The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max units on display at retail are showing scratches and dents within 24 hours, sparking a round of "scratchgate" discussion online.

Apple always trends on the day its new lineup of iPhones is released to the general public. However, this time it's not trending for a particularly good reason.

Thousands of customers are taking to social media to highlight how quickly iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max demo units are showing signs of wear and tear. The models have been available in the U.S. for less than 24 hours at the time of publication, and they aren't looking good.

Customers in China were among the first to notice the line's propensity for scratches. The related hashtag continues to trend on the Chinese social media site, Weibo, as reported by Bloomberg.

It doesn't appear to be related to particularly rough handling, either. The MagSafe charger can easily scuff the back of the device, leaving a visible circular mark.

Damage is more obvious on the Deep Blue colorway, but it seems to be about the same across all three colors. Apple's choice to return to aluminum, rather than titanium, has been blamed for the issue.

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Of course, YouTubers have taken demonstrating the scratchability of the iPhone 17 Pro to extremes. Off the back of a similar destruction-based video for the iPhone Air, JerryRigEverything performed a similar trial of the iPhone 17 Pro.

Using a box-cutter, the anodized aluminum sides were shown to very easily scratch and gouge, with minimal effort. A coin was able to cause scuff marks on the edge of the camera plateau, the plastic flash cover was also easily scratched, with keys also capable of causing scratches.

The sensationalist nature of destruction testing has meant that the video thumbnail is extremely exaggerated and doesn't reflect the reality of the video itself. The thumbnail shows the iPhone 17 Pro Max with a large amount of gouges on the rear cover, however the only real visible damage from that view would be the small camera plateau damage on the edge.

Apple has claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro lineup is every bit as durable as previous models. The aluminum was allegedly chosen for its strength, lightness, and thermal conductivity.

Some of the damage shown on social media seems to go beyond surface-level scuffs. There are also images of broken corners, dents, and chips out of the aluminum chassis.

Even the usual advice of "put a case on it" isn't particularly useful. Apple's redesign adds a "plateau" that cases don't cover, leaving it susceptible to scratching.

As a result, loud customers online are claiming that they have cancelled their online orders, generally without proof that they have done so. Others have stated that they refuse to upgrade until Apple solves the issue.

The issue is reminiscent of concerns surrounding the durability of both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 7 — and the iPhone 6's "bendgate."