Overview

• iFixit's teardown images show spalling-style damage clustered on the raised camera plateau, which engineer David Niebuhr links to a sharp corner where the anodization is uneven.
• Testing indicates the anodized aluminum finish on most of the iPhone 17 Pro resists scratching, highlighting a geometry-driven weak spot rather than a device-wide coating issue.
• JerryRigEverything reproduced scratches at the camera plateau but not around the MagSafe cutout where many store demos show wear.
• Reports of display-unit scuffs near MagSafe appear tied to heavy handling and metal charging stands, distinguishing retail display wear from the camera-plateau vulnerability.
• iFixit recommends using a case to limit camera-plateau damage and notes mixed repairability, praising a screwed-in battery while criticizing that most repairs require removing the screen.