3G - Cracks in Plastic Housing

[luigi408]

Originally Posted by GRN99EX

I got mine last Friday, and have no cracks either. I bought the Agent 18 Eco-Case for it, and put it in there before leaving the store. The only time it has been out of the case since then, was to apply the anti-glare crystal film to the screen.

How good is that case? Do you like it? I need to get myself a case before I get my white one but I dont know which case to get. Thanks.

[thedarkhorse]

I carry mine nude, if you can tell by the scratches on the chrome in the photo I posted(which scratches when you breath near it or touch it).

[michaelmaxwell2]

This is weird. I am sure apple knows about this but they still probably launched the Phone. You cannot possibly tell me that within 2 weeks of stress testing they didn't see the phone starting to crack.

[BlackMax]

It is very disheartening to see all these photos of cracks in the brand new 3G iPhones. Apple is really using crap materials to build these iPhones. Yes, that is right... CRAP MATERIALS to build the 3G iPhone.

I've been using a model 8700 BlackBerry for a couple of years and I have abused this thing to no end. I can't tell you how many times I've dropped it on the asphalt while getting out of my car or from my shoulder onto concrete while talking on it and although there are some scratches on it, there are no cracks, the glass face is still pristine and it has never given me any operational issues.

I really want to purchase the 3G iPhone and will probably do so soon, but good grief Apple, would it kill you to use a slightly more resilient plastic on the 3G iPhone???

[Roessnakhan]

Regardless of whether or not they put their phone in a case, the iPhone has been out a little over two weeks - it is NOT acceptable for something to crack that quickly. I've had some phones that cost me $20 that have been through hell and the plastic isn't even scuffed.

[luigi408]

Im waiting for my white iphone to arrive but now im scared it will happen to me. I went to the Apple store to check out the white one they have in display and it has A LOT of cracks at the bottom where you connect your you USB cable. Its full of cracks, this is at the Oakgridge mall in San Jose. I wonder if Apple will replace your phone right away if they see that.

[slicecom]

WOW! This is going to be a MAJOR problem. I foresee a class action lawsuit on behalf of owners of white iPhones...

[Roessnakhan]

I can't see a lawsuit, maybe a recall. And whose to say its not affecting black phones either? Just can't see it.

[slicecom]

Originally Posted by Roessnakhan

I can't see a lawsuit, maybe a recall. And whose to say its not affecting black phones either? Just can't see it.

And to think many people got white because they were anal about fingerprints, now they may have to deal with something MUCH WORSE THAN FINGERPRINTS: CRACKS!

Meanwhile the ones who have smudged black iPhones can't see cracks under the surface if they wanted to!

[ryanide]

Originally Posted by ryanide

Just above the silent switch. After about a week the dirt has made it more apparent. Have not taken it back yet.

I wonder if it is just a stress crack from being carried in my jeans pocket??

Gotta love'em.

[eplchamps0304]

Originally Posted by ryanide

Gotta love'em.

Yep you do. What a joke. Stress from jeans.

[ryanide]

I did not use a case and I carried it in my jeans pocket (like normal). I first noticed a small hairline which got bigger over about a week and more noticeable from the dirt. I have to say that I took good care when handling it and never dropped it. So, the fact that this happened within 2 weeks is not a great sign.

I'm sure the black ones are no different, just harder to see them. The plastic is better than the Aluminum for reception, but definitely not durability.

We'll see what happens over time. Maybe just have to cover it up with a case to hide the cracks..??

[mongoos150]

I dig the cracks on the white, combined with the color looks almost crackly - very vintage, very hip. As long as they remained "under" the top layer of material, and the unit's housing does not become physically / noticeably cracked.

Only issue I have is when the crack separates the plastic between the metal trim and the headphone jack - that's a serious issue. I'll sit back and see how this plays out before upgrading to 3G.

[wronski]

Maybe it's intentional. Sure we associate cracks with failing products but this may just be Apple's bleeding edge frame of mind. First transparent hardware, then white hardware, now, cracking hardware: the epitome of style. Look for this to be the new trend everywhere within the next few months.

[Van Wildonher]

It's the new style... "eggshell".

[BS85]

just got mine replaced for a hairline scratch. what a b*tch to restore/sync/backup. hopefully this one will last longer than a week.

[whitboiphone]

hey i just got my white iphone on Monday the 21st. and i just took it in too apple because my headphone jack wouldn't let my apple headphones go in all the way it stuck out about 1/8". turns out i wasn't pushing hard enough then i felt stupid.

but heres my point i walked out directly after and i looked at the head phone jack again and guess what i saw, a tiny tiny crack that started to form right at the top of the headphone jack.(i haven't dropped it yet or anything rough with it at all) I knew there was a reason why i wasn't forcing my headphones any harder....Stupid apple guy! i think this might be a common thing! and this is only 5 days having the phone imagine 2 years! i don't think apple was thinking hard enough when they put cheap plastic on this thing they should of found a sturdier polymer or something. I'm way disappointed because i love this thing sooooo much!

[mushy peas]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

When I first read this thread I thought for sure people must have dropped them, but it's happened to my day 1 White iPhone too. I've got a 1.5mm hairline crack coming from about 2 o'clock of the camera lens. It's not noticeable unless you look, but it's there. I don't intend to get anything done about it as it's not bothering me in the slightest. I don't keep my iPhone is a case, just in my pants pocket or on my desk. I've treated it with kid gloves too. After the long wait for an iPhone, I'm in Australia, I am a bit disappointed, it's taken off the sheen of my iPhone a bit.

[Samuel88]

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens this winter. If this material has a tendency to spontaneously crack even during consistent temperatures, it should be even worse during shifting temperatures.

[545h4]

I've had my white one since mid-afternoon on the 11th. I can't see any cracks, just one 0.25cm scratch.

Right now mine's a nudist that admittedly wears a wool sweater when it's cold (in other words, I stick it in a sock when I toss it in my purse because there's too much junk in there and no separate pockets, and I don't like the idea of a loose sweaty stick of gum sticking to my phone...!). Otherwise I stick it in my pocket or jam it in my wallet with some loose change (when I don't have a sock handy)...

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for anything that might show up.

I know we don't want to see these cracks, but the images posted in the thread kinda remind me of antique porcelain (jewelry, collectibles, bathroom fixtures...).

[TYCORP]

Originally Posted by dogheadboy

Hi All,

Read a few posts about cracks already start to appear on the edge of the housing. The phone is only a week old (obviously) and was not dropped or pressed. Is it common?

I am having the same issue.
Already have a case with apple regrading it and the engineers are "looking into it"

Id rather they first acknowledge the issue (perhaps a problem with some of the case cast's) I don't just want a new phone that does the same thing in 2 weeks!

Attached are some of the pics of mine. Not first crack i noticed the next day after owning the phone (near the ringer switch) after the phone was charging a week later 3 more cracks were visable (heat issues, vibrate and headphone jack realted?)

Anyway i sent the apple engineers links to other threads that show people haveing the same problem, so they cant say its an isolated issue.
I baby this phone, and it sleeps on its cleaning cloth at night an on my desk when its not in use.
(BTW im on Rogers in BC, Canada)
TY


Noticed one starting from the headphone jack as well. GREAT!!

[Schtumple]

Kinda makes me glad I stuck with my 1st gen iPhone...

[turtlehead]

rich and doesn't care. he is the just like bill gates with windows releases now.
steve jobs just needs to come out and say, "yeah, there is a problem" but nope, he doesn't.
hate me, i don't care. he doesn't

[andyblila]

I was 5th in line for the new iPhone and have had it in a case since then. I suffered and put my brand new white iPhone in a black Agent 18 case. I waited patiently until Agent 18 released the clear case and then transferred it over to that one. I use it constantly and have no cracks in it at all. I am thinking that this issue may be caused by either carrying the iPhone nude, or handling it like the first gen iPhone. We were all spoiled by that metal case. I watched the PC World video and it looks like the 3G is fairly sturdy and robust. You can't treat this new iPhone as roughly as the original. I use the headphones and the usb cable and have had no cracking issues. I will keep an eye out now though.

Final thought is that it is either a handling issue or maybe just a bad batch. Hope you all have a great iPhone too.

[michaelmaxwell2]

Originally Posted by turtlehead

rich and doesn't care. he is the just like bill gates with windows releases now.
steve jobs just needs to come out and say, "yeah, there is a problem" but nope, he doesn't.
hate me, i don't care. he doesn't

I don't think that Steve jobs is like that, or else he would of never gave us 100 dollar rebates for the old iphone price changes. What may happen is there will be a recall for the defective batches. I have had my phone for around 8 days now but I do have a case and screen protector on it and I have yet to see a crack.