The iPhone 17 Pro may be Apple’s most solid design upgrade yet, but durability tests are already pointing to one problem that could turn into the phone’s own version of “Scratch-Gate.” YouTuber JerryRigEverything recently put the device through his standard stress tests and discovered that the colorful anodized aluminum finish is surprisingly fragile at one very specific spot, which is the sharp edge of the camera plateau.
Durability tests reveal iPhone 17 Pro’s sharp camera plateau edges chip easily
Apple uses the anodizing process to make its aluminum frame tougher and more resistant to scratches. The raw aluminum is dipped into an acidic bath, electrified, and transformed into a hardened aluminum oxide shell that ranks just below diamond. However, the problem is that anodizing does not hold well on sharp corners, and that’s exactly what Apple designed into the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera bump.
Instead of rounding off the edges with a small radius, Apple left the plateau with razor-sharp cliffs that look sleek but expose the biggest weakness of anodizing. Jerry used a coin and a key to show that the flat surface of the camera plateau held strong, but the corners chipped off almost immediately, revealing the silver aluminum underneath. What this means is that wear and tear are almost guaranteed over time, and there is very little users can do about it other than putting a case on the iPhone 17 Pro.
The YouTuber also mentions that international standards for anodizing specifically recommend adding a radius to sharp corners so the oxide layer can stick better. It appears that Apple’s design team clearly chose aesthetics over long-term durability. The end result is that the corners of the camera plateau will scratch faster than the rest of the device.
On the flip side, this does not mean that the iPhone 17 Pro is fragile by any means, and the annual iPhone bend test proves it. The YouTuber noted that the iPhone 17 Pro didn’t even flinch when it came to the bend test, and it is all thanks to the solid aluminum unibody design and the reinforced frame. Structurally, the iPhone 17 Pro is the strongest iPhone the company has ever made, but you have to take note that, according to Jerry, the “Scratch-Gate” is real on the camera plateau, so be sure to put a proper case on it that covers the vulnerable spots.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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