iPhone 5 Glitches, Secrets, and Scratches Found Since Launch
Following launch, some find scratches and hidden features of the iPhone 5.
Sept. 24, 2012 — -- Millions of people pulled their brand new iPhone 5s from its clean packaging this weekend, and while a new larger, lighter and faster phone greeted them, some also discovered some unadvertised features.
Within hours after it went on sale on Friday, many new iPhone 5 owners began reporting issues and secrets about their new phones.
Firstly, many Verizon iPhone owners were pleasantly surprised to find that their phones were able to work on AT&T's network. All they had to do was swap out the nano-SIM card in the new iPhone 5 for an AT&T SIM. In the past, Apple had been rigorous about limiting the phone to specific networks.
While most who buy the iPhone 5 from Verizon still have to agree to two years of service with the carrier, this means they won't have to buy a new phone if they want to switch after the contract expires. Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney confirmed to ABC News that the phones were in fact "unlocked for 3G GSM roaming in the U.S." The phone can also be used overseas with either Verizon's own roaming plans or by using another SIM card.
However, other iPhone buyers weren't thrilled with another discovery: that the back aluminum plate on their phones was slightly scratched. "Just opened my iPhone 5. I have two nicks at the very top. Disappointed," a user wrote on Apple's support page.
Over the weekend many took to Twitter and Facebook and tech forum sites to share photos of very small nicks on the backs of their new phones. Under the hashtag #scuffgate, some shared photos and videos of the scratches. According to AllThingsD, Apple customer service has gotten many complaints about the issue since the launch.
Small software glitches have also been reported and have been detailed on Apple's support forum pages. Apple did not respond to ABC News' request for comment on the scratch issue.
Apple has faced criticism for glitches in its Map app in iOS 6. The new app, which replaces Google Maps, has misplaced some towns and displayed other geographic errors.
None of this is unusual for a product launch. When 5 million phones are sold within three days, they're bound to be intensely scrutinized.
"It is hard to explain this deep scrutiny and how Apple appears to be under the microscope, and in fact Apple products being under the microscope -- literally to see if they are scratched," Michael Gartenberg, Gartner Research Director, told ABC News.
"It goes to show the overall consumer fascination with Apple and why their products continue to sell very, very well. It seems everything the company does will be analyzed, scrutinized, and talked about to death."
