It’s not glue. Watch a teardown video. No white glue or adhesive is used. It’s dust, dirt, lotion from your hands, or some kind of food. Try cleaning it with isopropyl alcohol.
Tavis said:
It’s not glue. Watch a teardown video. No white glue or adhesive is used. It’s dust, dirt, lotion from your hands, or some kind of food. Try cleaning it with isopropyl alcohol.
Put the fucking lotion in the basket!
Tavis said:
It’s not glue. Watch a teardown video. No white glue or adhesive is used. It’s dust, dirt, lotion from your hands, or some kind of food. Try cleaning it with isopropyl alcohol.
I do not recommend cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. It is better to use very little micellar water on a soft toothbrush.
@Quin
Good point. Thanks and agreed.
Looks like it’s not sealed properly. Factory defect?
Does the frame or back panel stick out in an unusual way? If it does, it could be the adhesive, though I’m sure Apple uses black-colored adhesives. It could also be sand or dirt trapped in the crevice. Try to look closer (maybe use another phone’s zoom) to determine what it is.
@Reagan
Both the back panel and the frame are flush. Everything besides that looks fine. I tried brushing lightly with a toothbrush, but it didn’t do anything.
Cameron said:
@Reagan
Both the back panel and the frame are flush. Everything besides that looks fine. I tried brushing lightly with a toothbrush, but it didn’t do anything.
Try with a toothpick. The frame is Titanium, and the camera island is glass. You can’t really damage those.
Take it to an Apple Store and ask them.
Who knows? I do know that it’ll be covered by a case, and if not, you’ll have bigger issues than that.
Jess said:
Who knows? I do know that it’ll be covered by a case, and if not, you’ll have bigger issues than that.
Not really a cosmetic concern. If it’s the glue or adhesive exposed, then the splash, water, and dust resistance is compromised.
@Cameron
Very possibly. Hopefully not. Not sure where all the seals are or how they work.
Update: Went to Genius Bar. They also suspected it was the sealant they use in the frame that was visible. They kept the phone to replace the back panel, as they considered it misaligned.
I went two hours later to pick it up. They replaced the back panel, but the gap is still there. This was by their own observation before I could even check.
Now they want to replace the whole frame, which could be causing the gap and exposing the sealant. They didn’t have the part in-store, so I have to wait around a week for it to arrive. They also ordered a whole replacement unit, just in case.
When asked about the repair approach instead of replacing the whole unit, as was often the case in the last 10 years or so, I was told it was due to the company being ‘greener’ and trying to reduce waste.
Return it. The back was not properly aligned when assembled, and I’m pretty sure that’s the inside of the phone you’re looking at. I had this problem and returned it immediately.
Yes, it’s glue. It’s the waterproof seal. I repair phones all the time. You’ll see this if the seal/glue is wearing out, especially if there’s a gap between the frame and the rest of the body. It looks like a defect. I would return it for a replacement model.
Definitely ask for a replacement. This is ridiculous. Any repair work they do will risk waterproofing. Be stern about this; don’t let them get away with it. ‘Greener’ is BS. Take it to a different Apple Store if necessary and tell them that. If needed, escalate this to executive management for them to investigate your local store. This is absurd.
Looks like the same little white dust (probably dead skin cells) you can see on the slope of the camera bump too.
Mai said:
Looks like the same little white dust (probably dead skin cells) you can see on the slope of the camera bump too.
Thought the same at first, but after gently brushing with the toothbrush, it’s still there.
Can you still make the return?