Yes, you can certainly scratch the iPhone 4 (updated with more photos)
By Laura June 
posted June 23rd 2010 10:14AM
posted June 23rd 2010 10:14AM
Well, this is not encouraging. The photo you're seeing above is our leader Joshua's iPhone 4 review unit, snapped by Ryan Block just moments ago. Ryan pointed out that there are some nasty scratches on the back of the phone. While we don't have any better photos of it at the moment, Josh told us that they're hard to see unless in bright light, but they look pretty notable to us for a five day-old unit made of Gorilla Glass. We'll get some better photos for you as soon as humanly possible.
Update: We should note that while iFixit has said that the new iPhone's front panel is made of Gorilla Glass (and they tend to be right about these things), the material on the back of the phone has not been positively identified, though it is also a hardened glass.
Update 2: We've added three higher quality photos after the break, and seen the scratch with our own eyes. It's what we would call "incredibly minor," not visible at all dead on, but in bright light at an angle... well see for yourself if the photos.
Update: We should note that while iFixit has said that the new iPhone's front panel is made of Gorilla Glass (and they tend to be right about these things), the material on the back of the phone has not been positively identified, though it is also a hardened glass.
Update 2: We've added three higher quality photos after the break, and seen the scratch with our own eyes. It's what we would call "incredibly minor," not visible at all dead on, but in bright light at an angle... well see for yourself if the photos.
@MoonWalkerCTE
Of course. They would have to fill the space with other non-Apple related news, like the Motorola Droid X announcement today.
@MoonWalkerCTE
Yes.
@Uncontrol BURN!
The legend of the super scratch prone Apple backs continues.. at least it's not aluminum like on my old ipod.
@MoonWalkerCTE
Yes, don't like it? make your own blog
They mention the gorilla glass, but is there gorilla glass on the backside?
I thought it was only on the front.
@chaos Everything scratches and especially Engadget doesn't look after their stuff they treat everything like junk..
@chaos
What was wrong with MoonWalkerCTE's post?
We are no longer aloud to criticize you guys?
@chaos That didn't happen yet. Do you want us to cover it from the future? Well, let me get in my pod.
@chaos http://www.coldwar.hu/html/en/finding_aids/flags/Flag_USSR.jpg
@MoonWalkerCTE Dude, sound bitter. Go for a walk or somethin'.
@Dapman02 Engadget named it Gorilla glass not Apple. Apple only said it's more scratch resistant than the plastic backing of the older iPhone models. So now everytime one of gadget demo units scratch they will post it. Seriously??
@Dapman02 Yes, both sides are actually covered in glass.
@MoonWalkerCTE actually iFixit has said it's Gorilla Glass, not us. We defer to their expertise in parts identification.
@Laura June
That's awfully sarcastic.
There were ads all over Engadget well before the iPhone 4 release.
@Laura June Oh then you should have quoted..
@MoonWalkerCTE
gorilla glass = Aluminasilicate
apple specifically says their glass is aluminasilicate
Not hard to match
@chaos
I've had a 3G for two years and after some cleaning there to this day isn't a single scratch on it... are we moving a bit backwards here?
No case, by the way. The back was scratched to hell of course but the front remained spotless.
@N900
sometimes glass comes out
sometimes things get scratched
shit happens
@shackattack Well, this scratch is on the back as well....
@coolkams03 I'm perfectly fine with posts like these just shouldn't engadget slow down before judging so quickly by saying "Yes, you can certainly scratch the iPhone 4" Making it apear as if it's very easy to do so. Of course things get scratched but so far I have not heard anyone else complain. Something like this needs some time. Maybe Engadgets "Demo unit" is faulty, who knows..
@MoonWalkerCTE This post would be more informable if they compared it to previous generation iPhones to see if this actually scratches more or less
@Dapman02
Nope... Gorilla Glass (aluminosylicate glass) on both sides.
@MoonWalkerCTE
i didnt direct my comment to engadget editors. my comment was more towards people (or that one person) who straight our lied about it being the strongest glass of all.
atleast htc came forward and told that it was a minor issue and wil get fixed. better than lying to millions eh?
@coolkams03
and by strongest, i mean "aluminosylicate glass" which it is not.
@MoonWalkerCTE
Not everything. Have we so quickly forgotten the infamous EVO 4g scratch test? ;-)
@MoonWalkerCTE
Apple is advertising that their glass is even harder to scratch than the glass in previous gens, which was extremely tough to scratch without sand or steel wool or something. I don't have any problem with engadget posting that it didn't take long to get a few scratches in this glass, and it's interesting to me as a future owner of the phone.
I'm not quite sure where all you guys get your big sense of entitlement, but this is their blog, and if you don't like what engadget is posting, stop reading it! Or use the exclude function, or, hell, I don't know, anything else. How would you like to have a bunch of tools criticize you on your own website every day? It's not okay just because its the internets and not face to face. Reminds me of this: http://xkcd.com/438/
@MoonWalkerCTE
This was a test unit phone. Engadget (Josh) was putting it through all sorts of test probably without a care for scratches. Who's to say he didn't drop the thing a few times on the sidewalk of Brooklyn?
@chaos
You know how it is around here.
@dave95 I think he would've posted a durability video instead of just dropping it, taking a pic of the back, and calling it a happy accident, don't you think? =]
In fact, I believe they should do a durability and scratch test like Rich did on the Streak.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2053620_remove-scratches-from-glass.html
@MoonWalkerCTE "Engadget doesn't look after their stuff they treat everything like junk.. " damn honey, why you so mad.
@Laura June Thank you for clearing that up with the update to the article :)
@gargle
:D What did they expect? That it could be totally scratchproof? It's not a diamond!
@gargle
It's not super scratch prone, they did this on purpose to test it.
@shackattack I don't think the glass is scratching here, the oleophobic coating, which is basically plastic, is. I've had every generation of iPhone and have never used a case and never saw a scratch until shortly after I got the 3GS which incidentally was the first with the coating.
I'm not the only one who believes this. See here:
http://www.iphonealley.com/news/warning-new-oleophobic-screen-coating-is-highly-scratchable
@Bobot Well.. they could have used a different material on the back and not glass.. my old G1 has absolutely no scratches after more than a year of use, neither does the N1. But yes, I know, their backs aren't made of glass but out of teflon.
@coolkams03 LMAO at your avatar. Looks racist. That's what you call Blackface and or darky iconography. It looks funny but it's still effed up
@N900 what about the evo stabing with a razor blade that got nothing but a little screen seperating from the extreme pressure?
@IppikiOkami
Well, technically, Gorilla Glass is trademarked by corning, it's not just the material but also a brand name. It's the same glass used on the Zune HD, Dell Streak, etc. I did manage to put a scratch on my Zune HD before I lost it, so I'm sure the iPhone is scratchable as well.
@Laura June
You downranking people, protecting your post? Where is the integrity, are we not allowed to critique engadget anymore? Then end comments.
Obviously it can be scratched. Best way to scratch an iPhone on the glass in a meaningful way is with another one.
Is anything harder than "gorrila glass", I would guess plenty of stuff is. So what did it, keys, another iPhone, hardened attempts to do so or normal use in a normal pocket.
I live in a desert, pre iPhone i could barely read the screen of my phones within 3 months, now barely a mark after a year. If the back is an tough as the front of earlier models then it is plenty resistant.
Trolling much?
@gargle
Yeah but any device can get scratched.
@dave95
While the new iPhone looks really great and has "premium" feel, I have feeling that it isn't going to be the most practical solution.
While hopefully it is not really easy to scratch, those two glass panes are going to make it a really sensitive knocks and drops. The harder the material, the more easily it will shatter. With glass on both sides, there is nothing on either side that can absorb impacts. I'll predict there will be lots of unhappy iPhone users with shattered fronts/backs.
@MoonWalkerCTE
Nooooo, in the words of Apple, this is some super strong, (insert super big chemical word here) alloy mixture. And it shouldnt get getting these scratches... OR breaking. So, all hail to Apple's marketing BS. retina display?? I cant even see the pixels on my EVO, so whats so "revolutionary"?
I swear, Apple sells their products on marketing keyword bullshyt. Just because they sell so many does NOT mean they produce the BEST products - point blank. No, I'm not hating or trolling, but just like the Evo took a beating on bad news, now so has the iphone 4..... where are all you Apple fanboys now?? Talk some more shyt now, eh? Damn shame....
@James T Kirk So I don't have the right to critise or point out mistakes?
@chaos You meant allowed not aloud.
@Dellibedaboss
Can we finally get a EVO 4G vs IPHONE 4 article back up? Both phones have been reviewed.
@Cy Starkman I wish I knew what you were talking about. I don't have any more downranking capability than any other reader, and that's fine with me, because I have better things to do. Did someone downrank one of your comments? Which one? I'll uprank it for you if it will make you feel better.
@stacks they're working on it!
@stacks I'd hate to see the comments on that future article.
@Laura June
Try rubbing it with an iPad. Maybe the "magical" properties of the iPad will also remove scratches.