Technologies

Apple Gives a Reason for the Reports of Terrible iPhone 17 Scratches

If you’ve seen scratched iPhone 17s, Apple says it’s just residue from their old display stands.

You may have missed it, but the internet had a collective meltdown about the brand-new iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Air demo units looking scratched up in stores. We finally have an answer. And no, the phones are not, in fact, made of butter.

Apple has officially weighed in on “scratchgate,” and the culprit isn’t a design flaw — it’s grimy display stands. Apparently, old and worn-out MagSafe holders were rubbing off on the backs of the new devices, creating the illusion of a scratch.

The company says that it’s fixing the problematic displays, and the marks can simply be wiped clean. The great iPhone panic of 2025 has ended not with a bang, but with a microfiber cloth.

Not all scratches are equal, and the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max’s shape could make the anodized coating susceptible to chipping. People are also reacting to videos from iFixIt and Zach Nelson’s YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. 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 chip.

Apple explained to CNET that the anodization on the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max is just as durable as that on other products. However, over time, it may show small abrasions with normal wear and tear. The company said that its anodization layer is extremely hard and exceeds industry standard guidelines for microhardness.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Concerns about scratching and durability come on the heels of one of Apple’s biggest iPhone redesigns in years. And while marks and scratches don’t affect how Apple’s phones work, no one wants to have a new $800-plus iPhone look anything but the best it can. The iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro units CNET has been testing for the past two weeks don’t show any scratches, chips or scuffs.

If you’re concerned about your new iPhone getting scuffed, you can always buy a case and screen protector.

What is the iPhone 17 Pro made of?

The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max bodies are made with aerospace-grade 7000 series aluminum, Ceramic Shield and Ceramic Shield 2. The Pro models have an aluminum unibody frame, which means a lot of the back is no longer made of glass.

While some on social media point to the new aluminum chassis as the problem behind the demo-unit damage, multiple videos show the scratches on the Ceramic Shield back panel on the dark blue iPhone 17 Pro (and on the black iPhone Air). There are even videos like this, where a person purposely scratches the back of their new iPhone Air only for the residue to wipe away, mostly clean.

Ceramic Shield, made of ceramic nano-crystals suspended in a glass matrix, covers most of the 17 Pro’s back under the camera bar. Apple says it is four times more resistant to cracks than the back glass on the iPhone 16 Pro.

Then there’s Ceramic Shield 2 on the 17 Pro’s display, which Apple says is three times more scratch-resistant than the Ceramic Shield used on previous iPhone models (and the backs of the new Pro and Air models).

During a briefing for the new iPhone models on the day they were announced, an Apple spokesperson noted that Ceramic Shield is focused on handling drops and resisting cracks, while Ceramic Shield 2 is about crack and scratch durability.

JerryRigEverything’s video and anodizing on the edge

In his iPhone 17 Pro video, JerryRigEverything’s Nelson does his usual array of scratch, bend and burn tests, but calls out a possible issue with the anodized coating on the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum.

“Apple forgot to do one really important thing. They ignored an international standard. And it’s going to haunt every single person who buys this phone,” Nelson warns in his video.

The ISO standard Nelson refers to is for decorative anodizing and recommends a specific radius threshold that’s 10 times the thickness of the finish, which apparently the edge around the camera bar doesn’t follow.

Apple explained to CNET that its anodization on 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 cases on other Apple products.

In his video, Nelson explains that corners, like those around the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera plateau, are weak points for an anodized coating. Think of the anodized layer on the aluminum like nail polish: It gives the phone its color but also helps protect it. If the coating gets scratched too deeply, you can see the actual metal color of the aluminum underneath. More people are likely to notice the damage on darker colors than cosmic orange.

In his video, Nelson shows how the corners around the 17 Pro’s camera plateau are particularly a concern because they lack a chamfer, fillet or bevel, which would typically help protect the edge from having its anodized coating chipped. He acknowledges that Apple used a robust coating and shows how it protects the back against a coin sliding against it or a key scraped on it.

But when he takes the same quarter and rubs it along the edge of the camera plateau, chunks of the finish come off.

I should note that Nelson made all of the scratches on the phone’s body with a knife, which leads me to suspect that someone may have intentionally scratched in-store demo units, in addition to Apple’s explanation about the MagSafe risers.

It could also be that people were holding multiple iPhone display samples one-handed for a photo or video, and that the sapphire crystal covering on the rear cameras rubbed against the back of the other iPhone. Sapphire crystal is second only to diamond in terms of its hardness. As anyone who’s had a retail job knows, in-store display units are often subjected to some of the worst customer treatment.

“I’m a massive fan of this new iPhone design,” says Nelson toward the end of his video. “Less glass and more aluminum is always a good thing.”

iFixIt’s ‘spalling’ iPhone 17 Pro teardown

In iFixIt’s iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, Shahram Mokhtari, the company’s lead teardown technician, confirmed Nelson’s finding of an issue with the anodized coating on the camera plateau’s edges. Mokhtari said the issue isn’t the aluminum unibody but the shape of the phone’s camera bump. The plateau’s sharp edges don’t adhere to the anodized coating, but flat surfaces, like the phone’s back, do.

Under a microscope, Mokhtari drags a hardness tool (equivalent to a penny) across the flat back of the camera plateau. You can see where he dragged, but the anodized coating is still intact. He drags the same tool across the edge of the camera plateau, and the coating chips off, revealing the metal underneath. The technical term for this is spalling.

“When there’s an edge to the oxide layer, like at the edge of the camera plateau, the brittle oxide bears the stress of your keys or coins rubbing against it. And so it spalls,” Mokhtari explains in the video.

He also acknowledges that iFixIt hasn’t seen the same level of vulnerability on the iPhone Air and standard iPhone 17 because their backs are made of Ceramic Shield and glass, respectively.

Are the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air durable?

In short, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air are durable, yes. But normal wear and tear on iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models could cause small abrasions to show. These issues won’t change how the phone operates or is used, but putting a case on the Pro models seems like the only way to avoid any chipping.

The iPhone Air and baseline iPhone 17 don’t seem to have the same issue with spalling that Pro models have because their backs are made of glass.

If you find that your new iPhone is scratched or has some of the anodized coating chipped off, take it back to where you bought it and see if you can exchange it. If those scratches were done deliberately, you’re likely stuck with it.

If you’re worried about your new iPhone getting damaged, the best solution is a case. Luckily, you have plenty of options.

Technologies

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”