Dropped my iPhone 4

[Wowzera]

So, let's hope that iPhone 5 comes with titanium + diamond body parts.

 

[kuebby]

Because the glass is chemically hardened (up to 20 times more than regular glass), it is naturally more brittle. Materials (especially metals and metallurgy) that are hardened have a higher surface tension than not-hardened materials. So when you drop it, that tension (which is higher) is going to be released in a crack.

As a counter, polycarbonate (Used in Nalgene bottles and high speed aircraft canopies) which has a very low surface tension is soft and nearly "shatterproof" because of it. On the other hand, because of the low surface tension, it is easily scratched.

That sounds pretty accurate. So why doesn't Apple make a phone casing out of polycarbonate? I wouldn't mind having a phone that scratched easily (as long as the screen didn't) if I knew I could treat it like my Nalgene and it wouldn't break.

 

[Apple 26.2]

kdesign7 -

Just wanted to say thanks for posting your research and link... saved me some trouble! Cheers, mate!

OP: Sorry about your phone... hope it gets sorted out soon!