Matte black iPhone 7 is vulnerable to chipping

Some iPhone 7 owners are reporting that the black matte finish on their handset has started chipping away, leaving bare aluminum exposed.

It seems the larger iPhone 7 Plus is more susceptible to the problem, which some users are experiencing despite having always used a case. Apple says the issue is purely cosmetic.

After the iPhone 5, which was painted black and scrapped and chipped insanely easily, Apple changed its aluminum finishing process to make it more durable. However, it seems the dye used in the outer layer of the iPhone 7’s aluminum could have a similar problem.

There’s a growing number of complaints on the Apple Support Communities forum from iPhone 7 owners who have noticed the black finish is chipping away from their handsets. Both the smaller and larger models are affected, but it seems to be more common with the 7 Plus.

“I am using the matt black model and I realised a bit of the paint chipped off at my volume button too,” writes one user. “I am a very meticulous user and it never happened with my old iphone 6 model.”

“I also have iPhone 7 Plus black, I have the problem with a few chips at the bottom on the phone near the speakers,” writes another.

“I have the same issue with my iPhone 7 plus in matte black before, it started chipping on the back portion near the apple logo the 1st week I’ve used it and on the 2nd week the speaker grille and the corners of the volume button chipped as well,” writes another.

These users have contacted Apple, but they’ve been told the issue is purely cosmetic, and therefore not covered by the iPhone’s warranty. Some has resorted to covering the chips themselves with acrylic paint or marker pen.

While we would expect the finish to chip away from neglected handsets that had been dropped, many users say theirs has been well looked after since it was purchased, and always kept in a case. It’s not yet clear how widespread the problem is.

It certainly doesn’t appear to be as common as the iPhone 5’s paint chipping problem. After all, the iPhone 7 has been on sale for almost five months now and we’re only just hearing about it. However, those who are experiencing this will want answers from Apple.

Have you noticed the finish chipping away from your matte black iPhone 7?

Via: 9to5Mac

Killian Bell

Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.