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3G - Cracks in Plastic Housing
- Thread starter dogheadboy
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jayducharme
macrumors 601
But the dye can have a big impact upon the plastic itself. Black is often achieved by using carbon, which can (depending upon manufacturing techniques) add strength to the plastic. It could be that the method being used for coloring the plastic white is causing the case to become prematurely brittle in spots.
I have a silicone sleeve on my black iPhone. I haven't been treating the device with kid gloves, but I haven't dropped it or banged it around. So far (after two weeks) it still looks pristine when I remove the sleeve. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it's an isolated issue....
Shasterball
Suspended
Mattjeff
macrumors 6502
Same here, plastic is such a step down. And didn't they say in an old keynote that they were moving away from plastic to metal/glass (nano, ipod, iphone all metal)?
bit_bucket
macrumors 6502
Angry Apple Fan
So I made the 2 hour trip back to my Apple store today to pick up the replacement black 16gb 3g that had to be ordered for me the other day to replace my original on that was cracked. They pull it out and it has dead pixels, I ask for another one, and it is cracked in the same place as my original phone. I tell them hell no on that, then they bring out a third one, also has dead pixels. At this point they will not go into another "refurb" box and tell me to call Apple Care. They of course are not interested in helping me at all and want to sell me Apple Care extensions.
This is maddening that A. this happened, B. there is not a darn iPhone at my apple store that is not defective.
So I made the 2 hour trip back to my Apple store today to pick up the replacement black 16gb 3g that had to be ordered for me the other day to replace my original on that was cracked. They pull it out and it has dead pixels, I ask for another one, and it is cracked in the same place as my original phone. I tell them hell no on that, then they bring out a third one, also has dead pixels. At this point they will not go into another "refurb" box and tell me to call Apple Care. They of course are not interested in helping me at all and want to sell me Apple Care extensions.
This is maddening that A. this happened, B. there is not a darn iPhone at my apple store that is not defective.
Wow, I am loving my 1st gen iPhone too. It is currently sitting in someone else's hands, after having paid me near $400 for its 2.0 jailbroken goodness. It was a 4 gb model too. You all can claim how much you love your 1st gen iPhones, but I'd rather have $100 and a brand new 16 GB with GPS, 4x storage, and maybe a few cracks (not that I have any yet) than an old 4 GB with a signal cutting aluminum back. I definitely get better reception with the plastic back, down in the guts of my academic buildings, than I did with the old one (as in, I now actually get some bars). Maybe the cracks let more signal through?
In fact, as I recall, the poor signal strength was one of the biggest complaints I heard about the aluminum iPhones. Guess you can't have it all.
For the stat trackers, my uncracked white 16 GB is a 27th weeker, model MB705LL.
In fact, as I recall, the poor signal strength was one of the biggest complaints I heard about the aluminum iPhones. Guess you can't have it all.
For the stat trackers, my uncracked white 16 GB is a 27th weeker, model MB705LL.
bennyboi
macrumors regular
Plastics
Before I rant:
I respect all iPhone 3G users out there. I own a 1st Gen and don't want to rub it in that I don't have cracks. I swear I have a gaping hole where internet speed must be pouring out. It's agonizing loading anything. Like- dial up agonizing. EDGE sucks, but it works.
Anyways,
After owning an iBook, made of plastics apparently used in bulletproof vests, I will never again own an apple product made with that plastic. Regardless of the strength, the plastic (or whatever alien material anyone would like to claim it is), expands when hot, and contracts when cold. For old iBookies, that was worse because so many moving parts in an expanding/contracting mobile case equaled failures and repairs (sure hope those problems are fixed for macbook users). And now as we clearly see in this thread, the cracking has begun.
Now, all material expands when hot and contracts when cold (as men know best), but the aluminum (or titanium, or similar materials) does so the least, providing maximum quality and protection at the cost of added weight. I've held the 3G, and I envy the lightweightedness over my 1st Gen, but still enjoy the rigidity of my phone, because, let me tell you- it has had the crap beat out of it, as cell phones do. For those without cracks, good luck keeping them that way!
It was rumored a while ago that Apple was trying to move to an all aluminum product line after they changed the imac. Guess not. Either way, this is just my assessment of why Metal rules over plastic for quality. Of course, it's heavier and pricier, but better for people like me that refuse cases and still want toys to have some longevity.
Before I rant:
I respect all iPhone 3G users out there. I own a 1st Gen and don't want to rub it in that I don't have cracks. I swear I have a gaping hole where internet speed must be pouring out. It's agonizing loading anything. Like- dial up agonizing. EDGE sucks, but it works.
Anyways,
After owning an iBook, made of plastics apparently used in bulletproof vests, I will never again own an apple product made with that plastic. Regardless of the strength, the plastic (or whatever alien material anyone would like to claim it is), expands when hot, and contracts when cold. For old iBookies, that was worse because so many moving parts in an expanding/contracting mobile case equaled failures and repairs (sure hope those problems are fixed for macbook users). And now as we clearly see in this thread, the cracking has begun.
Now, all material expands when hot and contracts when cold (as men know best), but the aluminum (or titanium, or similar materials) does so the least, providing maximum quality and protection at the cost of added weight. I've held the 3G, and I envy the lightweightedness over my 1st Gen, but still enjoy the rigidity of my phone, because, let me tell you- it has had the crap beat out of it, as cell phones do. For those without cracks, good luck keeping them that way!
It was rumored a while ago that Apple was trying to move to an all aluminum product line after they changed the imac. Guess not. Either way, this is just my assessment of why Metal rules over plastic for quality. Of course, it's heavier and pricier, but better for people like me that refuse cases and still want toys to have some longevity.
Because he is trying to make himself feel better about having that old slow iphone. But... but it's aluminum.
🙂
megfilmworks
macrumors 68020
84% of MacRumors 3g owners do not have cracks.
MacRumors... not the average owner!
The small minority can get a new phone.
I don't see a problem.
MacRumors... not the average owner!
The small minority can get a new phone.
I don't see a problem.
bit_bucket
macrumors 6502
The problem is, us "the small minority" cannot get a satisfactory replacement. The crap Apple is peddling in those white "refurb" boxes is garbage. Add to that the stores not having enough of these "refurb" units and this presents a real problem in getting a replacement that is satisfactory. Believe you me if I could just get a replacement with no cracks or dead/stuck pixels I would do it in a heartbeat.
Christ man!! I can understand the desire to have a "perfect" one but it will never happen. So the bezel isn't in perfect alignment; there are people with dead pixels and glass falling off the front and they're the ones who should be annoyed. I'm sure you can live with the bezel being slightly off. Mine has the plastic protruding by a fraction of a millimetre from the bezel and I feel it every time I pick it up but there's more to worry about in life!!
It takes a lot of energy and materials to make one iPhone and you're costing the environment in CO2 produced because you want a perfect iPhone and keep handing the old ones back to get thrown on a pile.
megfilmworks
macrumors 68020
Good point.
And one reason the plastic may be more crack prone is that Apple has gone PVC free in their plastic.
My new iPhones (3) all have the rough edge (back to bezel). But no cracks.
Otherwise I would say the build quality is better than my original 3 1st gens.
Out of 6 iPhones I have bought,
I have returned exactly 0.
Mr. Giver '94
macrumors 68000
I think spending 300$ dollars + all the service entitles me and all of you to a perfect, good quality iPhone. Mine now has two large cracks near the dock connector without it being abused or dropped once. My question is: Can I go to Apple to do the exchange if I bought it at AT&T???????????????? Help greatly appreciated!! 🙂
16 GB Black with Cracks
I have crack too. I never thought to look until I saw this thread. I noticed a small crack from the headphone jack to the metal trim. Then I noticed a big crack on the back... near the bottom. If you look in direct sunlight, you can see them pretty clearly.
I baby this phone... I never dropped it or sat on it.
Maybe i'll take it back.
I have crack too. I never thought to look until I saw this thread. I noticed a small crack from the headphone jack to the metal trim. Then I noticed a big crack on the back... near the bottom. If you look in direct sunlight, you can see them pretty clearly.
I baby this phone... I never dropped it or sat on it.
Maybe i'll take it back.
distortedloop
macrumors 6502
Christ man!! Why does every discussion always end up with someone acting like the green gestapo and chastising people for the .00000000001 tons of CO2 some little action like exchanging a phone might add to the atmosphere. If you're that concerned about it, turn off your frickin' computer because you're adding to the problem just typing and reading here.
How on earth is he harming the environment by exchanging them? They aren't thrown out and a new one made every time he exchanges one, they're re-furbed and re-sold or given to people with other warranty exchanges. Maybe he's making an extra trip to the mall to exchange it, but you know what? There are much bigger concerns to the environment than his two mile drive to exchange a product.
I think he should just examine the one they try to dump on him before he leaves and save the trip back...
Cracks Week 28
I have a model number MB499LL 16GB White iPhone, week 28 purchased on launch day. I didn't see any cracks when I first saw this story, however, I found one small crack between the bezel and my volume rocker button. It runs parallel to the volume button.
BUMMER!!
I have a friend with the same exact crack on his 16GB black iPhone, which was a replacement that he received this week.
I have a model number MB499LL 16GB White iPhone, week 28 purchased on launch day. I didn't see any cracks when I first saw this story, however, I found one small crack between the bezel and my volume rocker button. It runs parallel to the volume button.
BUMMER!!
I have a friend with the same exact crack on his 16GB black iPhone, which was a replacement that he received this week.
andyblila
macrumors 65816
Is there any way to tell which factory the phones were manufactured in. There has to be some pattern to which phones are cracking and which aren't. It apparently isn't the model # or week of manufacture. I wonder if it's something else????? 😕 I still love my iPhone though!!
Also, it looks like the percentage of iPhones with cracks is holding steady at about 15% according to the poll thread. Looks like it's still isolated to a relatively small number of phones. Sucks for those affected! But could be good news that not every phone may be affected and eventually it will get fixed.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/534692/
BTW where is Apple and where is their response about this?????
Also, it looks like the percentage of iPhones with cracks is holding steady at about 15% according to the poll thread. Looks like it's still isolated to a relatively small number of phones. Sucks for those affected! But could be good news that not every phone may be affected and eventually it will get fixed.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/534692/
BTW where is Apple and where is their response about this?????
andyblila
macrumors 65816
Well you'll be waiting a long long time. Nothing is ever perfect, and nothing will ever be perfect. Not that you should have to put up with the problems that we are currently having, but no matter what you pay....you'll never get a perfect item. Dream on! 😀
Mr. Giver '94
macrumors 68000
I didn't mean literally perfect, but as you said, without all of the problems we are currently dealing with. 🙂
andyblila
macrumors 65816
Understand and Agree, but those of us that choose to be on the cutting edge of technology are sometimes subject to problems. Frustrating but we bring it on ourselves! I had a first gen and could have waited for a month or two until Apple got it "perfect", but I waited in line overnight and I am frustrated too. Let's hope Apple solves this sooner rather than later! 😎
Mr. Giver '94
macrumors 68000
I'm with you. I'm just frustrated with the issues that could be avoided. Manufacturing defects aren't usually associated with Apple products. I waited overnight for this generation. I hope Apple issues a statement soon and recognizes the problem. 🙂 😎
Cool website, BTW. 🙂
andyblila
macrumors 65816
Thanks, I need to update it. Been busy with this thread though! LOL! Check back next week!
Back on track. I really hope this is just a bad batch. Apple has really impressed me in the past!