Scuffs/Scratches On New iPhone 5 Right Out Of The Box

Apple stands behind it's product? Why are some stores saying "One more box and that's it!" I think you are wanting Apple to live up to this mess and clearly some stores are annoyed and don't want to deal with this issue anymore... It looks as if Apple is creating a nightmare for staff and customers! Time for Tim Cook to wake up and fly over to China and figure out why 14 years are assembling the iPhone 5! Time for Tim Cook to start taking control of this mess ASAP!

Noticed within 5 minutes of opening, took photos, put back in box, courier collection arranged.

Let's keep one thing in perspective: somone correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that there are only 900 replies on this page. There are almost 94,000 views, but you can get to 94,000 views pretty quickly if there are at least 900 people checking in on the issue, and media coverage (like Bloomberg's) that seems to confirm that there have been QC problems at Foxconn in China.

If they sold 5 million iPhone 5 units in the first few days, they are surely way past that now.

Assuming not everyone who has a problem is on this page, we are still in the vast minority.

Of course it stinks for us to be the ones who have experienced the iPhone 5 QC problem, but what is the real proportion of damaged out-of-the-box phones out there?

Personally I would estimate that there are a lot of "bad" units -- way more than would usually be the case, and therefore way too many -- but it is still it seems a real tiny proportion of the total number sold. I am sure Tim Cook and the others are all over this. Might even have delayed the iPad mini which was expected to launch a week earlier.

Clearly, such a high rate of damaged units getting to consumers is a huge embarrassment for Apple and Foxconn. But let's keep things in perspective.

How many companies after all would let us rant on a site that they host themselves?

Just don't accept a damaged unit and try to be patient -- you will eventually get a perfect one. This QC issue only came out in the days after launch, and the full scale probably only a week later, so very soon the units that have gone through tightened QC will be landing in buyers' hands.

One lesson for me is not to rush into being an early adopter.

Shame on the stores and retailers that are giving any of you a hard time. But be persistent and don't worry about looking picky. Apple advertised a high-precision phone with exceptional finish, so you have the right to that product, and you will eventually get it.

The iPhone 5′s intricate design is leading to supply shortages.

When Apple began selling the iPhone 5 on September 21, it quickly became the fastest-selling iPhone to date, with five million units sold in the first three days. However, sales have started to slow down since then, and they’ve begun falling short of analyst expectations.

It’s not that customers aren’t buying it, or that the iPhone 5 isn’t successful. The reason it’s not meeting expectations is because Apple’s manufacturing partner, Foxconn, simply can’t make it fast enough. Its design is so complicated that it’s the most difficult device Foxconn has ever built.

“The iPhone 5 is the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled,” a company official told The Wall Street Journal. “To make it light and thin, the design is very complicated. It takes time to learn how to make this new device. Practice makes perfect. Our productivity has been improving day by day.”

The executive also confirmed reports that Foxconn has taken steps to improve its manufacturing process in an effort to prevent chips and scratches on the iPhone 5′s aluminum casing. The company recently rolled out a new quality control procedure that should prevent damaged devices from leaving the factory.

However, he also noted that the iPhone 5′s new coating does make it more susceptible to scratching. “It’s always hard to satisfy both aesthetic needs and practical needs,” he said.

Recent disputes at the Foxconn factory, which led to a riot involving more than 2,000 employees back in September, has also led to questions over whether Apple will be able to meet the strong demand of its latest smartphone. However, Foxconn has insisted that the incident did not lead to work stoppages.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Received yet another iPhone 5 retail boxed replacement today and guess what....... Scratched around the antenna and these are pretty big scratches, about 15mm!

This is has been my fifth replacement and so now...... Having spoken to the local apple store I am going to concede and take a service part because at least I can check these first and have some degree of control over that I am receiving.

I was a great instigator for only accepting retail boxed units but am certain that if this continues for much longer I am going to end up going insane!

The manager at the store was really helpful and I am hopeful that this will be resolved tomorrow. I really really do hope so.

What with the statement from Foxconn I don't think this situation is going to go away overnight at all.

So it's best to make good from a bad situation, buy a big pack of sharpies and a polishing cloth!

It's too far down the line I think for apple to renege on anything and all attentions are going to be on the new ipad next week and that's where their business head will be pointing.

I am just curious if any reference will be made to these issues at the keynote speech as they will obviously make reference to the iPhone 5 at their opening re cap that usually takes place.

Good luck to all, I hope you reap the rewards you deserve.

Maybe its time you go to the white, although those also are coming in damaged there isnt many reports of defected white iPhone's, Unless you must have the black one then i understand. Having two black iPhone's Ive grown bored with the color and the white one just looks more applealing to me.

Sadly am not allowed to exchange for white!

Did enquire today but told that this was in no way possible!

So there you have it. Hopefully an unmarked black one will be waiting for me

Guess who's baaaaaaaaaaack.

Sadly, me. On my 3rd iPhone 5.

Speakers blown out. Screen brightness is now about 10% less bright on maximum brightness compared to 8 other iPhone 5's I've held it side-by-side to. The whites on my screen have a yellowish tint to them. And, of course, the infamous wifi issue strikes again! I never thought that one would happen, but sure as ****, it did.

I've talked with some of the dumbest floating heads I've ever enountered in my entire life about this. These talking heads would be known as no other than...ding ding ding, APPLECARE! Bunch of useless idiots.

Again, my best option is to "drive to the New Orleans apple store [350 MILES AWAY] and try your luck there, sir."

Bunch of useless morons. The only reason I haven't returned this piece of sh*t phone and gotten a Galaxy S3 is because I'm past my 14 day grace period and am locked onto my contract with it.

I hate you Apple. I hate you so much. Never again will I purchase another one of your products.

I don't know what is your problem is.i just found out my iPhone 5 had scarfs and scratches out of the box.I rang apple for a full refund with in 14days and not only they offered me a white iPhone 5 they gave me a option to free upgrade to a 32gb iPhone5 or $100 discount if I buy the same 16gb model.so I recommend this is a truly best customer care I have ever come across.

I think as I said before that only a few have had this problem. I got my second black 64G perfect phone in a row. Everyone I know except my first ordered the first day had a micro scratch which was replaced in a week with a perfect phone. I find it hard to believe the 8, 10 in a row stories. Maybe some haters making crap up.

I think all aleged problems should come with photos. The so called 90% problem doesn't fit my data.

I can see the this on ebay sometime soon "Rare mint condition iPhone 5!, Own a perfect condition iPhone 5 that no one else has"!!!

I had 3 iPhone 5's all Black, I looked at 11 total, all scuffed up. I'm definately not a hater, on the contrary, I'm rooting for Apple's success.

Who's everbody you know that had these problems? 3, 5, 10 people? Why doesn't it fit your data? Obviously if everyone you know had an issue why isn't it conceivable that I can look at 11 iPhone 5's and all are scuffed? Maybe the next 4 or 5 are perfect? You ever been to Vegas?

Based on my own experiences, I would have to agree with Douglas Lee. I have purchased 4 iphones for my company, 3 of which were black. Of the 3, 1 was defective. I had to go through two replacements (1st replacement had loose home button and scratch), but 2nd replacement was 99% perfect.

It could be that that some consumers are just getting extremely bad luck, but if you are really at the point where you're going through 3 or more replacements, I think it's time to give up and get a refund. I think even if you're beyond the 14-day (or whatever Apple provides by law in your area), I would seriously make an argument that you deserve a refund because you can't be given a device that works. Most reasonable company management would support if you stated your case.

If anyone is exagerating or making up stories, it's really not helping others that are here to get support and suggestions from others on finding solutions that would help them.

I meant everyone I know got a perfect phone except my first one which had an almost invisible scratch. I had that one replaced and bought another for my wife. Both black 64g and perfect. Also I used it without a case for a week even dropping in the space between my car seat and the center console and it didn't scratch. They are not as scratch able as people are making it out to be. I am very happy with the phone which replaced a Galaxy Nexus.

Apple just deleted my response. I had a long written reply about my experience and how ****** off I am and now it's gone.

Gotta love Apple, burrying the evidence because it's STILL ONGOING AND THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE IT.