At the Apple keynote on Sept. 7, the Cupertino-based company introduced new hues of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — a charcoal black type option dubbed Black and a glossy black finish called Jet Black.
The shiny black hue looks quite striking, and this variant of the iPhone 7 is drawing a lot of attention that it could potentially be this year's most wanted color.
However, the excitement surrounding the new high gloss finish Jet Black version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus may be short-lived. Even though the new hue looks stunning, it comes with a problem — scratches.
The Jet Black variant of the iPhone 7 is apparently prone to getting scratched easily. The information comes straight from the horse's mouth, particularly Apple's disclaimer in a footnote on the tech specs page.
"The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use," warns Apple.
This suggests that the nine-step polishing and anodization process from the company is not sufficient to ensure that the iPhone 7 will not suffer from abrasions, minor or otherwise.
Considering Apple made a big deal of the process it deployed to achieve this finish, the disclaimer that the Jet Black version could scratch easily seems ironic.
Apple has previously come under fire for bendgate, and it seems that the company wants to remain safe this time round, thus, the warning. For those wondering how Apple intends to tackle the problem — it does have a solution, albeit a not-so-great one.
Apple advises that those concerned about the Jet Black iPhone 7 getting scratched easily can use a smartphone cover to safeguard their handset.
"If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone," notes the company.
So basically, if you intend to purchase the Jet Black color of the iPhone 7 (or iPhone 7 Plus), then keep in mind that a cover is advisable. So what if it hides the beauty of the handset?
The fact that the Jet Black color may lead to scratching could possibly lead many consumers to opt for another hue. More so in the light of the fact that the Jet Black option is only available for the 128 GB or 256 GB models, which have a steeper price, and not the 32 GB one.
Interestingly, the Apple disclaimer is not there for the Black option of the iPhone 7. This is likely due to the fact that it has a matte finish.
Irrespective of the warning of susceptibility to getting scratched, we think the Jet Black color is definitely the hue to opt for the iPhone 7. We could deal with the idea of a smartphone cover to avoid the abrasions, which is a small sacrifice to make.
