The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are now available in the wild and there are reports that some discoloration has appeared on the new titanium frames of these devices – an issue that Apple has now officially acknowledged.
In an updated support document (via MacRumors), Apple officially says that “for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the oil from your skin may temporarily change the color of the outer band.”
There’s no need to panic, though, as wiping the handset’s frame with a “soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth” will “restore the original appearance” and make your phone look as good as new. That said, you may want to invest in a business.
This year’s Pro and Pro Max phones use titanium with a brushed effect instead of stainless steel, which seems to be why fingerprints show so much. You may not notice these signs of gradual wear at all.
Sustainable Built
In our iPhone 15 Pro Max review, we praised the “excellent” build quality of the most expensive iPhone 15 model, describing it as “a pleasure to hold” – and fingerprint issues weren’t something we particularly noticed.
The move to titanium means the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are lighter than their immediate predecessors and should be more resistant to corrosion, although they are also slightly thicker.
As we explained in our iPhone 15 review, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus stick with the usual aluminum frame, so you shouldn’t notice any discoloration there. All four new iPhone 15 handsets have a glass front and back.
The cleaning process for your iPhone remains the same: use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth, avoid cleaning products and do not use compressed air. Also make sure that no moisture gets into the phone’s openings.