Yesterday, we told you about the iPhone 5 Screen Gate. With the iPhone 5 being the lightest, thinnest, and sleekest smart-phone out there, users have discovered another  issue in Apple’s latest device. This time its being called “Scratch Gate.” The  iPhone 5 uses an anodized aluminum back plate instead of the Corning glass used in the 4/4S. Aluminum is a soft material to begin with, making it susceptible to wear and tear from daily use. Having it in your pocket with some change or keys might make the back side of your i5 look like it just came out of a war movie. Not only is the back plate prone to scratching, it is also quite easy for someone to scrape the paint right off the back, as seen below:
So why did Apple go with an anodized aluminum back plate instead of glass? Well its  easier to work with, it can be painted any color,and its relatively light — especially compared to stainless steel. It allows new colors for Apple to work with like black/grey and white/silver for the iPhone 5. However, think of the paint coat on the back side like how icing on a cake, scratches and scuffs will reveal the aluminum’s natural color.
iFixit tests how the iPhone 5 cant withstand keys or rings, as it scratches very easy. Although the iPhone 4 passed the test with its original color still there.
A lot of  iPhone 5 early adopters reported that their were scuffs and dings right out of the box on their brand new iPhone. Even if it was perfect when they took it out of the box, it probably isn’t now. The black version of the iPhone 5 actually seems to be more easier to scratch than the white version and the scratches show up much more due to the high contrast.
Apple has said in an email response that the scratching is normal since its aluminum. They also went so far to tell Foxconn to slow down production lines. How has your iPhone 5 held up? Are you a victim of the “scuff/scratch gate?”
