According to recent reports, the iPhone 12 may have a problem with runaway color.

According to an investigation by Svetapple.sk, the aluminum sides of the iPhone 12 appear to be prone to fading and losing their original color. Furthermore, this problem may extend to models older than the iPhone 12, suggesting that Apple has longstanding problems with fixing certain colors.

This began with Svetapple's PRODUCT(RED) iPhone 12, where the color faded from the upper right corner of the iPhone to the power button; according to Svetapple's account, the iPhone was in a clear Apple case, so caustic It is not possible that contact with a caustic substance could have caused this.

Upon further investigation of this matter, Svetapple found corroborating testimonials from others using different iPhones in the Apple support thread. Some of the affected iPhones use PRODUCT (RED) color, but are not limited to that, green and black colored devices have also appeared in the complaints.

Other models plagued by this issue include the iPhone 11, iPhone SE, and the iPhone XR accounts affected in 2018. On the other hand, the remaining models in the iPhone 12 family, including the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, appear to be unaffected.

A further example is an image of a faded red iPhone 11 shared by MacRumors user tl01 in 2020. This iPhone was one of two identical ones purchased for the user's children and stored in a clear case. The other red iPhone, however, was safe.

There are several possible causes for this problem. Ultraviolet light, as well as certain chemical reactions, can change the color of pigments. It could also be a manufacturing defect that the user could not avoid. However, it is difficult to connect the limited number of cases with the spotty affected areas seen in the examples. Therefore, it is still debatable at this point.

If your iPhone is affected, don't expect Apple to offer a replacement or refund. This is seemingly just an appearance issue and is not considered serious enough for Apple to intervene, as seen in Apple's support thread on the matter.

The iPhone 12 series constitutes some of the best phones we are now recommending to smartphone buyers. Fading is unlikely to make us change our minds about the overall quality of these phones, but it may be something to keep in mind if you want your new phone to continue to look smart for years to come.