Gold Version of iPhone 12 Pro Apparently Has a More Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel Frame - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

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

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

Popular Stories

American Express Gold Apple Pay Feature

American Express Announces New Apple Pay Feature

Tuesday June 30, 2026 10:27 am PDT by
American Express today announced that you can now redeem Membership Rewards points when checking out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on the iPhone and iPad. When checking out with Apple Pay on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 or later, tap on your eligible American Express card (Platinum, Gold, Green, and others) and select the Membership Rewards points option. You can use points to cover all or...
Apple Acquires Award Winning App Play Feature

Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'

Monday June 29, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period. Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers ...
series 10 apple watch titanium digital crown

Report: Apple Watch Redesign Coming Next Year With New Band System

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:45 am PDT by
A "major overhaul" of the Apple Watch's design is due to arrive next year with a new system for connecting bands, according to a known Weibo leaker. In a set of recent posts, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" linked the new claim to older rumors about an "Apple Watch X" model, which was said to introduce a fresh design and break compatibility with the existing watch band system. Citing...

Top Rated Comments

Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
74 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 Avatar
74 months ago
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 Avatar
74 months ago

I use a case. who cares
Other people?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nameste Avatar
74 months ago
gold looks #1
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NewYorkRanger Avatar
74 months ago
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)
pioneer9k Avatar
74 months ago
I just went silver so I can always polish the “chrome” anyways. Plus I use a case lol
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors