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Enhanced Smart Cover with Rear Protection for iPad 3? Glass-Backed iPhone 5 in the Works?

insurance makes glass better

Having insurance on my phone makes the glass back ideal. Every once and a while I'll accidentally drop it, and since it's all glass 50% of the time it breaks. BAM - new phone. zero-deductible and no limit to claims. For once, Apple rewards the clumsy. :D
 
I understand the concern people have over the glass and plastic phones.

But come on, now. We've had aluminum-backed laptops for years and most of them seem to be going around naked. I'm confused why the general public (who was perfectly happy with aluminum Macbooks) is suddenly scared of aluminum iPads.

I know a LOT of people who have full cases for their iPads. When asked if they're going to buy a leather backing for their Macbook Air they just give you funny looks.

I really don't get it.
 
thuchu1 said:
Having insurance on my phone makes the glass back ideal. Every once and a while I'll accidentally drop it, and since it's all glass 50% of the time it breaks. BAM - new phone. zero-deductible and no limit to claims. For once, Apple rewards the clumsy. :D
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Sounds a little like insurance fraud
 
I still wonder what will ever become of the Liquid Metal stuff. Didn't Apple basically purchase the right to all their production? Surely the world doesn't need that many sim card removal tools...
 
I guess I didn't stress the accident part enough

basesloaded190 said:
Sounds a little like insurance fraud
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I'm not about to smash a phone I basically live on for work and shut myself out for three/four days on purpose. Just saying it's a plus.

I just pay $15/month instead of buying a case.
 
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I do remember reading a story on a tech blog once - when Steve Jobs did an interview and saw his iPad 2 without a smart cover, but a full body case instead, Steve Jobs couldn't believe why the blogger would want to cover up something so beautiful.
 
My wife is the only one in the family without an iPhone. Even the grandkids have the replaced iPhones that they use for games.

The wife's problem? It doesn't fit well in her hand - "uncomfortable" is a reason to miss a sale. Hopefully Apple will smooth out the back to improve the feel when holding it.
 
HarryKeogh said:
Hope so. The current smart cover is worthless. The back is more apt to scratch than the glass and it offered minimal protection in a fall.

At least it did however offer wobbly stand functionality.
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maybe I'm n the minority but I use the smart cover and the back of my iPad doesn't have any scratches. And I've taken it lots of places.
 
Ceramic is virtually unscratchable and would make for a great choice of material for the back plate!
 
Didn't Steve say that the reason they invented Smart Covers was to avoid covering the back, which looks and feels nice?

I really like the current Smart Cover, it can easily be detached and it only covers the front, which is the only part that needs protection. So what if you scratch the back? It's made of metal! Plus, it's the screen you look at.

Plus you buy a new iPad every year because after one year, nothing will be compatible with it and it will be totally updated. Does anyone here own an iPad 1? It was the current model a year ago.

I do like the glass iPhone though, since it can't really be scratched, but I don't like how square it is and it sticks out of my pocket. While a rounded back would fit much better. Also, phones are meant to be dropped on concrete and not break, unlike the iPhone that shatters into a million pieces.

Remember the time before the iPhone when Nokia phones were indestructible? What happened to people's need for rugged devices? I understand that Gorilla Glass is strong, but it will still break 20 times easier than the cheapest plastic.


JaySI said:
Ceramic is virtually unscratchable and would make for a great choice of material for the back plate!
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Have you ever dropped a mug?
 
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World Citizen said:
They have patent for rear buttons.. or a touchscreen on the backside...
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Dual display would be nice. A black & white e-paper display on the back would be perfect for reading books in sunlight. Kindle would lose an advantage.

And since it doesn't take any power to maintain that sort of display (only to change the content) it'd be great for displaying semi-permanent content like boarding passes or a screenshot of google maps or even just personal photos and the like.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if the iPhone5 has a glass rear. Steve Jobs loved this design. Be prepared, with all this evolution of gorilla glass, for a glass rear covered iPad 4 in a couple of years. If you ask for my opinion though, I would prefer something more exotic.. like liquid metal maybe?? ;)
 
RE: iPhone 5

Surprised about this news. Suppose the delay due to the LTE/GSM/CDMA chip from its release last year allowed them to utilize the (recently) developed/improved Corning Gorilla Glass and forgo the aluminum teardrop back as was initially designed. Not sure how I feel about this news, I was looking forward to the aluminum back return since the initial iPhone. Plus it would tie in nicely with the rest of the iDevice line.

Arran said:
Dual display would be nice.
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This comment brings me back to the early days in 2006/07 when many thought the iPod revamp would have a rear multi-touch display with gestures that would mimic the iPod scroll wheel (can't find the patent and MacRumors articles from that time).
 
Gjwilly said:
Marware already makes this.
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Exactly. I'm a little surprised by this, the thing I love about the smart cover is that it's so quick to attach/detach; it's pretty much unique in that regard. Seems to me there are lots of cases like the one pictured.

Now, if someone were to offer a Smart-cover-esque cover, which attaches magnetically, which can be attached as a stand in both landscape and portrait, and has a built-in keyboard, I'd snap it up in a second.
 
ModestForumName said:
Why a back hardshell case? It doesn't make sense. Not only is the backing aluminum but the sheer size of the device would surely cause so much momentum that it wouldn't matter....
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So it doesn't get scratched when you set it down or put it in a bag.
 
Be interesting to see an iPad with a glass back, much like the iPhone 4 (S).
 
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The source's second claim relates to the iPhone 5, which is rumored for release later this year. According to the report, Apple is planning to once again use a glass or ceramic material for the rear of the device, countering rumors of a switch back to a metal rear casing. By incorporating thinner Gorilla Glass from Corning, Apple will reportedly be able to make the iPhone even thinner.The source also indicates that a larger display remains a possibility, while the company is indeed also looking to replace its 30-pin dock connector with a smaller connector.

iLounge has on occasion offered accurate information, and in particular the site's claims for the iPad 3 do appear to be bearing out as parts continue to surface ahead of the official unveiling.

Article Link: Enhanced Smart Cover with Rear Protection for iPad 3? Glass-Backed iPhone 5 in the Works?
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Oh yay... thinner glass...
THAT'LL make me less anal retentive about my phone... :p
 
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Thinner? The iPhone is already pretty thin, I'd rather they keep the current dimensions and just make the internals better or give it a bigger battery.
 
Small White Car said:
I understand the concern people have over the glass and plastic phones.

But come on, now. We've had aluminum-backed laptops for years and most of them seem to be going around naked. I'm confused why the general public (who was perfectly happy with aluminum Macbooks) is suddenly scared of aluminum iPads.

I know a LOT of people who have full cases for their iPads. When asked if they're going to buy a leather backing for their Macbook Air they just give you funny looks.

I really don't get it.
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And of it ends up with a few scratches so what? The back of my iPod touch has some wear and tear but it's not a big dea to me. Just shows that I used it a lot.
 
Stridder44 said:
Thinner? The iPhone is already pretty thin, I'd rather they keep the current dimensions and just make the internals better or give it a bigger battery.
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Apple has had an infatuation with "thin" for years. Remember the controversy with the thinner campaign/marketing slogans that caused an uproar from groups who battle eating disorders? lol :roll eyes: have to laugh
 
Gorilla glass would maybe stop the scratching at least, the glass on the 4S isn't great for it even when used/stored really carefully.

I can't believe they'd make an iPad that's as slidy as an iPhone though, it wouldn't survive the constant impacts as well as an iPhone. The glass does look great but the phone falls off things all the time, even on the tiniest of inclines. IMHO, it was a poor design decision - maybe the guys that tested it all had leather sofas!
 
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