Some iPhone 11 users are complaining about its allegedly “scratch-prone” screen
Shortly after its release, iPhone 11 users are already complaining about scratched screens.
Apple’s claim that the iPhone 11’s glass screen is the “toughest ever in a smartphone” doesn’t appear to be faring very well now that the phone is on the market. Many users are already registering their complaints about screen scratching across Twitter and Apple Discussion Forums.
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Popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything has put the iPhone 11 through its paces. He scratched the screen with a box cutter and described the results as “pretty normal” for a smartphone, not detecting any of the adverse findings that have been reported by some users. Similarly, fellow YouTubers, GizmoSlip have said they were wowed by the phone’s ability to survive a face down drop with no screen damage.
However, some iPhone 11 owners are saying that normal usage, and even just keeping the phone in your pocket, quickly leads to scratches.
One user, amongst tens who have posted on the Apple Discussion Forum, said: “My iPhone 11 looks worse after 1 week than my iPhone 7 did after 3 years. I’ll be going to my Apple store and complaining. I haven’t bought AppleCare yet but might have to at this rate.”
Another said: “I have a legit crack/scratch in my screen that showed up out of nowhere. No drop, no incident.”
A third echoed the complaint, with a crack appearing after a similarly uneventful day: “The same happened to my iPhone Pro. I just got it yesterday and kept it in a pocket with nothing else. Less than a day later and there’s already a scratch. I didn’t have this problem with the iPhone X.”
@Apple so my tweet was taken down but, here is my brand new iPhone 11 with just a week of use, only in pockets. So many scratches! @Josh_Smith pic.twitter.com/58cRuVilTF
— Kaxinne Cancinos (@kaxinnecancinos) October 2, 2019
@Josh_Smith I’ve been babying the iPhone 11 pro max because I wasn’t sure I was going to keep it. I’ve had it two days and I have small scratches all over the screen. Super frustrating.
— Isaac Conley (@IConley_9) October 1, 2019
Numerous reports of normal use leading to scratching will worry iPhone 11 users and Apple themselves. The company has a decent track record of dealing with screen issues though. When similar issues surfaced with the Apple Watch, the company was quick to put repair programmes in place.
If this becomes a widespread problem Apple may have to do so again.
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It’s especially annoying for customers, given the iPhone 11’s not exactly cheap price point. The top-spec, 256GB model costs a whopping £879. However, the phone is still in the early stages of release and, proportionally, only a few users have complained. We’ll need to wait to know if the scratching becomes a serious recurring issue.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
