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iPhone 5 cracked screen

J

jonnyre

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2012
2
0
Boston, MA
I've had the phone for 3 1/2 days now and my screen is broken. I should have kept the phone in my right pocket in my car since I realized that the phone sometimes slides out of my wool pants since it's so slippery without the bumper case providing friction. Anyway, as I stepped out of my car I heard my phone land on the ground about 1 1/2 feet from my seat. The phone slipped out of my pocket as I was getting out of my car.

I wish a bumper case was available at launch since I've used it on my iPhone 4 since launch day. I actually went through 3 bumper cases on my iPhone 4 in the 2 years and 3 months since the rubber wears away and rips over time.

Yes, accidental damage and my fault, but why hell wasn't the case available at launch? I made an appointment at the apple store and they said $229 for a replacement. Interestingly, the guy just to my left had a broken iphone 5 screen as well, caused by a guy walking into him.

Also, since this glass screen is much thinner than the previous iphone 4, isn't it more fragile as well? So more fragile phone and no apple approved cases.

Definite bummer, my first iphone with a cracked screen. I've owned the original/iphone4/iphone5 and also purchased the 3G/iphone4/iphone5 for my wife. I've had the infrequent drop with the others, but they all withstood the fall, even a couple of times without a case. My wife is scared of using her phone and dropping it since she's always had a case on each previous model and she has trouble gripping things due to juvenile arthritis damaging her joints.

I do love the phone, but feel ripped off having to pay $230 to fix a 3 day old screen. Why can't they charge the actual cost for glass and labor with a 25% markup? It would go a long way for customer service for making such a fragile slippery phone and not offering any cases.
 

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Its easy to make excuses and blame everything and everyone but the point is it was an accident. Even with a bumper on it could have happened if landed in the wrong way.
Its not like a bumper or a case is a guarantee your screen will never break.
 
That sucks dude. This is exactly why I always get AppleCare+ for iPhone/iPad, cheaper in the long run to be a little careless than not getting AC+ and always worrying.

Enjoy your replacement and get a bumper. SGP just released theirs.
 
There were third-party bumpers (that are very similar to Apple's iPhone 4 bumper) available to purchase and deliver before the iPhone 5 was released. I bought one off of Amazon.
 
Many credit card companies cover loss from accidental damage within the first 90 days if you charge the purchase on their card. Hope this helps.
 
Tortri said:
That sucks dude. This is exactly why I always get AppleCare+ for iPhone/iPad, cheaper in the long run to be a little careless than not getting AC+ and always worrying.

Enjoy your replacement and get a bumper. SGP just released theirs.
Click to expand...

Damn, $30+ for a bumper!?
 
You could try a different store and ask for a courtesy or try pleading with apple customer support. They have no obligations but sometimes they'll help you out.
 
It's not their fault you didn't get a case, there were hundreds available even before the phone came out.
 
It's not Apple's responsibility to babysit, and acquiesce users who refuse to buy insurance and do not follow simple care instructions. There were plenty of cases available online prior to launch day. I do not feel a single ounce of sorrow for people like you.
 
M-5 said:
There were third-party bumpers (that are very similar to Apple's iPhone 4 bumper) available to purchase and deliver before the iPhone 5 was released. I bought one off of Amazon.
Click to expand...

I got one too. Came in a day after I got the i5. Same as my screen protectors and my nano sim adapters.
There was tons of options and cases available on ebay.
 
Apple care is $99 plus $49 for each incident. Basically $150 for a replacement.
Not such a great deal either, since cost to repair is probably significantly less and the pricing assumes a damage rate of 23%. My guess is the glass and labor costs less than $49.

As for bumper cases, they will significantly prevent damage from a drop vs unprotected phones and also provide improved grip preventing slips/drops in the first place. $30 is a much better option than paying $99 plus $49 when the glass breaks.

Anyway, the genius told me that if I wait a few weeks they should have glass panels in stock for the iphone 5 which they can replace in store in about 10 minutes and it should cost less than $230.
 
Sorry that happened to you.. really sucks :(

An hour after mine came I went to the mall and one of those little kiosks already had i5 cases. It's not the best case but it's good protection until the nice ones come out.
 
jonnyre said:
Apple care is $99 plus $49 for each incident. Basically $150 for a replacement.
Not such a great deal either, since cost to repair is probably significantly less and the pricing assumes a damage rate of 23%. My guess is the glass and labor costs less than $49.

As for bumper cases, they will significantly prevent damage from a drop vs unprotected phones and also provide improved grip preventing slips/drops in the first place. $30 is a much better option than paying $99 plus $49 when the glass breaks.

Anyway, the genius told me that if I wait a few weeks they should have glass panels in stock for the iphone 5 which they can replace in store in about 10 minutes and it should cost less than $230.
Click to expand...

Its not just the glass panel. The whole screen is fused in one piece with in-cell tech. Glass, lcd and touch digitizer.
It probably wont be $230 but once parts become more available probably other iphone repair places will perform the screen replacement cheaper than Apple. The new i5 is designed to be opened easier and is more repairable than all previous models once you get past the 2 proprietary screws on the bottom.
 
1. How are you going to complain Apple didn't have bumpers available for the iPhone 5 when Apple isn't even making bumpers for the iPhone 5?

2. Cases were available all over the place on and before launch day. I picked up a Speck Candy Shell the same day from Best Buy.

3. The glass isn't necessarily thinner. The entire contraption is thinner because of the in-cell touch technology but that has nothing to do with the glass, only what is attached behind the glass. Then again, I have no proof it isn't thinner glass but I've not seen anything that says it is either.

4. Don't blame Apple for your mistake.
 
Did you give them any personal info about you at the store? If not, just buy AppleCare+ now. You have a month from purchase to get it and they won't know that your phone is broken.

Call 800-MY-IPHONE.
 
If you buy AppleCare+ afterwards, you need to bring the phone in for an inspection to activate it.
 
Find a 3rd party to install the screen I'm sure they could do it for hell of a lot cheaper.
 
Also, since this glass screen is much thinner than the previous iphone 4, isn't it more fragile as well?
Click to expand...

Actually, no. It's Gorilla Glass 2. It's just as strong/fragile as the last phone but thinner.
 
jonnyre said:
Apple care is $99 plus $49 for each incident. Basically $150 for a replacement.
Not such a great deal either, since cost to repair is probably significantly less and the pricing assumes a damage rate of 23%. My guess is the glass and labor costs less than $49.

As for bumper cases, they will significantly prevent damage from a drop vs unprotected phones and also provide improved grip preventing slips/drops in the first place. $30 is a much better option than paying $99 plus $49 when the glass breaks.

Anyway, the genius told me that if I wait a few weeks they should have glass panels in stock for the iphone 5 which they can replace in store in about 10 minutes and it should cost less than $230.
Click to expand...

I can't seem to grasp your logic behind your AppleCare+ comment.

You would have already saved $80 (Closer to $90 after taxes) and now you're going to invest in a $30+ case. I'm sure that's not going to be the only case you'll own in the lifetime of your contract. Two or three cases basically makes up the cost of AppleCare+.

If you break down AppleCare+ it equals out to $0.14 (rounded) a day... I don't understand how that could not be considered a great deal.
 
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