iPhone 14 pro max manufacturing defect

It sounds to me as if something got trapped between the case and the phone and either stained or damaged it. I used to see this quite a bit when I worked for a cellular carrier. The surface of the case is just sticky enough that grit will adhere to it. If you're not meticulous about cleaning everything bfore you put the case on and doing it in a very clean enviroment, that can happen. And, if you keep the phone in your pocket, things can work their way under. It's why I stopped recommending silcone cases. Other sorts of cases are don't seem to hold onto grit quite as well.

Hello mariyaostash!

We cannot speak for Apple. We are merely your fellow users.

Please leave feedback about this issue here: Feedback - iPhone - Apple. Every report counts.

I hope this is helpful. Good Luck!

Apple stands behind their products which is why they give the 1 year limited warranty for any hardware issues. Cosmetic damage does not effect the functionality of your device, therefore it's not covered.

Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty

You don’t have enough knowledge to claim this is a manufacturing defect. And if Apple is labeling this a cosmetic issue there’s nothing we here can do for you. No one here is an Apple employee and these forums are not Apple Support. We’re just fellow users.