- The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max use Aluminum 7000 instead of titanium, making them cooler and more efficient.
- Aluminum is softer than titanium, so edges can show light scratches more easily.
- These scratches do not affect performance, battery life, or camera quality.
- Using a case with raised edges prevents most marks and keeps the phone looking new.
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been hit with a new controversy people are calling “Scratchgate.” Photos and videos online show faint marks along the edges of the new phones, and the internet, as always, has run with the drama.
But let’s step back for a moment. The term itself makes the whole thing sound like a grand cover-up, when in reality, it is nothing more than a few scratches on the edges of a phone. The word “gate” used to be serious. It started with Watergate, a political scandal in the 1970s that forced a U.S. President out of office.
Since then, we’ve had Bridgegate, Deflategate, and even Gamergate. Apple itself has seen Antennagate, when holding the iPhone 4 the “wrong way” cut signal strength, and Bendgate, when the iPhone 6 Plus bent too easily in people’s pockets.
This new one? It is about hairline scratches on the sides of the iPhone 17 Pro. Hardly the same level of scandal.
Why Apple switched from titanium to aluminum
The root of this entire story lies in a design decision Apple made for its flagship phones. Instead of sticking with the titanium frame used in the iPhone 16 Pro line, Apple went with Aluminum 7000 series for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The move wasn’t about saving money or making the phones lighter. It was about cooling. Inside the phones, the A19 Pro chip gets warm during heavy use. Apple added a vapor chamber system to wick heat away, and aluminum is much better at spreading that heat than titanium. The result is a cooler, more efficient phone that delivers smoother performance and better battery life.
On paper, it’s a smart trade-off. Titanium is stronger, but aluminum helps the phone run better.
The reality of softer metal
The issue, however, is that aluminum is softer than titanium. On the Rockwell hardness scale, titanium sits around 70–74 HRB while aluminum alloys are closer to 60–70 HRB. That difference means aluminum will show marks more easily when rubbed against hard objects like keys, coins, or even the rivets on jeans.
Anyone who has ever worked with metals will understand this. Aluminum is famously light and workable. It is easy to cut, shape, and polish compared to steel or titanium. That same softness, though, means it will not resist scratches as well as harder metals.
Apple knew this when they made the decision. In fact, the company’s own testing labs drop phones from every angle, examine the damage, reinforce weak spots, and repeat the process. If scratches showed up on the edges during testing, Apple likely decided they were a cosmetic issue, not something that affected performance.
Scratches on the edges are not the end of the world
So, what are people actually seeing? The marks appear along the unprotected edges of the phone, the parts not covered by Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass. Ceramic Shield protects the display better than almost any smartphone glass on the market, but it does not cover the thin frame around the phone. That leaves those edges exposed.
In daily life, that means the edges can rub against tables, coins, or even concrete steps if the phone slips. These are small cosmetic marks that do not affect the cameras, the display, or the processor.
It is also worth noting that cases make a big difference. Apple’s own cases have a raised lip that shields the edges. Many third-party cases do the same. Reviewers who used cases saw far fewer marks, even after weeks of testing. In other words, “Scratchgate” can be solved with a simple accessory most people already buy.
The iPhone 17 Pro is still an outstanding phone
Lost in all this noise is the fact that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are two of the most advanced smartphones Apple has ever made. They run cooler, they last longer on a charge, and the cameras remain among the best in the industry.
A faint scratch on the side does not make the photos less sharp, the battery less efficient, or the screen less bright. It is purely a cosmetic detail. Apple may have chosen aluminum for heat management, but the overall experience is better because of it.
That is why calling this “Scratchgate” feels overblown. It is not a scandal, not a cover-up, and certainly not a reason to dismiss the phone. The iPhone 17 Pro remains one of the finest pieces of consumer technology you can buy right now.
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