The jet black iPhone 7 and 7 Plus sit high on the supply/demand curve: The supply is limited, the demand high. The jet black finish is unlike any finish before it, created by a unique buffing process (about 1:12 in) called rotational 3-D polishing. And the people rejoiced.
A few weeks in, how do these finishes hold up?
From this post by Sébastien Page:
The way I see it, a micro-abrasion is a mark that you can see but one you cannot feel. On the other hand, a scratch is a mark that you can see and feel if running a fingernail on top of it. I believe this distinction to be important, and I also believe that most people would agree with it.
Sébastien is relatively careful with his phone. Despite that care, his iPhone shows both micro-abrasions and scratches. His post does a good job describing both with an excellent photo giving you a sense of what to expect. I’ve seen lots of photos of the iPhone 7, but few get the lighting angle just right. This one does.
Zac Hall, writing for 9to5mac writes about his experience with the jet black finish:
The high gloss aluminum finish feels remarkably like glass. I’m not sure I could tell the difference between the display and the back casing in a blind test. It also attracts fingerprints just like glass. I’m constantly wiping the back of my iPhone down with my shirt just like I already do for the screen.
I notice fingerprints everyday. I have to actually look for micro abrasions. They are there, but only visible in certain lighting.
This point about lighting is key. The sense I get is that you wouldn’t notice the abrasions if you weren’t specifically looking for them, tilting the phone to get the light at just the right angle.
Again, some excellent photos here, including one terrible image showing what happens when iPhone kisses pavement. Ugh.
I am very careful with my iPhone, always have been. In fact, without looking, I’d say my iPhone 6s Plus is in perfect condition. Let me just pull it out and look…Hmmm. If I get the light just right, I see some chips and scratches. And, as you’d expect, lots of fingerprints. And I never even noticed them.
If you are entranced by the jet black finish, take a look at the images in the linked posts, then take a really careful look at your existing phone. That should help you decide if the jet black finish is worth the wait.
UPDATE: Here’s another gallery, this from Lee Peterson, showing some jet black wear and tear.