Remember The iPhone 17 Pro Color Mess? The iPhone 18 Pro May Be Next

Apple’s brand-new iPhone 18 Pro series is priced $100 more than its predecessors from last year. Unfortunately, it seems that they’re running into the same finish problems too, with reports claiming that the iPhone 18 Pro is suffering from paint fading.

Does the iPhone 18 Pro have a paint fading problem?

According to multiple posts on Reddit, it seems the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max phones are suffering from what appears to be a paint-fading issue. Based on photos shared on these posts, there seems to be some kind of weird discoloration issue happening around the camera module.

For the most part, it seems to affect users with the burgundy finish. However, there are photos showing that the black models are affected too. Now, some users have commented that this is just dirt or oils from our fingers or hands. However, other users have chimed in saying that they have tried wiping it off using microfiber clothes to no avail.

This suggests that maybe there’s something wrong with the finishing process that has led to the discoloration. Those who own the glacier and silver models don’t seem to run into the issue. This means that it might only affect the models with a darker finish. Unfortunately, Apple has yet to comment on the issue, so it is unclear if the company will allow for returns or exchanges.

Not the first time

That being said, what’s worrying is the fact that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this problem. Some of you might recall that Apple’s Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro models ran into the same problem last year. There were multiple reports where the orange finish started fading and discoloring into a rose gold color.

Apple never acknowledged the issue. They only updated its cleaning guidelines to highlight how users shouldn’t use cleaners that contain bleach or hydrogen peroxide. However, behind the scenes, users were reporting successful returns and exchanges.

Presumably Apple will continue offering similar exchanges. But honestly at these prices, we’d much rather Apple actively do something about it that will address the problem once and for all.