Blogger stokes iPhone 4 shatter fears We're not sure how seriously to take claims that some third-party iPhone 4 cases can cause the handset's rear glass panel to shatter. To be fair, no one appears to have suggested that this has actually happened. But it is alleged by Gdgt.com that Apple engineers are busy investigating this potential problem, implying that the …
Not quite. It says 50% of readers don't have an iPhone 4, and 30% do, but it hasn't broken.
Of those who claim their iPhone 4 has broken, the greatest number (5%) are using Apple's bumper and not one of the allegedly problematic cases. 2% say they have a third-party case on their broken iPhone 4, and another 2% say they have a slide-on case on their broken iPhone 4.
My gut feeling is that many of those folk with broken phones have actually dropped them.
However, 'glassgate' pans out, there will now be lot of punters claiming they didn't drop their iPhone 4s, it was the dust in the case that did it.
@Tony Smith: "My gut feeling is that many of those folk with broken phones have actually dropped them."
Oh no - I really, really didn't drop it, honest....
I also read a report last year that insurers had noticed a marked increase in insurance claims whenever a new iPhone was released.
It says 50% of readers who bothered to respond to the survey don't have an iPhone 4 and 30% or readers who bothered to respond to the survey do, but it hasn't broken.
Given the nature of the article I'd imagine readers are far more likely to respond to the survey if they have an iPhone 4, and of those that have an iPhone 4 those with a broken one are more likely to respond.
They'll claim their iPhone is working perfectly no matter what, even when they don't have the specific model in question, login specially to participate in the poll, and advertise it in some iFanboy forum so they can flash mob any vaguely apple related story if it is in any way non devotional.
Going on holiday with my new phone, I used a case with a solid back, in an attempt to keep sand away from it and prevent scratches.
Sand managed to find its way in anyway, and as a result of being trapped next to the back, it got scratched.
I now don't use a case with a back, as there's less chance of scratches without it.
If a case breaks the phone inside it, that'd be like a Secret Service agent whipping out his gun and shooting the President of the US.
A protective case should always be slightly weaker than the casing of the device it's designed to protect. That is, after all, the whole *point* of having the thing: the case takes the hit, so the phone doesn't have to.
If I hire a bodyguard to protect my sister, and the bodyguard then proceeds to shoot my sister, I'm not going to be blaming my sister.
Out of twenty iphone 4s where I work, issued a couple of mths ago already I know of at least 3 with shattered front or back pieces! these are the same users who went two years without any damage to their company 3GS models.
as for scratching, I am very careful with mine but its starting to look like its gone a few rounds in a pocket full of gravel.
great phone but not impressed with the glass!
You surprise me. There are no scratches on the always uncovered front of my iPhone 4. I don't put mine in trouser pockets that also contain keys and/or coins, but that's as much because it's bloody uncomfortable. Perhaps, though, you do.
I have to say, the glass fronts on the various iPhones I've owned have remained a darn sight clearer than the many handsets I've had with plastic fronts. Even my eight-year-old hasn't managed to damage the screen of the first-gen iPhone he plays Angry Birds on.
Hell, the glass on my first gen iPod touch, often carried with keys and coins, is still fantastic, too. The back is dinged and scratched, being merely polished steel or such, but the all-important screen is pristine.
It's not as if I baby it, plus it has been dropped a few times. Colour me impressed.
Given Jobs sorry record of not accepting that there are a number of deficiencies, this is just another problem that will be talked away. Just as there were no defective batteries (except in Japan) or a youth was burned by an Apple product in Europe.
The Grip of Death was allegedly cured but when a telco technician showed me his Lemon 4, freshly delivered in a batch of 1000 pieces for all of VietNam and released last week, he showed me how he could still kill signal strength by the infamous Grip.
Consumer Reports has still not reversed it's recommendation of not buying this years version of the Apple phone.
Er, yes it does.
Generally, hardening a material will also make it more brittle as, while it's tougher and more resistant to scratching, you've also removed flexibilty making it much more likely to crack or snap under excessive stress.
I have had my N900 since January, no case or protection of any sort. I have 0 scratches on it.
All my tech is like this, I just simply look after it and don't throw it in my bag or put in my pocket with other things. The only times my stuff gets scratched or dented is when I throw it at things, deliberately...
It's so much easier to pocket/use without some daft case all over it.
Posers who buy glass phones should not throw tantrums.
(If ever there was evidence of form over function ... not only is glass brittle and prone to scratching, but by my friends accounts, his iPhone is as slippy as slippy as anything - cannot blame consumer for dropping them!)
Problem is, it'd probably be twice the price of an iToy. Still, it would be hard as nails.
http://androidheadlines.com/2010/08/military-tactical-handset-running-android.html
..though I prefer the awesome chunkiness of this thing, Android or not:
http://www.siftwire.com/ais-rpda37-ultra-rugged-military-pda.html
Yeah I know, I'm not normal. I don't need no steenking protective case though.
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