iPhone 17 scratchgate takes another wild turn: What’s wrong with it this time?

Apparently, the hefty sum needed for Apple’s latest smartphone doesn’t guarantee you a flawless device.
Apple’s latest iPhone 17 series is already out, and users are sharing their first impressions.
“Normal user here, upgraded from 12 Pro to 17 Pro, couldn’t be happier. And not a single scratch. It’s damn slippery though!” one Redditor said as the so-called scratchgate now took a new turn.
However, this time, Apple’s Support is busy responding to users who are facing connectivity issues.
Many iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Air users report that their WiFi connectivity cuts off from time to time. The issue has been ongoing for four days now.
People who have already reported the issue to the Apple community and started a discussion on Reddit share that the connection disconnects for a short period of time and reconnects after unlocking the phone.
Could the Apple Watch be at fault?
Some iPhone users linked the problem to their Apple Watch, which, when paired and unlocked, caused the WiFi disruption issue. However, the same problem was also reported by those who don’t own the smartwatch.
A number of users who own Apple’s speaker, HomePod, also shared that they’re experiencing the same connectivity issue.
The recent glitch also affects Apple’s CarPlay, since the system works through WiFi connectivity.
It’s not yet clear whether the problem is related to a hardware or a software issue.
iPhone 17 series smartphones are the first devices to come equipped with Apple’s N1 wireless chip, which promises “better performance and reliability with WiFi 7,13, Bluetooth 6, and Thread” connectivity.
Users also unhappy about brand-new yet heavily scratched iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 series smartphones went on sale starting September 19th, with users and testers sharing their first impressions.
However, not all of these reactions were positive. A number of the first new iPhone buyers revealed that their smartphones arrived already scratched.
Users reported unboxing damaged iPhones in London, New York, and Hong Kong.
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in deep blue were found with scratches just a few hours after being displayed in Apple stores, reports Bloomberg.
Apple’s latest addition to its iPhone series, iPhone 17 Air in black, was also found with scratches.
It was also reported that Apple’s magnetic charger, MagSafe, leaves the devices with visible circular marks.
With the release of iPhone 17, the company returned to using aluminum frames, which were supposed to be scratch-resistant.
Apple explains where the scratches are coming from
After assessing the situation, the company found that the scratches were caused by the MagSafe stands that new iPhones are placed on in stores.
Apple also explained that what users considered scratches are actually “material transfer” from the stand, reports 9to5Mac. Since these are not considered cuts or scratches, they can be cleaned.
The company will be changing the stands in the stores and will also explain the issue to customers.
iPhone 17 smartphones aren’t the only ones affected by this problem, as customers also report seeing the same scratches on iPhone 16 models.
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