If you've heard that Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro models are more prone to scratches than past models, the story is not as cut and dry as it might appear. Bloomberg reported on September 19 that in-store iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro were already showing scratches, including circular marks from where the phones mounted on MagSafe stands. Now Apple tells 9to5Mac those marks aren't scratches but rather "material transfer" from the stands to the body of the phone.
Apple's explanation suggests that simply cleaning demo iPhone 17 Pro units and replacing old MagSafe stands will prevent those markings from happening in the future. That doesn't account for the scratches some iPhone 17 Pro owners have noticed around the phone's camera bump, though. In a recent scratch test video, YouTuber JerryRigEverything speculated that Apple's decision to not add a chamfer or fillet to the sides of the iPhone 17 Pro's camera bump left it more prone to damage. Through 9to5Mac, Apple says it designed the Pro's aluminum camera bump in the same way as its other aluminum products and that it's durable, but prone to "small abrasions" over time.
Demo unit iPhone 17 Pro scratches on day 1… (it’s not even 24 hours yet)
Use a case immediately if you don’t wait to experience this kind of issue. I’m very disappointed with the quality here pic.twitter.com/zRjIQrl3zA — Bradley (@VerdeSelvans) September 19, 2025
So Apple has effectively denied one instance of the iPhone 17 Pro scratching and sidestepped another. Notably, at no point in 9to5Mac's reporting is Apple or a spokesperson actually quoted, though, which might suggest the company isn't ready to stick to a single explanation for the issues some users are dealing with. Engadget has contacted Apple for more information and will update this article if we learn more.
Switching from the titanium frame of the iPhone 16 Pro to the unibody aluminum one on the iPhone 17 Pro lets Apple's new phone be both more performant and offer longer battery life. Aluminum does come with a natural drawback, though: It's less scratch-resistant than titanium. It's entirely possible reports of iPhone 17 Pro scratches are just a way to squeeze a few more drops of attention out of Apple's launch, but if the company does have a problem, its choice of material might be the cause.