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Apple has completely redesigned the basic structure of the iPhone 15 Pro. Instead of stainless steel, the case is now made of aluminum and titanium. This means that the smartphone should be lighter and still durable. However, according to initial user reports, the whole thing is associated with some initial difficulties.

Early iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max buyers reported numerous problems with the premium smartphone on social media. While the iPhone 15/15 Plus has practically no defects, the Pro has more and more complaints about the new titanium housing and inadequate quality control.

Delicate titanium case

The new housing of the iPhone 15 Pro was intended to eliminate one of the biggest problems of its predecessors: its high weight. Titanium is lighter than stainless steel and still very durable. However, the metal is expensive and difficult to process. The inner frame is, therefore, made of aluminum, and only an outer border about one millimeter thick is made of titanium. Since the metal cannot be easily colored - a coat of color would quickly peel off - Apple relies on physical vapor deposition. In physical vapor deposition - PVD for short - a material in the desired color is vaporized in a vacuum and then deposited on a surface.

A teardown guy showed Apple's iPhone 15 and said there was dust in the lens and motherboard. This raises an exciting quality issue: Some iPhone 15s are said to be made in India, although the pros are made in China. Some people suspect that the quality is not good.

The problem with PVD is that the surface material can temporarily discolor when touched by dirty or oily fingers. Users on Reddit are reporting exactly this discoloration, which appears to occur primarily around the volume buttons, the power button, and the action button.

Apple is aware of this behavior. In its support article on proper cleaning, the company added a paragraph specifically for the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max: “On iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, oil from your skin may temporarily change the color of the outer band. Wiping the iPhone with a soft, damp, lint-free cloth will restore its original appearance.”

However, the coating not only seems prone to discoloration, but according to user reports, it also scratches very easily. Even a fall from a small height can leave scratches and dents. According to one user, even a protective cover could not protect the case from damage.

Some iPhone 15 Pro units appear to have display misalignment, dirt on the camera lenses, scratches on the screen, and signs of damage in various areas; there are reports of bubbles and discolored squares. This happens for US, Chinese, and EU market units.

iPhone 15 Pro quality control issues?

It is relatively common for buyers to receive defective units on the first batch of a majorly redesigned product. However, with the iPhone 15 Pro, quality control has not identified blatant manufacturing problems.

Users on Reddit and Immediately after unpacking, some buyers noticed that their iPhone already had dents and scratches in the case. The display glass and the back of the glass are also said to have occasional scratches. There are also reports of dirt deposits under the camera lens.

There appear to be further problems with the color coating of the iPhone 15 Pro from the factory. There is a section about a centimeter wide between the SIM card slot and the volume buttons, a different color than the rest of the frame. There are also isolated reports of display units that need to be correctly aligned with the structure, leaving gaps and unclean transitions between the antenna bands in the outer band.

Overheating during normal use

In the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple uses a new chip with the “Pro” suffix for the first time. The A17 Pro is said to be able to display triple-A console titles on the iPhone. “Assassin’s Creed Mirage,” “Death Stranding” and “Resident Evil Village” have already been announced exclusively for the iPhone 15 Pro.

However, the chip is causing problems for some users, causing the iPhone 15 Pro to overheat to more than 40 degrees. Even during everyday use, the smartphone should become so hot that it can hardly be touched:

What do affected users do?

It is not uncommon for buyers to discover a manufacturing defect immediately upon unpacking. In this case, the statutory warranty or the manufacturer's guarantee applies. In the first six months after purchase, the manufacturer must prove that a defect did not already exist at the factory. To be safe, buyers who order online should check the goods immediately upon receipt and use their 14-day right of withdrawal. Documenting the error directly with a photo or video also doesn't hurt.

If damage occurs at a later date, the situation becomes complicated. As a rule, these cases are considered your fault and, therefore, not covered by the statutory warranty. The only exception to this is additional guarantees such as AppleCare+, provided that damage such as scratches is explicitly covered. If in doubt, it's best to contact Apple Support first.

Otherwise, those affected can only hope that there is a production error and Apple admits it. At this point, it is still being determined how widespread the problem with the coating is.