Apple Stores are taking two important steps to try and prevent scratches and marks on their display units.
Since the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup, there have been concerns about scratches on the back glass and camera plateau. Shoppers almost immediately noticed scratches and marks on Apple Store display units. I noticed some too:
Problematic MagSafe stands
In response, Apple said that they had investigated and determined the cause of the marks to be caused by worn-down MagSafe stands. From 9to5Mac’s Chance Miller:
Apple tells me it has determined these imperfections are caused by worn MagSafe stands used in some stores. It also clarifies that the marks aren’t scratches, but rather material transfer from the stand to the phone that is removable with cleaning. The company says it is working to address these problems at the stores, presumably by replacing the worn MagSafe stands. Other iPhones on display are also affected by this, including iPhone 16 models.
The MagSafe stands in Apple Stores are similar to the MagSafe chargers that they sell, in that they have a metal ring around them. When you lift the phone off the stand, it’s very easy to hit that ring, and it seems that the ring can get scuffed and chipped over time.
How Apple is fixing the problem
Recently, some shoppers noticed that Apple Stores had begun putting silicone rings around the edges of their stands. For example, at Apple’s latest Ginza store:
However, these silicone rings do not fix models that were already scratched. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman details how Apple is tackling this issue in today’s Power On newsletter:
In the past few days, Apple corporate contacted retail store employees, telling them that they need to more regularly clean the backs of demo units by mixing a salt substance with their normal solution.
While we don’t know the exact mixture Apple is using, I was curious if I could try and replicate the effect. My own iPhone 17 Pro got some marks from using a stand at the Apple Store during setup. I mixed up water and some sea salt and it actually did work:
Of course, your mileage may vary, but this was far more effective than water and isopropyl alcohol for me.
Final thoughts
It was such a pleasant surprise to see that I was able to remove the scratches from my iPhone! Are you able to do the same? Let me know down in the comments.
My favorite Apple accessories:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
