Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Discoloration "Blotch" on 15PM Blue Titanium

I spent the whole weekend and took the last two days off work to investigate this.

I haven't published the research paper yet, but my conclusion is there's nothing to worry about. This is perfectly normal with the titanium finish and manufacturing process Apple is utilising. There is no permanent damage. Those who report no problems are almost certainly not taxing their device to the same extent as those who report the temporary blemish are packing heat through maximum resource utilisation.

I won't be investigating this issue any further. I consider the case closed.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: dljeffery
dumastudetto said:
I spent the whole weekend and took the last two days off work to investigate this.

I haven't published the research paper yet, but my conclusion is there's nothing to worry about. This is perfectly normal with the titanium finish and manufacturing process Apple is utilising. There is no permanent damage. Those who report no problems are almost certainly not taxing their device to the same extent as those who report the temporary blemish are packing heat through maximum resource utilisation.

I won't be investigating this issue any further. I consider the case closed.
Click to expand...

My phone was inactive all night prior to taking that photo. Somethings a bit weird here.
 
johnalan said:
My phone was inactive all night prior to taking that photo. Somethings a bit weird here.
Click to expand...

I can't look into this issue anymore. I'm just very confident this is not a hardware defect. Apple even published a note about this prior to the official launch day. It all makes sense when you don't question it too much.
 
I continued the research and I think I came to a logical conclusion.

I obtained information about other products using titanium. I found products containing titanium, especially used in hot environments. A titanium tennis racket and a titanium wristwatch.

And yes, if you play a tennis match with a titanium tennis racket on hot days or walk around with your wristwatch, it is possible for the titanium to change color. However, this usually resolves after wiping it with a damp cloth.

That discoloration on the phone may be permanent. However, as I said, I don't know what the main reason is.
 
mouzouris said:
I have the same thing as well on my black titanium. I have seen several people reporting this online also. And to add to that, i visited the store that i bought mine. All of the display units had it also.

I observed that is more prominent when my phone gets hot. When the phone cools down i just wipe that spot with my tshirt and the mark is gone till the phone gets hot again 🤷‍♂️

I was really upset when i saw it at the first time but then when i discovered that most of the units if not all have it i decided not to opt for a swap since i will most likely get another phone with the same mark that might have additional “problems”.
Click to expand...
UPDATE

Its been almost 48hours since i last cleaned that spot. I used a wet(not damp) cloth and and then rubbed it dry with a microfiber cloth (i put a bit of force).

Its since then that the mark hasn’t reappeared even when the phone gets hot. 🤦‍♂️

Problem solved? We will see in a few days 😅
 
The blotch still shows on mine after numerous "aggressive" cleanings in the area. Disappears temporarily but it always comes back. I can confirm my girlfriend's 15 Pro in the same color does not have the same issue.

I was able to secure a new 15 PM 512GB in blue that I'll be swapping my device out with and seeing if it has the same issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dantay
Update - My new device has no blotch or titanium defects. The Apple Store acknowledged the issue, returned it, and submitted defect information to some internal team.
 
shadow82x said:
I recently discovered that my new iPhone 15 Pro Max has a permanent discolored "blotch" or square on the titanium edge below the volume rocker. This can be seen in all lighting conditions, but its especially noticeable in bright conditions. I tried wiping it down, but as expected, the discoloration persists. Does anyone have any similar?

View attachment 2280373

Here I was thinking that my device was good because I've had no rough edges on the back or heat related issues. Welp, karma is here to get me. 😓
Click to expand...
Sorry to see you have the issue. Did you report the issue to the store? They should be able to replace it. Wish the best!
 
No, not all Max's have it. I exchanged my original 15PM and my replacement absolutely does not have it anymore. Luck of the draw I guess.

On my first iPhone the issue was present day 1.
 
Interestingly I was able to remove the mark on the side of my replacement phone (albeit it was much lighter) with some 99% isopropyl alcohol.

The phone being warm and the frame being fingerprinted/oily definitely highlights it more, but now even with both of those things it's not visible anymore.

1696575704652.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mouzouris and Dead0k
20231007_130023.jpg

finally was able to pick up a new 15 pro max this morning but it came with this weird stains on the titanium :/ plus this one has a dead pixel too like my first one :(
 
Robot21 said:
View attachment 2290578
finally was able to pick up a new 15 pro max this morning but it came with this weird stains on the titanium :/ plus this one has a dead pixel too like my first one :(
Click to expand...
Do try to clean it but even if the splotches go you have dead pixel/pixels. Back to Apple it goes! Watch someone say it’s totally normal and an example of Apple iPhone excellence. 😑
 
Fat_Guy said:
Do try to clean it but even if the splotches go you have dead pixel/pixels. Back to Apple it goes! Watch someone say it’s totally normal and an example of Apple iPhone excellence. 😑
Click to expand...
yeah, i tried cleaning it but it wont go away :/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back