Some Apple customers say new iPhone 18 Pros, which cost $1,199 each, are arriving with pinkish halos around the rear camera area that do not wipe away.
Here's what to know
Since the iPhone 18 Pro's Sept. 18 launch, complaints on social media have focused on discoloration around the rear camera cluster, according to the New York Post.
The outlet reported that one person described, "... The area around my camera lenses looks slightly lighter/pinkish compared to the surrounding camera housing."
Another added, "Mine looks exactly the same. It was that way out of the box. I figured I would clean it off when I got home. The stains are not going away, no matter what I've done."
"Mine is horrible. Already on its way back to Apple," a third person said.
People have reported the issue on the burgundy and black models. The silver and pale blue "glacier" versions seem to be fine.
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More background
The iPhone 17 Pro also had issues with discoloration, the Post noted. Buyers of the Cosmic Orange model said the color shifted toward pink within weeks of release.
According to AppleInsider, both the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone 18 Pro use anodization for their finish, which is likely contributing to the color-changing "fiasco." That process puts aluminum in an electrolytic bath to seal in the color. If the seal is defective, exposure to water or skin oils can alter the color.
While this discoloration doesn't affect an iPhone's usability, it's understandable that people are still worried about the quality of the tech they're buying.
Where can I learn more?
The iPhone 18 Pro complaints add to a string of Apple customer gripes.
• Apple customers slammed new iPhones' excessive packaging after finding piles of unnecessary material.
• After ads appeared inside Apple Maps, iPhone users were fed up.
• Apple faced a lawsuit over purportedly misleading product claims tied to carbon-neutral branding.
• AirPods Pro earned a zero out of 10 repair rating.
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