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User profile for user: jonaolin
jonaolin Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Stains in Stainless Steel in iPhone 11 Pro and now in iPhone 12 Pro

Last year, I started to see some staining on the lower right side of my iPhone 11 Pro, which I used with the brown leather case. The stain looked a mix between oxidation, or the rainbow you get after heating aluminum.


I thought it might be related to the leather case, so for the iPhone 12 Pro I bought the clear case. After roughly a month, I started to see the same stain, in the same spot, now in the iPhone 12 Pro. Its located more or less where I rest my hand when I use it right handed. Rest of the rim is perfect on both phones. I do not handle any chemical products whatsoever, and didn't have this issue with iPhone X or iPhone Xs Max. Since iPhone 11 Pro, due to the nice matte back, I try to not use any cases at all.


Genius Bar and phone support said that, due to the issue being cosmetic, and performance is not hindered, no replacement could be done.


Any ideas what could be causing this? Something I could avoid when I get my next phone?


iPhone 12 Pro:


iPhone 11 Pro:

iPhone 11 Pro

Posted on Mar 13, 2021 1:15 PM

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User profile for user: Lawrence Finch
Lawrence Finch
User level: Level 10
202,872 points

Posted on Mar 13, 2021 1:51 PM

I’m going to shock you. “Stainless Steel” is a marketing term. All metal (even “stainless” steel) can oxidize. It’s simply steel with about 11% Chromium and sometimes other metals (Nickel for example, which is of concern for people with serious nickel allergies). There are many different combinations of elements in the various alloys, each with different properties. And it works by the Chromium atoms migrating to the surface where it inhibits rust. But you can wear through the surface, and some chemicals can oxidize even the Chromium. And leather has some pretty strong left over chemicals in it from the tanning process.


Yours looks like it was etched by some of those chemicals. It may come clean with wiping it, but there’s no guarantee.

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User profile for user: Lawrence Finch
Lawrence Finch
User level: Level 10
202,872 points

Mar 13, 2021 1:51 PM in response to jonaolin

I’m going to shock you. “Stainless Steel” is a marketing term. All metal (even “stainless” steel) can oxidize. It’s simply steel with about 11% Chromium and sometimes other metals (Nickel for example, which is of concern for people with serious nickel allergies). There are many different combinations of elements in the various alloys, each with different properties. And it works by the Chromium atoms migrating to the surface where it inhibits rust. But you can wear through the surface, and some chemicals can oxidize even the Chromium. And leather has some pretty strong left over chemicals in it from the tanning process.


Yours looks like it was etched by some of those chemicals. It may come clean with wiping it, but there’s no guarantee.

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Stains in Stainless Steel in iPhone 11 Pro and now in iPhone 12 Pro

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