iPhone 18 Pro owners report burgundy and black frames fading around the cameras

Less than a month after the iPhone 18 Pro went on sale, some owners are posting photos of phones whose metal finish has lightened, usually starting around the camera lenses. Burgundy units draw most of the complaints, and black units some. According to the source, there are no complaints so far about the silver or Glacier blue versions. Apple has not commented, and the cause is unknown. Below is what owners report, the competing theories, and what buyers and owners can check.

Burgundy iPhone 18 Pro with a faded side edge

Where the finish is lightening

The first photos appeared online on the day sales began. One owner showed an iPhone 18 Pro whose metal around the lenses was lighter than the rest of the body and had a pinkish tint. He stressed that it was not dirt or grease: the phone had been wiped clean, and it had no scratches or dents. At that point it looked like an isolated case.

More photos followed, and the accounts differ:

• Some owners say the marks were present out of the box.
• Others say a light ring appeared later and will not wipe off.
• In at least one case, the mark disappeared after cleaning and returned a couple of days later.

In late September, one affected owner wrote that he had seen the same marks on several devices, including display iPhone 18 Pro units in an Apple Store. He says he was offered a replacement.

Faded iPhone 18 Pro Max seen from different angles

New photos posted on October 15 show burgundy units with a gradient rather than a single spot. The bright color fades noticeably and spreads from the camera module along the aluminum frame. Burgundy owners complain most often, black owners less often. Apple has not commented.

Why the color may be changing near the cameras

No one has identified the cause. The theories below come from owners and the source author, not from Apple or any lab testing.

Ultraviolet light

This is the most popular explanation. Many owners say they noticed the change after using the phone outdoors for long periods.

Heat

Cameras warm up while shooting, so the metal around them could be affected first. The source notes a problem with this theory: it does not explain why silver and blue units seem unaffected.

Hands darkening the rest of the body

Some users suggest the opposite. Fingers rarely touch the area around the lenses, so it stays free of grease and sweat and keeps its original color, while the rest of the body darkens from handling. The source points out that this fits poorly with owners who saw the ring out of the box or who found it would not clean off.

Faded iPhone 18 Pro Max units around the camera area

Anodizing of the aluminum frame

The source author considers anodizing the most plausible explanation:

• Anodizing creates an oxide layer with micropores on the metal, and dye enters those pores.
• The pores must then be sealed.
• If sealing is poor, sweat and skin oils can get through the pores over time, and the color starts to shift.

This would explain why saturated colors suffer more than light ones. It would also explain why the problem might affect specific production batches rather than every phone. The author stresses that this is a guess, not a laboratory finding.

The iPhone 17 Pro had a similar problem

A year earlier, a similar issue affected the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange. For some owners, the saturated orange turned pinkish after a few weeks. The aluminum changed color while the glass back panel did not. According to the source, the color shifted even for owners who kept the phone in a case and never wiped it with alcohol or household chemicals.

iPhone 17 Pro Max that has turned pinkish

At the time, people online blamed cleaning products, but Apple gave no public explanation. Owners reported that Apple replaced defective phones in some cases. Then, as now, complaints involved only some units, which again points to specific batches.

In the source author’s view, the pattern is repeating almost exactly:

• The brightest color in the lineup is again the most vulnerable.
• Apple is again silent.
• It is again unclear whether an official replacement program will follow.

What to check before and after buying

Before buying

If you plan to buy a burgundy or black iPhone 18 Pro, the source recommends inspecting the unit in the store:

1. Remove the protective film.
2. Tilt the phone under bright light.
3. Compare the metal around the lenses with the rest of the body and the frame.
4. Ask for a different unit if you see a lighter ring or a pinkish tint.
5. Photograph the body at purchase, so you have a reference if the color changes later.

If your phone already shows a mark

The source suggests first wiping the area gently to rule out grease. According to the source, Apple permits wipes with 70% isopropyl alcohol or 75% ethyl alcohol, but not products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

If the mark remains, the source advises asking the seller for a replacement. Owner reports suggest Apple Stores have already offered replacements in some cases. Some owners have switched to silver or Glacier blue during the exchange.

New iPhone 18 Pro Max in burgundy

Precautions while the cause is unknown

Until Apple names a cause, the source suggests avoiding anything that might make the problem worse:

• Don’t leave the iPhone in the sun or on a car dashboard for long periods.
• Outdoors, use a case with a raised lip that also covers the camera module frame.
• Remove the case occasionally and wipe the body, because dust and sweat build up underneath.

These are precautions, not proven fixes, since no one has established what causes the fading.

Is burgundy still worth buying?

In early October, the source author compared which iPhone 18 Pro color stays looking new longest. He chose silver over burgundy, mainly because of concerns about chipped edges, and at the time considered fading a problem of the previous year.

The author does not recommend ruling out burgundy entirely. Complaints are still few, they may involve specific batches, and in his view most owners have no problems with the color. His advice is not to buy it sight unseen:

• Inspect the specific unit.
• Keep your receipt.
• Take photos on the first day.

For buyers who want the phone to look new after a year and resell easily, he considers silver the safest option. It remains to be seen whether Apple will acknowledge a defect this time or continue with quiet replacements.