Gold Version of iPhone 12 Pro Apparently Has a More Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel Frame

Tuesday October 20, 2020 11:56 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

iPhone 12 Pro reviews hit the web today, and one of the more interesting tidbits came from TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino, who revealed that the Gold version of the device apparently has a more fingerprint resistant coating applied to the stainless steel frame.

iphone 12 pro gold
From his review:

Most of the iPhone 12 Pro finishes still use a physical vapor deposition process for edge coating. But the new gold (which I do not have in person but looks great) uses a special high-power, impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) process that lays down the coating in a super dense pattern, allowing it to be tough and super bright with a molecular structure that mimics the stainless steel underneath — making it more durable than "standard" PVD. One side effect is that it's easier to wipe clean and takes on less fingerprints, something that my blue model was, uh, definitely prone to.

Panzarino said the new coating is also "more durable" than the one applied to other iPhone 12 Pro finishes, suggesting that the Gold version of the device could be at least slightly less susceptible to scratches, nicks, or other wear and tear.

While this information presumably comes from Apple, it appears that all reviewers were provided with the Pacific Blue version of the iPhone 12 Pro, so we'll have to wait and see exactly how much more durable and fingerprint resistant the Gold version proves to be. The device will begin arriving to customers starting this Friday.

We've rounded up iPhone 12 reviews, iPhone 12 Pro reviews, and unboxing videos of both devices ahead of Friday's launch.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Apple Knowledge Navigator

38 months ago

It's quite astonishing, really. We now live in an age were we have a supercomputer in our pocket and worry about the amount of fingerprints on part of its case.

Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)

thejadedmonkey

So what I'm hearing is that Apple cheaped out on providing proper protective coatings for the majority of these phones?

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mazz0

I use a case. who cares

Other people?

Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)

nameste

gold looks #1

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

NewYorkRanger

This is only a “problem” for people who go caseless. Non-issue for the vast majority who use a case.

I would mention gold is great, I love the gold edges but the back is basically cream, not sure why they didn’t choose a different darker tone.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)