The iPhone 17 Pro series made its official debut on September 19, 2025. However, concerns regarding its durability quickly surfaced, primarily due to issues with the aluminum alloy body of the display units in Apple stores. Within just a few hours of being on display, several Apple store models exhibited noticeable scratches and paint chipping, with the blue variant suffering the most severe damage.

It has been reported that for the first time, the iPhone 17 Pro switched its frame material from titanium to aluminum alloy, leading to a substantial drop in scratch resistance. Apple's customer service acknowledged the issue, stating that even minor bumps could leave marks on the device and advising users to steer clear of contact with hard objects. The debate over the phone's aesthetic durability has already started to sway some consumers' purchasing decisions, with some scalpers even declining to deal with the Pro models due to the scratch problems.