returning my desert 16 Pro and getting a different color. I wasn’t actually crazy about the color anyway though.
 
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PaladinGuy

macrumors 68000
Sep 22, 2014
1,698
1,098
I planned to get another Natural, like my 15 Pro, but I ended up getting Black. No issues with it. I’m sure it will likely show any scratches worse, but that’s the price you pay for dark colors.

If they’d had Natural in stock, I probably would have gotten it.
 

antiprotest

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2010
4,353
16,038
First batches of Apple hardware are always rough. They are either rushed for launch or have unrefined manufacturing procedures that they would fix after getting complaints from guinea pigs.

It's why I stopped doing preorders after having done it for years. I received devices with hardware defects (from cosmetic blemishes to non-functional components) 100% of the time.

You always have those people who say, "I've never had a problem." I know, I know. It's just that first batches seem to have more problems, even though most people get perfect devices.
 

Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Jun 10, 2006
7,267
1,965
First batches of Apple hardware are always rough. They are either rushed for launch or have unrefined manufacturing procedures that they would fix after getting complaints from guinea pigs.

It's why I stopped doing preorders after having done it for years. I received devices with hardware defects (from cosmetic blemishes to non-functional components) 100% of the time.

You always have those people who say, "I've never had a problem." I know, I know. It's just that first batches seem to have more problems, even though most people get perfect devices.
My 16 Pro white was perfect.
 

bollman

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2001
746
1,627
Lund, Sweden
I guess Apple only have themselves to blame here for creating this obsession with "finish".
I have a case on, not to save the phone, but to make it easier to hold.
Dirt comes in between case and phone and chips it anyways, my phone looks like it's been sandblasted even if it hasn't been out of a case for over 2 years.
 
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Coconutx

macrumors member
Sep 7, 2022
98
84
First batches of Apple hardware are always rough. They are either rushed for launch or have unrefined manufacturing procedures that they would fix after getting complaints from guinea pigs.

It's why I stopped doing preorders after having done it for years. I received devices with hardware defects (from cosmetic blemishes to non-functional components) 100% of the time.

You always have those people who say, "I've never had a problem." I know, I know. It's just that first batches seem to have more problems, even though most people get perfect devices.
I have to agree the 1st batch of iPhone 14 Pro Max had dead pixels badly built large gaps on the frame between the screen launch device.

The 2nd batch replacement came perfect, absolutely spotless.

Missed out on the 1st batch launch day release 2nd batch iPhone 15 Pro Max came spotless, not a single issue.

Once again ordered, the 1st batch launch day iPhone 16 Pro Max came with a couple of Blemish marks, nicks outside frame.
Far worse, the phone is black; titanium marks show up badly looked like a used product.
Not ordering anything again on launch day rush production to hit the demands. This device was manufactured in July 2024.

Now await replacement device.
Quick update replacement device delivered this afternoon absolutely spotless. Again checked the whole device; no pixel issue, no Blemish marks, nicks, dust, gaps, even the paint looks better; more time for quality control.
This device was freshly made with the manufacturer date of September 2024.

Anyone have problems swap it out. The turnaround time was less than 7 days. Apple picked up the defective device last Tuesday processed the device nextday and replaced it this Monday. Not bad.
I did have a original replacement date of 22nd October-27th October they bumped that up last Friday and dispatched the replacement for delivery today.
 
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kevcube

macrumors 6502
Nov 16, 2020
447
622
Sheesh! Did Apple give you a hard time with the return?
apple's return policy is very permissive, it's quite easy to just return. but if you open a support ticket they might let you exchange for another new device and that way you don't have to do the credit card limbo of returning + repurchasing.
 
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Fred Zed

macrumors 603
Aug 15, 2019
5,877
6,550
Upstate NY . Was FL.
My new iPhone 16 Pro Max came with these blemishes straight out of the box. They only come off with a lens wipe, but quickly reappear once you touch the phone. Is this due to the coating used to achieve the gold color? does anyone else have this issue on their titanium frame?
Yeah I also had one those blemishes. I also wiped it down with same item but it comes back. Just glad I didn’t get a gouged or scratched one. Kept mine as I didn’t want to play the Apple QC lottery with fit and panel uniformity.
 

Fred Zed

macrumors 603
Aug 15, 2019
5,877
6,550
Upstate NY . Was FL.
First batches of Apple hardware are always rough. They are either rushed for launch or have unrefined manufacturing procedures that they would fix after getting complaints from guinea pigs.

It's why I stopped doing preorders after having done it for years. I received devices with hardware defects (from cosmetic blemishes to non-functional components) 100% of the time.

You always have those people who say, "I've never had a problem." I know, I know. It's just that first batches seem to have more problems, even though most people get perfect devices.
Not strictly true. I remember I had QC issues with my 12PM and 13PM, the latter I bought 4 months after launch. I had two units that had damaged frames out the box. And the damage wasn’t even a blemish. It was gouged on the edges. I opened inspected and returned the my 2nd iPhone 13PM at the Apple Store in front of the genius person. I had posted photos about it at the time on here.
 
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