This.
Shock absorption is something that really needs to be worked on more, and Apple has been going backwards with its designs.
For example, my iPad 1 was (and is) a hulk. It's still totally spotless despite average wear & tear for so many years. Meanwhile my iPad 3 took a little slide on the first day (a small tumble that my iPad 1 could easily withstand) and totally shattered.
It's obvious when you look at both devices side-on: the iPad 1's glass is set in to the case - the aluminium corners surround the glass and don't let it take the impact. The iPad 3's glass protrudes from the case, meaning it takes all impacts (which glass doesn't do very well).
Here's an image to illustrate (I think the comparison is with an iPad 2, but it seems to use the same design with the same durability flaw):
Image