Faint V-shaped line on iPhone 17 screen — scratch or defect?

I bought an iPhone 17 in early January this year and traded in my old iPhone 13. About one or two weeks into using the new phone, I noticed a faint V-shaped line on the screen.

At first, I didn’t pay much attention to it because it looks almost like a watermark and is very subtle — not obvious unless you’re specifically looking for it (I’ve circled it in yellow in the photo to make it easier to see). It doesn’t feel raised when I run my finger over it, and it doesn’t resemble a typical scratch with a clear start and end point.

The Line

However, the line hasn’t gone away over time. I’ve tried gently wiping the screen, but that obviously didn’t make a difference.

What made me more concerned was seeing Apple’s TV commercial advertising how scratch-resistant the iPhone 17 screen is. That prompted me to book a Genius Bar appointment. The staff member told me it was likely a scratch caused by a sharp object. The thing is, the phone hasn’t been in contact with anything sharp since I bought it, and it’s been handled very carefully.

The line is still very subtle — but once you notice it, it’s hard to unsee.

Has anyone seen something like this before?

Does this look like a scratch to you, or could it be some kind of display defect, coating issue, or manufacturing imperfection?

I’d really appreciate any insight before I decide whether to pursue this further.