iPhone 17 Faces Early Scratching Issues in China

Apple’s newly launched iPhone 17 series has sparked controversy in China, as customers shared images showing scratches on display models just hours after the devices went on sale.

 iPhone 17 Launch Controversy

Shoppers in Hong Kong and Shanghai reported scuffs on the deep blue iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, with some also noticing marks on the black iPhone Air. Apple had promoted the devices as featuring a more durable finish and a return to an aluminium frame, but photographs on Weibo suggested the coating may be more fragile than advertised. By Friday afternoon, a related hashtag had amassed over 40 million views, becoming one of the platform’s top-trending topics. Apple has not commented on the reports.

The complaints echo past flagship issues, such as the glossy black iPhone 7 scratching easily, the iPhone 6 bending under pressure, and the iPhone 4 experiencing signal problems.

Despite these concerns, demand remains strong. In Hong Kong, Apple’s flagship store saw long queues, though walk-in purchases were limited to the iPhone Air, with Pro models redirected to online orders, facing shipping delays of up to three weeks. Similar delays have been reported in Australia, New Zealand, mainland China, and Singapore, with the Pro Max variant taking nearly four weeks. In South Korea, the iPhone 17 Pro ships within a week, while the Pro Max will arrive late October.

The early China setback threatens to overshadow a robust global debut, as Apple continues to focus on sustaining sales and highlighting AI features in its latest smartphones.