Cracks in 3G S casing

[179202]

Hey guys,
I've read hundreds of threads on this problem regarding the 3G but none for the 3G S (given it's only been out a few days).

My White 3G S has been sitting in its box waiting for my number to be ported over by O2. Today it was, so I took it out the box and noticed hairline cracks/splintering by the headphone port and the two screw holes on the bottom.

Apple is being fantastic as usual with customer service and changing it for me.

Is anybody else's iPhone doing this? Thinking of swapping to the black iPhone since it's less noticeable on there.

 

[eyefoniac]

This seriously bothers me. One would figure that after all of the 3G incidents that they would figure out some way to fix this problem. I know it can't be fixed fully, but I have heard a growing number of reports.

 

[179202]

This seriously bothers me. One would figure that after all of the 3G incidents that they would figure out some way to fix this problem. I know it can't be fixed fully, but I have heard a growing number of reports.

Same feeling here. I was on the phone to CPW for a good 10 minutes with the guy telling me that it was my fault and that I probably dropped it. Within 1 minute of being on the phone with Apple they said 'buy a case, then when you've got that, we'll swap it for you and you can protect your new phone right away'. Apple acknowledges the problem, why doesn't the network/retailer?

 

[ec51]

There has been a thread on this already (regarding the 3gs), do a search. I'm willing to bet your phone is white.

 

[179202]

There has been a thread on this already (regarding the 3gs), do a search. I'm willing to bet your phone is white.

Erm...you can't bet me on that since I already wrote that it is a white iPhone.

It's very noticeable on the white I think. The black ones all have it too, it's just harder to see.

 

[acfusion29]

There has been a thread on this already (regarding the 3gs), do a search. I'm willing to bet your phone is white.

That's because the OP did say it was white..

 

[patdesignsinc]

Stop crying about a few little tiny, hardly noticeable hairline cracks. It's a phone. It's going to show SOME signs of wear and tear. As long as the cracks don't extend all the way up the back or onto the glass, what difference does it matter? Do you walk around with your phone wrapped in bubble wrap?

 

[Coraline]

Stop crying about a few little tiny, hardly noticeable hairline cracks. It's a phone. It's going to show SOME signs of wear and tear. As long as the cracks don't extend all the way up the back or onto the glass, what difference does it matter? Do you walk around with your phone wrapped in bubble wrap?

Considering the phone came out over the weekend, I don't think 'wear and tear' should be noticeable already. Not for the price you pay for the phone in the first place. I don't understand why some posters like yourself refuse to accept that other things bother other people even though they may not bother you. If someone drops a lot of money on a product, they have every right to expect the product be perfect. Mine is fine, but I would be bothered if it weren't.

 

[iArrudaG]

Thinking of swapping to the black iPhone since it's less noticeable on there.

You can't do this, you can only switch for the exact same product you bought.

 

[179202]

Stop crying about a few little tiny, hardly noticeable hairline cracks. It's a phone. It's going to show SOME signs of wear and tear. As long as the cracks don't extend all the way up the back or onto the glass, what difference does it matter? Do you walk around with your phone wrapped in bubble wrap?

Seriously? You'd pay £184 for a phone and be fine if it had small cracks in it 4 days after you bought it?

Nice to see some people still have standards

 

[179202]

You can't do this, you can only switch for the exact same product you bought.

Not true. The Apple rep told me that would be fine and has put a note on my case notes to reflect that.

 

[patdesignsinc]

Considering the phone came out over the weekend, I don't think 'wear and tear' should be noticeable already. Not for the price you pay for the phone in the first place. I don't understand why some posters like yourself refuse to accept that other things bother other people even though they may not bother you. If someone drops a lot of money on a product, they have every right to expect the product be perfect. Mine is fine, but I would be bothered if it weren't.

I say this because judging by the over abundance of posts on this same topic, the white iPhone eventually develops these "hairline" cracks. It's apparently inevitable, so whether they show on the first day or two months later, they're going to be there. Don't deny the inevitable. If it's going to have cracks, it's going to have cracks, period. So live with it or buy a black one that doesn't show the cracks as badly. I had a black 3G and decided I wanted to switch up and go with a white 3GS. I fully understand that there is a possibility that this thing may develop some cracks. With that understanding, I purchased the phone anyway. If it develops a few hairline cracks, so be it. It is inevitable and WILL happen. It's a phone.

 

[179202]

You can't do this, you can only switch for the exact same product you bought.

That's just not true. The Apple rep told me that would be fine and has put a note on my case notes to reflect that so I'll be getting a black one.

If they tell me it's a problem, since I'm within the return limit, I can just take the phone back, get a refund, and buy a new one. This is why it would be stupid for them to refuse it (rep's words too).

 

[notjustgc]

This is the sole reason I opted for a black 3G S (I had a white 3G). This isn't "wear and tear." It's a manufacturing/design defect. Fortunately for , it doesn't impact functionality at all, so it's not that big a deal, IMO. Then again, it's no secret that not everyone buys an iPhone for the functionality... myself included. Why else would we love (yes, love) a phone without MMS or some other "basic" functions?

 

[179202]

I say this because judging by the over abundance of posts on this same topic, the white iPhone eventually develops these "hairline" cracks. It's apparently inevitable, so whether they show on the first day or two months later, they're going to be there. Don't deny the inevitable. If it's going to have cracks, it's going to have cracks, period. So live with it or buy a black one that doesn't show the cracks as badly. I had a black 3G and decided I wanted to switch up and go with a white 3GS. I fully understand that there is a possibility that this thing may develop some cracks. With that understanding, I purchased the phone anyway. If it develops a few hairline cracks, so be it. It is inevitable and WILL happen. It's a phone.

My Sony phone NEVER cracked. None of my Nokia phones EVER cracked. Riddle me that. They're phones too.

So you're judging me and my complaint about the cracks appearing within 4 days of the phone being sat in a box, unused by the fact I must have read a thread about this problem before ordering the phone?

patdesignsinc, the iPhone 3G S was not released when I made my purchase so how in god's name could anyone have known that the same problems would be around with the new generation hardware?

You might be OK with low quality hardware but most people are NOT. I posted here to see how widespread the problem was, not to be attacked by aposter. If you have a problem with my thread or post, just don't click on it. SIMPLE. Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you don't have anything good to say, don't say it at all?

And btw, the black has these cracks too. You just can't see them as easily,

 

[Surely]

Stop crying about a few little tiny, hardly noticeable hairline cracks. It's a phone. It's going to show SOME signs of wear and tear. As long as the cracks don't extend all the way up the back or onto the glass, what difference does it matter? Do you walk around with your phone wrapped in bubble wrap?

"Wear and tear" implies that it's been used (pssstt.....that's what the wear part means). If it came like that out of the box, there has been no wear.

If you ever buy a car, and if there is a big scratch on the door, will you say: Okay, I'm fine with that, it's only wear and tear. I'll take it!"


When I bought my 3GS at the Apple Store in Century City on Sunday, the first iPhone they gave to me had a little bubble in above the square on the Home Button. You could run your fingernail over it and it would catch on the bubble. I asked them for another iPhone, and they said no problem. My new one is perfect, and so I accepted that one.

If I'm paying money for something, it should be perfect out of the box as advertised.

I say this because judging by the over abundance of posts on this same topic, the white iPhone eventually develops these "hairline" cracks. It's apparently inevitable, so whether they show on the first day or two months later, they're going to be there. Don't deny the inevitable. If it's going to have cracks, it's going to have cracks, period. So live with it or buy a black one that doesn't show the cracks as badly. I had a black 3G and decided I wanted to switch up and go with a white 3GS. I fully understand that there is a possibility that this thing may develop some cracks. With that understanding, I purchased the phone anyway. If it develops a few hairline cracks, so be it. It is inevitable and WILL happen. It's a phone.

Yes but if you COULD make an exchange for a new one, and it is a part of Apple's policy, then why wouldn't you?

 

[patdesignsinc]

My Sony phone NEVER cracked. None of my Nokia phones EVER cracked. Riddle me that. They're phones too.

So you're judging me and my complaint about the cracks appearing within 4 days of the phone being sat in a box, unused by the fact I must have read a thread about this problem before ordering the phone?

patdesignsinc, the iPhone 3G S was not released when I made my purchase so how in god's name could anyone have known that the same problems would be around with the new generation hardware?

You might be OK with low quality hardware but most people are NOT. I posted here to see how widespread the problem was, not to be attacked by aposter. If you have a problem with my thread or post, just don't click on it. SIMPLE. Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you don't have anything good to say, don't say it at all?

And btw, the black has these cracks too. You just can't see them as easily,

Everybody knows the housing on the 3GS is the exact same as the 3G. There is no literature anywhere that indicates the casing for the new 3GS has been updated. Therefore, one can deduce that the new casings will have the same results. I'm just saying that if you did indeed read posts about cracks in the white 3G, why would you buy a white 3GS and complain about something that everybody and their mother cried about in the first place. It's your fault for going with the white, you should have known what you were getting into. And yes, it's a phone. I had Razrs that cracked, I had Sony Ericssons where the buttons always cracked in half, I've owned Blackberrys that cracked. I didn't go "up in arms" about it because I know it's just a phone. I have standards, but as long as the phone works for what it is, I don't care. I've seen the photos of the hairline cracks and that's what they are...hairline. You can barely see them. Even the worst of the worst are barely noticeable unless you're really looking. So, if you are so angry that the phone has some tiny little cracks in the plastic that don't interfere with the function of the phone at all, just take it back and get a black one. But don't waste forum space by posting something that has already been beaten to death.

 

[patdesignsinc]

"Wear and tear" implies that it's been used (pssstt.....that's what the wear part means). If it came like that out of the box, there has been no wear.

If you ever buy a car, and if there is a big scratch on the door, will you say: Okay, I'm fine with that, it's only wear and tear. I'll take it!"

Completely different. If I read a news article that the new Audi came from the factory with defects to include bubbling of the paint but Audi had no intentions of fixing the issue for future releases, then if I bought that car with that knowledge, I can blame nobody but myself. I went into the purchase with the full knowledge that cosmetically this car would be crap. With this knowledge, if I purchased the car and the paint started bubbling, I can't turn around and say "what the hell, the paint is bubbling!!!" and then hop onto a forum and waste space by posting a rant about something that the masses have already discussed to death.

 

[phannon666]

Apple acknowledges the problem, why doesn't the network/retailer?

Because CPW aren't interested in supporting you once they have your money. They are the suckiest of companies.

 

[Surely]

Completely different. If I read a news article that the new Audi came from the factory with defects to include bubbling of the paint but Audi had no intentions of fixing the issue for future releases, then if I bought that car with that knowledge, I can blame nobody but myself. I went into the purchase with the full knowledge that cosmetically this car would be crap. With this knowledge, if I purchased the car and the paint started bubbling, I can't turn around and say "what the hell, the paint is bubbling!!!" and then hop onto a forum and waste space by posting a rant about something that the masses have already discussed to death.

Dumbest reasoning ever. And don't insult forum members here as you did in the post above. What are you, like 12?

You have a lot to learn.

If the company's policy is to still sell a product even with the probability of damage occurring due to manufacturing defects, and they have an exchange program for consumers experiencing that damage due to defect, then exchanging the product due to the defect damage is well within your rights as a consumer.

If you don't like reading about members' questions and comments about these issues, the solution is simple: don't click on these threads.

 

[Nickday89]

the more expensive the phone, the easier it is to break. i had a 25 dollar phone in 8th grade, my first phone, i could hit it with a flipping baseball bat and it'd be fine. my brother had the same phone, and dropped it off of a 3 story house onto concrete and it was fine. it was a horrible phone. i had a RAZR in 10th grade, and it was indestructible. i dropped it, threw it, and nothing. maybe the battery would pop off. my girlfriends brother had one and would hurl it against the wall, land it on it when skateboarding and nothing except the battery cover would pop off. the iPhones I've had, well, that's different. if i drop it, my fault, and i take blame for my stupidity. if someone else drops it, i'll kill 'em.

a funny side-note: my iPhone 3G S cost me 100 dollars LESS than my RAZR did. I got the RAZR during launch-week with early upgrade price, costing me roughly 345.00 and the 3G S on launch day for 228.95. Yay upgrade price!

 

[179202]

Everybody knows the housing on the 3GS is the exact same as the 3G. There is no literature anywhere that indicates the casing for the new 3GS has been updated. Therefore, one can deduce that the new casings will have the same results. I'm just saying that if you did indeed read posts about cracks in the white 3G, why would you buy a white 3GS and complain about something that everybody and their mother cried about in the first place. It's your fault for going with the white, you should have known what you were getting into. And yes, it's a phone. I had Razrs that cracked, I had Sony Ericssons where the buttons always cracked in half, I've owned Blackberrys that cracked. I didn't go "up in arms" about it because I know it's just a phone. I have standards, but as long as the phone works for what it is, I don't care. I've seen the photos of the hairline cracks and that's what they are...hairline. You can barely see them. Even the worst of the worst are barely noticeable unless you're really looking. So, if you are so angry that the phone has some tiny little cracks in the plastic that don't interfere with the function of the phone at all, just take it back and get a black one. But don't waste forum space by posting something that has already been beaten to death.

So you have lower standards than most of us. Big woop. As Surely said above, if you don't like these threads, ignore them. If you don't have this problem, ignore them. Don't enter them jsut to post insults and rants about people having a problem with a product that is faulty.

Apple can use a different material for the casing but as long as it looks the same, they wouldn't market that. I, and many others, hoped apple would quietly sort this one out.

I actually wrote in my first post I was exchanging it for a black one. My post asks if anyone else has this problem, not if anyone has a problem with me having a problem.

To address your car metaphor criticism...you are saying that the person isn't allowed to have a problem with the paint bubbling because they read that it did that (by your reasoning, it becomes a feature that you pay for). That's ridiculous and you know it. Any reasonable person would expect that car manufacturer to solve the problem on later models and offer up exchanges/repairs for those people who had the problem in the first place.

Thank you for your angry contribution to this thread. Go troll elsewhere.

 

[andiwm2003]

.................................... But don't waste forum space by posting something that has already been beaten to death.

Actually, thanks to the OP for posting this. I was wondering if Apple somehow fixed the cracking problem with the new release. Seems not. So I will reconsider my choice and most likely get black.

To patdesignsinc: grow up.