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TheBrokenBee

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Nov 2, 2016
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I've owned my iPhone 8 for a little over a year now, basically got it around launch. I was crazy obsessed about keeping it immaculate. I would put a full dbrand skin on the phone and then use a case. I wasn't always like this. Recently after taking the skin off I saw small paint chips at the bottom. And its been bugging me since.

Its supposed to be a tool and nothing more but I dont really know why I am bothering about it so much. Has anyone dealt with something similar and gotten over it?
 
To give this some perspective, do you obsess about keeping other things you own so pristine?

My other gadgets? Yeah kinda. My macbook air is in a dbrand skin with a thule bumper.

Same goes for my car. I usually lose interest once things start becoming a little old which is kind of weird. It kind of means I obsesses and keep things pristine until its time to replace them so which basically means I am keeping them new for someone else to use. :(
 
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My other gadgets? Yeah kinda. My macbook air is in a dbrand skin with a thule bumper.

Same goes for my car. I usually lose interest once things start becoming a little old which is kind of weird. It kind of means I obsesses and keep things pristine until its time to replace them so which basically means I am keeping them new for someone else to use. :(

I’m a bit like that. Don’t like a single scratch on my gadgets. But then I use them as much as I can. Especially I don’t like to use a device once there’s a scratch on it.
 
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You accept the fact that the phone is exactly what it is, a tool. It’s not meant to stay pristine or in ‘Perfect condition’, it’s meant to be used on a daily basis, and Accrue scratches or Scuffs, it’s considered normal, what is abnormal, is worrying about keeping a tech device pristine.
 
This is fairly normal and as time goes by you stop worrying.

I put tempered glass on screen and a case that protects the lens and body on it and my last phone was 99,5% mint after 3,5 years.
 
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I've owned my iPhone 8 for a little over a year now, basically got it around launch. I was crazy obsessed about keeping it immaculate. I would put a full dbrand skin on the phone and then use a case. I wasn't always like this. Recently after taking the skin off I saw small paint chips at the bottom. And its been bugging me since.

Its supposed to be a tool and nothing more but I dont really know why I am bothering about it so much. Has anyone dealt with something similar and gotten over it?

I have suffered with OCD with phones now for years, and no I’m not joking. Here is what caused it, I got my first ever phone, it was a Sony Ericsson and I used it like a normal phone for around 3 months until around one of the buttons there was a huge white scratch and I was devastated and ever since then I have been obsessed with keeping my devices pristine. The only advice I can give you is please stop being obsessive now and enjoy your phone because every time I buy a new phone I have extreme anxiety of scratching it and never actually get to enjoy the phone to it’s fullest
 
This may sound a bit extreme, but I try to keep everything in perspective. My phone is just a thing. An object that can be easily replaced. But for all I know a loved one could die tomorrow. In fact, we have all lost or will someday lose loved ones. How silly is it to worry about if a phone that you will probably replace in a couple of years anyway has a scratch when our time in this world and with the people we love is finite?
 
The way I see it since I’ll always upgrade anyway who cares. Even if not every year at least in time
 
I just don’t like to use banged up stuff in general. All my gadgets are spotless to some extent. My logic is, with a little bit of carefulness when I can keep the device pristine, why not?!

Ps. I’m not clumsy and I consider the surface where I’m putting the device down. I also use the phones without any cases.
 
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This is fairly normal.
Personally I’d contest that; and would be interested to see if others also do. The vast majority of people I know just use their phones, and if an accident does happen that scratches it up they don’t care. In a lot of cases they’ll keep using it with a cracked screen until they are due for contract renewal. Basically unless it’s completely stopped working, in my experience, people don’t care... the only place is see people obsessing over ‘keeping their devices immaculate’ is on this site!
 
I bought Jet Black iPhone 7 despite warnings that it can be easily scratched. But the jet black finish is so gorgeous! So I kept it in transparent case and after 2 years I found out it got scratched anyway. So now I have it naked and I don't care - it still looks great and scratches are visible only under direct sunlight or strong indoor led lamp.
 
My logic is, with a little bit of carefulness when I can keep the device pristine, why not?!.

I mean, a phone is not a high end mechanical watch or fine Jewelry, it’s a tech device that will be in a scrap pile or dissembled for parts eventually. Sure, it’s your property and you can treat as you wish, but ‘Pristine’ is a Bit extreme for a smart phone that won’t gain value either over the course of time.
 
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I mean, a phone is not a high end mechanical watch or fine Jewelry, it’s a tech device that will be in a scrap pile or dissembled for parts eventually. Sure, it’s your property and you can treat as you wish, but ‘Pristine’ is a Bit extreme for a smart phone that won’t gain value either over the course of time.

Yeah value is different for different people. It’s mostly down to being an eyesore. To be honest, I don’t really baby the device. I’m just mindful about where I put it down or how I handle it and that seems to be working fine for me, without a single scratch on any of my devices since iPhone 5S. Bearing in mind, no cases either.
 
How do you get over wanting to keep the phone pristine?

I'll buy Apple. My second iPhone X came scratched and dented out of the box, so I don't need to worry about that anymore. My first one was only scratched, so that was considerable upgrade compared to first one. :D
 
My now traded in Jet Black 7+ was always in a case. I dropped that phone more times than any other, but it only had a couple of tiny scratches on it for the nearly two years I owned it.

The Apple store rep looked at it incredulously “This looks brand new!”

As long as the phone works, that’s all I care about. Life is too short for me to worry about scratches (the only time I would is if the screen was scratched or broken).
 
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I’ve had iPhones since the 3G. Before that I had a load of different phones. I’ve never gotten over not keeping my phones pristine. I’m like that with all my tech.
 
At first the scratches will bother me, but then I think of the scratches as adding character.

Too, I know that even with a few blemishes my iPhone is more pristine than most. Stop by an Apple store and sit in the waiting area, literally saw an iPhone X that looked like it had been in WWIII. That instantly made me feel a lot better about my device.

Too, I'm on T-Mobile and am one of the fortunate few who have had their dual-sim activated on post-paid. Also I got them to unlock my iPhone early. So really, my phone I would say is that much more valuable and worth holding on to regardless of superficial scratches.

Once you learn to live with the scratch, it kinda fades to the background. And the history of "your" device actually becomes worth something as opposed to starting over.

Hope this info helps someone.
 

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You accept the fact that the phone is exactly what it is, a tool. It’s not meant to stay pristine or in ‘Perfect condition’, it’s meant to be used on a daily basis, and Accrue scratches or Scuffs, it’s considered normal, what is abnormal, is worrying about keeping a tech device pristine.
OCD is irrational though. My phones get a screen protector and a full flip case straight out of the box. They also get put into a dedicated phone pocket in my jacket, no sharing. Beyond that I use the hell out of them but baby them.
 
I keep my phone in a case, but that is more for protecting it when dropped. The last phone I used "naked" was the 3G, and the back started to crack from occasional drops. (Slick, could slide out of pocket). For awhile, Wi-FI didn't work unless within a couple feet of router. Dropped again, it worked good again. I think antenna.

I don't like scratches and dents in my car either. Noticed recently that the leather seat is wearing from where I get in/out. But repairing leather in a car is expensive.
 
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