iPhone 18 Pro camera-ring paint may be changing color

New reports from owners of the iPhone 18 Pro describe an unexpected change in the finish around the triple‑camera rings, with the effect most often noted on red and black models. Users on social media say the rim around the lenses has lightened in places or taken on a pinkish tint in red units, while some black units show a faint halo rather than a uniform finish.

The available reports suggest an anodization or paint‑adhesion issue rather than normal wear.

Several users say the discoloration appears without any visible grease, dust, scratches, or other physical damage and persists after careful cleaning. Other buyers, particularly recent purchasers, report that their phones arrived with the halo already present, which reduces the likelihood that simple friction or abrasion caused the change so soon after release. Some owners are asking for refunds of the $1,199 they paid for the device.

What may be causing the color change

Both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro undergo anodization, a process in which the phone body is immersed in an electrolyte so a layer of aluminum oxide forms on the surface. In theory, anodization stabilizes color by creating an oxide layer that bonds to the metal and prevents paint from separating from the substrate. The current reports and a few leakers say Apple may not have completed the anodization process consistently, leading to poor color fixation at some points around the camera housings.

Those same leakers warn that the problem was not fully resolved in the latest production run and that future devices, including an unreleased iPhone 18 referenced by some sources, could face similar issues. The accounts in circulation do not include an official statement from Apple and remain based on user observations and leaks.