The oxidation problems plaguing some iPhone 17 Pro Max units were bad enough, but we can universally agree that it is far better to have the paint job turn from Cosmic Orange to Rose Gold rather than for the color to come off completely. Unfortunately, an owner of Apple’s latest and greatest flagship found out in the most surprising way possible: using wet pipes. While there is no harm in using these to keep your smartphone squeaky clean, we recommend switching to a microfiber cloth for now until we can get to the bottom of this.
The anodized aluminum process to coat the iPhone 17 Pro Max would have been foolproof, but this is only one instance where the Cosmic Orange coating has been wiped off
It has been well-documented that the iPhone 17 Pro’s and iPhone 17 Pro Max’s camera plateau corners are highly susceptible to scratches, making it one of the weakest points of the flagships. Now, things have taken a turn for the worse, or at least that is what @Rui35052730 wants us to assume. On X, he has posted images of an iPhone 17 Pro Max used by someone in his country whose Cosmic Orange finish was literally wiped off when using wet wipes.
On Reddit, there is no recorded incident of any other iPhone 17 Pro Max owner experiencing the same issue, so we must assume that this is an isolated incident for now. Still, we are confident that this news will perform its usual rounds before reaching Apple. On the post, Grok, the free AI assistant developed by xAI, has confirmed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s Cosmic Orange coating can start peeling off if peroxide or alcohol-based wet wipes are used.
Apple strictly advises against using harsh ingredients to clean your iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max, as these contain strong chemicals designed to break down the paint. Since the company has also shifted from titanium alloy to a unibody aluminum chassis, another problem you will face is denting, which typically occurs when these smartphones are dropped from a significant height.
As demonstrated in a drop test comparison where the iPhone 17 Pro Max holds up well against the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it suffers greatly when contact is made from the corners. There is no confirmation whether Apple will provide a replacement to the owner, but this incident serves as a painful reminder to those who resort to wet wipes to clean dirt and grime off their devices.
News Source: @Rui35052730
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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