iPhone 11 screen scratches

I have the same thing and I either discovered it or it appeared within a few hours of unboxing the phone - and being very careful not to bring the phone in contact with any rough surfaces.

I am beginning to wonder from the number of people noticing these if there might have been an issue with the equipment used to package the iPhone? Mine is a major gouge.

Let me preface this by saying there is no bigger Apple "fanboy" than me. Starting with a Mac SE, I've been a hardcore evangelist throughout the years, and those early years were serious compared to today.

Having said that, I'm somewhat dismayed by the attitude of the replies I see on this "community" from time to time. There's a big difference between being a fanboy and a suck up. Apple isn't always blameless, and it isn't always "user error". You're not going to get anything for free, don't be so quick to call your fellow Apple consumers inept or imply that they don't know how to Google something.

Anyway - the issue at hand...

I've got a scratch (maybe..., could be a crack).

This scratch appeared today out of nowhere. I'm in my apartment, using the phone, holding it in my hand. I leave the apartment, take the elevator down, bump into a neighbor. As I'm showing them my new phone I see there's a scratch.

Now before you newbies start telling me I should have gotten a screen protector, look at these pics.

But wait...

How did that happen??? Let's get into the light...

Hmm... is this a scratch or a crack. Feels kinda like a crack, but can't really tell.

It might be flexing a little bit under slight finger pressure, but I'm not going to press it hard enough to find out. I need this thing. Let's look closer...

Kinda odd. Looks like someone took a drill to it. Everything outside the circled area that looks like a blemish is dust or reflection. Just the weird squiggly whatever is actually in the glass.

Finally... just to illustrate that I know how to take care of my expensive phone that I'm lucky to be able to afford because I'd probably be screwed without it...

Is that a well cared for antique or what? I've got an older one too... wanna see it? Okay, hope I made my point.

From my experience today, and what I'm reading, this is looking like a flaw in the glass to me. Too many people seem to be surprised (as I was) to see a sudden blemish "without incident". And as I said... literally had the phone in my hand and, from one minute to the next, it went from pristine to what you see in these pics. Even if I did somehow do this without realizing it, it would have been from something that could only be considered "normal use". And as I've shown, my normal use for the past 7 years was gentle enough to preserve the screens of 2 iPhones that didn't have the toughest glass ever. (did they? I can't remember.)

It might be a clue that the temperature just dropped to around 60 here in Brooklyn, the heat came on in my apartment last night. It was 20 degrees warmer when I got the phone 6 days ago. Maybe there's something to look into there.

Or maybe the dual ions haven't stopped exchanging? Is that covered by warranty?

Sometimes it takes Apple some time to acknowledge there's a problem. Especially when Christmas is coming up and the many millions of phones they expect to sell might trickle down to not so many millions. And everyone knows the press just loves a good Apple bashing story. They love to feel they have power over the share price.

Well... Apple is a good company and makes great products. I love the A13, I love the camera, the iPhone 11 is a great phone and pocket computer. Best iPhone I ever had. I'm just disappointed to get caught in what appears to be a glitch. And what if the "scratch" starts to spread into a real crack?

My opinion is take the high ground Apple. Nip this in the bud - get the glass makers to pay for it. Shut the press up before they get started. (Does anyone besides the press ever "have a field day"? I don't think so. Anyway...)

Pretend Steve is still around, because you know he's watching, right?

I have less than two weeks with mine and today I noticed what I thought was a smear as well until I cleaned my screen. I keep it in my pocket the same way I did with my Xs and the Xs screen is perfectly fine. So much for being the “toughest” screen ever

I have experienced the same issue. Apple launched its product in India on 27th September, we received it on 29th September. Within 9 days of usage, the screen has developed a slightly deeper groove which can be felt whenever we touch that part of the screen. My previous device was iphone 6 and even after rigorous use of more than 3 years, not a single scratch can be observed on the screen. Apple claims that, they have released one of the cheapest iPhones in a while, but paying 69000 rupees ($970) is not a cheaper price tag. Their other claim, regarding the toughest glass in an iPhone ever, well it is as tough as Tim’s resolve to deliver a better device.

При очень аккуратном использовании телефона на 4 день использования в середине экрана появилась достаточно глубокая царапина , хотя до этого были другие iPhone ( 6s  и X), которые и падали и находились в сумке с ключами ... но таких проблем не возникали , Уже после покупки телефона увидела в интернете, что  моя проблема не единичная , потребители массово выкладывают фото исцарапанных дисплеев, хотя заявлено производителем, что один из самых прочных экранов 

Same here. Really disappointed. There are micro scratches around my screen and I have only used my iPhone 11 pro midnight green for a little over a week. Only in pockets or on the table, no contact with anything sharp whatsoever. I should have put a screen protector on instead of trusting Apple’s claims that this is the toughest glass. I really hope Apple will address this issue accordingly.

I have a couple in the middle of the screen and near the front camera as well. Just didn’t manage to capture it on camera. And yes some are around the keyboard. But I don’t have long nails or anything like that.

Dogrules23 wrote:

Thanks Apple. I shouldn’t need a screen protector to use a $1,000+ phone.

Best let Samsung know too, just one report from the web:

Hi all,

I've used the S10+ black for 1 week now and found several micro scratches and one slightly deeper one on the front already. No screen protector, but treated the same way as my S8 for 2 years. The s8 has spent time with keys and other stuff in my pocket, yet nothing happened to the screen over the years. The S10 though... 

Whats your experience so far?

https://forum.xda-developers.com/s10-plus/help/s10-ceramic-black-screen-scratches-t3911360

In fact, the $1000 MSRP Galaxy S10+ comes with this notice:

Posted yet again:

The Verge: WHY YOUR BRAND-NEW SMARTPHONE WILL SCRATCH JUST AS EASILY AS YOUR OLD ONE

Same issue... 5 years of iPhone 6: zero scratches. 5 days of iPhone 11: big ugly deep scratch. This is so annoying. Has my phone been near any sharp objects? Nope!

And literally while I’m writing this my wife texts me that she just got scratches on her brand new iPhone 11 too.

Apple: I think we have a problem.

This just shows that these Youtube reviews are not testing real world use. JerryRigEverything merely unboxed the iPhone 11 Pro and did his standard scratch test, all in all took less than one hour, of which he barely touched the phone. However, users here reporting the scratches appeared only after a day or more of regular (albeit careful) usage. I myself checked several stores (two resellers and one Apple store) and all iPhones 11 Pro on display had scratches on their screens. At the booths next to them (Samsung, Huawei) none of the display items had scratches. The iPod on display also had no scratches. I was really looking forward to buy the new iPhone (I’m still on the 6s) but that day I held back with my purchase. Especially since one iPhone 11 Pro had a scratch in the notch area, where I can’t buy a screen protector for. I will wait a bit to see how things pan out, and then proceed... Here’s a picture I snapped from that particular iPhone 11 Pro at the Premium reseller:

As with others I was told it was a cosmetic issue and I can have the screen replaced for $495 AUD. If there is no recall it will be the last iPhone I ever buy. My Peel case and Skinomi front and rear skin finally arrived from USA so I will chuck that all on. Shame so many scratches from 2 weeks of use.

I’m also reporting this issue, if for nothing else, to add to the mounting evidence. Noticed several hairline abrasions appear on the front screen after two days of using the iPhone 11. I only kept the phone in my pocket or atop my desk and nightstand. For comparison, my cheap Moto Pure X is virtually scratch free after 3 years of daily use. I have a tempered glass screen protector incoming but hate that I should have to alter the feel of an otherwise premium product. Will consider returning within the 14 day window if I can’t stand the protector. Disappointed that it might come to that, because I was really excited to return to return to Apple after a decade of using android phones.

only use 15 days, and just put in my pocket, i feel it worse than iphone 3gs/4s/6s/8/x that i used before,

if apple not give a solution, maybe i only choose is change samsung, and never use apple any product.

my wife used samsung for 1 years, not any scratch here, and using Gorilla Glass in iphone3gs is my reasons for Choosing Apple Initially at 10 years before, but now , i can't feel that.

I’ve been experiencing the EXACT same problems with my iPhone 11. I've had it for a week now and have NEVER had any scratches on any of my other iPhones since the 7. It gets the same amount of use as the previous ones. Stays in my pocket or goes on the charger. No keys are in my pocket or any thing else, just the phone. Then I wake up this morning to see this...

So I bought an iPhone 11 for the soul purpose of using it entirely for work. As a motorcycle courier, I kept the phone inside a GIVI case at all times and only open it when I'm home so I can change power banks. Yesterday, I decided to remove the phone from the GIVI case and to my astonishment I find the glass has already been covered with scratches, including one deep scratch on the front!