Did Apple just drop the ball with the iPhone 17 Pro’s design? Early adopters are sounding the alarm, and the issue has sparked a global controversy known as Scratchgate.

From the very first unboxing videos, users started noticing something unsettling about their shiny new iPhone 17 Pro—scratches and chips, right out of the box, especially around the flashy camera bump. Turns out, this isn’t just a few unlucky cases. The legendary repair gurus at iFixit dove in with their signature tear-down, bringing in high-tech microscopes and materials experts to get to the bottom of it. What they found is raising eyebrows across the tech world.

The iPhone 17 Pro, boasting a striking anodized aluminum finish, is already infamous for one reason: those sharp corners around the camera plateau. Under even gentle pressure, iFixit showed the anodized layer flaking off, exposing bright, almost blinding aluminum underneath. iFixit didn’t stop there—they tested with picks as hard as loose change, and while most of the phone’s body survived with only cosmetic scratches, the camera bump’s sharp edges broke down in seconds. They even brought in materials scientist David Niebuhr, who confirmed that sharp design transitions are a nightmare for thin oxide coatings. In fact, he bluntly stated that Apple could have totally dodged Scratchgate by making the bump’s edge a smooth curve, not a harsh corner. Thicker coatings wouldn’t help, either—they’d just flake off worse and damage the underlying aluminum more dramatically.

This “Scratchgate” is now the talk of the tech town, with shots of microscopic scratches going viral. But here’s what else iFixit uncovered: Apple’s made some big changes under the hood. For the first time, the iPhone battery sits in a screw-in tray—no more wrestling with nightmare adhesives. That’s good news for DIY repair fans. Bad news? Apple scrapped the dual-entry repair system, meaning the back panel is now just for wireless charging fixes. Most repairs now require opening the display, which isn’t exactly beginner friendly and amps up the risk of breaking your pricey screen.

On the bright side, Apple’s upgraded their cooling game. The iPhone 17 Pro packs a vapor chamber under its hood—a high-tech copper lattice that spreads heat away from the powerful A19 Pro chip. CT scans show it nestling between the battery and the logic board, delivering smoother performance and less overheating. Still, all this innovation doesn’t make up for the frustration of scratching your $1,500 device with something as harmless as a penny. And so far, Apple has stayed silent—no official word on Scratchgate, no fixes, just radio silence.

So what’s a proud iPhone 17 Pro owner to do? Experts agree: get a case that covers the camera plateau, keep it away from coins and keys, and treat it like fine china. If you spot damage, take pictures and document it immediately. Cosmetic flaws might not slow down the phone, but they can seriously sting when you’ve shelled out top dollar for ‘the best ever.’ The AI generated newscast about iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratchgate brings you all the details so you can protect your device—and your wallet.