iPhone 4 Back is Scratch Prone

[drew0020]

I'm getting a replacement phone from Apple because I have a yellow line on the bottom of my screen. I decided to go case less this weekend to see how the front and back holds up.

I put my phone down on tables (not sliding the phone) and in my pockets. Most times I put the phone on a soft clean cloth on my computer desk. I'm pretty anal about keeping my phones in good condition.

The back of the phone has about 20 visible scratches and the front has 2. My replacement will be here on Monday but I haven't treated this phone hard by any means. If you're worried about scratches get a screen protector before you use it.

 

[chakraj]

Maybe it was in it's bag and still scraped against some keys or something. Sometimes a bag can give you a false sense of security.

 

[loskickking23]

That's why I didn't buy that bumper case! I bought the griffin case from best buy that's like the bumper but has the clear plastic to protect the back... That is terrible

 

[Hellishness]

not sure why people care about scratches anyways...you will only be using it for the next 12 months until the new one comes out. are you people just worried about saving it for the next guy?

Because some of us CARE about how our stuff, that we paid good money for, looks?

pop a hold where the speaker is with a safety pin carefully

lmao...sorry

 

[Megalobyte]

Played with the single "display" IP4 at the local AT&T store today, display in quotes because they don't put it on display and guard it like it's solid gold, anyway, first thing I noticed was the glass, front and back was BADLY scratched. I suspect however that people may have been intentionally trying to scratch a phone marketed as scratch resistant. Still, it was disconcerting.

 

[Galvatron]

"That'll buff out"

 

[Xaximus]

DON'T HOLD IT THAT WAY! Jeeeeez.

 

[advan031]

You said it's hard to see under normal circumstances and the pics were edited to "show" the scratches...lol

 

[ItsThatKush]

Obviously something happened cuz mine is naked and flawless

 

[DrM9282]

I don't understand how your phone is in the condition it's in unless you are intentionally being very careless with it.

I've had mine since Wednesday, fully naked. I don't treat it as if it's the most fragile thing in the world, but I don't abuse it either. It's been in and out of my pockets. It has rested on surfaces which aren't the cleanest in the world, and when it comes time to wipe it off, I don't have a microfiber cloth. A quick clean up with whatever shirt I have on is all it takes. The thing still looks brand new with not a single scratch on it, no matter how hard I look and no matter what lighting.

Naked and flawless as a few others have stated.

 

[dojoman]

Freaking BS. No way you would scratch without you doing something on purpose. Stop wasting people's time!!!

 

[treyjustice]

That is why I bought an invisishield. Also why I am waiting for the white!

 

[AbSoluTc]

When an OP disappears after the first post, you can pretty much come to the conclusion he was not telling the truth.

 

[Tee Hee]

In a tear down video it shows that the actual first step to taking the iPhone 4 apart is removing the back first. All you gotta do is take the 2 bottom screws out and you can take off the back cover to be replaced.

So anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver can replace the back cover.

 

[pcguru83]

In a tear down video it shows that the actual first step to taking the iPhone 4 apart is removing the back first. All you gotta do is take the 2 bottom screws out and you can take off the back cover to be replaced.

So anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver can replace the back cover.

Yeah, I noticed that. It looks incredibly simple, as the back literally just slides right up after the screws are removed. No case opening tool, excessive force. I was pretty surprised.

I'm curious to see how much the replacement back ends up costing.

EDIT: Here's a good video. Watch from about 0:45 - 1:15 or so. So easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNM90pb-Xwk

 

[Tee Hee]

Replacing the LCD is a WHOLE different story though. You have to gut your phone like a fish because there are a bunch of screws under the motherboard holding in the screen.

 

[iPhoneHome]

Let me say one thing before I go on - this is a great phone. It feels great, it functions great, and it looks great... except for one thing - It is NOT scratch resistant.

I know people probably won't be excited to hear this; I definitely wasn't excited to discover it. But after just 2 days of babying my iPhone 4 I have discovered 2 scuff-like scratches on the back. Now when I say "babying" I mean only resting the phone on felt, carrying it around in a microfiber bag, and generally handling it as delicately as possible. I have no idea how these scratches are even possible given how carefully I was handling the phone, but I can't deny the facts.

I've attached a few images using a macro lens to show the damage up close so you can see and evaluate for yourselves. I should also add that the scratches become more visible if they have fingerprints and finger oil on them (the photos show them in a clean state).

Mild sharpening and contrast enhancements:

Significant tonal contrast enhancement:

The results should speak for themselves. Upon taking these photos I also noticed that the back of the iPhone 4 is not very uniform. It looks almost like an imperfectly machined surface rather than smooth glass. This of course may be because of the proximity of the lens to the phone, but it still leads me to believe that those of us who were thinking about keeping the phone "naked" and trusting in the scratch-proof claim put forth by Apple should think twice before doing so. It almost appears as though there is some coating over the glass which itself is what might be scratch prone.

So... is this the end of the world? Certainly not, but I figured I'd post to clear up some of the confusion that I've seen about how scratch-proof the iPhone really is. It clearly does not take throwing it against a wall or dropping it on the floor for it to get scratched. Take this advice for what it's worth and in the end remember one thing - it's just a phone

How this all started

"Hmmm...I bought this camera that can take insanely close up CSI Crime Scene photos for no apparent reason. Ahhhh, I've got it!

Let's see if I can be the thread starter of a popular post on MacRumors today."

Now wheres my sandpaper?

 

[Despacio]

I find it funny when the cynical people in here are so confident that the op is doing something wrong because they have no scratches after a whopping 2-3 days. Oh yeah, field tests complete, the phone must be non-scratchable!

 

[AbSoluTc]

I find it funny when the cynical people in here are so confident that the op is doing something wrong because they have no scratches after a whopping 2-3 days. Oh yeah, field tests complete, the phone must be non-scratchable!

Come on dude. Anyone with a 1/4 of a brain can see that those scratches were PURPOSELY inflicted on that phone. They are NOT accidental.

You don't need to be a genius to figure that one out.

 

[Despacio]

Come on dude. Anyone with a 1/4 of a brain can see that those scratches were PURPOSELY inflicted on that phone. They are NOT accidental.

You don't need to be a genius to figure that one out.

Yes, the evidence is undeniable. I must be an idiot.

 

[AbSoluTc]

Yes, the evidence is undeniable. I must be an idiot.

You said it, not me.

 

[Kal525]

Wow - Never thought this thread would take off like this. If you think I abused the phone in some way - I really could care less. I gave an honest analysis with the tools I had available and said take it for what it's worth. I didn't post here to get anyone's approval, I posted so others can make an informed decision about protection options. It's amazing how defensive people get on these forums. I'm actually glad I haven't kept up with this thread. The responses have been disappointing to say the least.

Most surfaces are imperfect when viewed very closely. I took this photo with a Nikon D700 and Nikon f/2.8 105 mm macro lens - not exactly your child's point-and-shoot. I do professional photographic work on the side and as I stated in my original post, my intent was to take the picture in such a way that would reveal all the imperfections of the iPhone back and highlight the scratches.


Q: Did I in any way abuse the phone, over-clean it, or rub it with bounty, sandpaper, etc.?
A: No, but if you don't believe me, it's really my word against yours, so any further discussion is pointless.

Q: Can I see these scratches in normal viewing conditions?
A: Yes, I can, but only if I look closely.

Q: In the end do I even care that the phone has those scratches on the back?
A: Nope - I love my iPhone 4 and I have no intention of making a couple of scratches a big deal. So all you people who are yelling foul need to realize that some people are just trying to help, and not trying to paint your beloved Apple hardware under an intentionally poor light. I will be buying screen protectors once decent ones become available.

 

[DravenGSX]

Pulled my second one out of my microfiber bag today and found a faint scratch on the front about an inch long. Sigh.

 

[Macficionado]

Wow - Never thought this thread would take off like this. If you think I abused the phone in some way - I really could care less. I gave an honest analysis with the tools I had available and said take it for what it's worth. I didn't post here to get anyone's approval, I posted so others can make an informed decision about protection options. It's amazing how defensive people get on these forums. I'm actually glad I haven't kept up with this thread. The responses have been disappointing to say the least.

Most surfaces are imperfect when viewed very closely. I took this photo with a Nikon D700 and Nikon f/2.8 105 mm macro lens - not exactly your child's point-and-shoot. I do professional photographic work on the side and as I stated in my original post, my intent was to take the picture in such a way that would reveal all the imperfections of the iPhone back and highlight the scratches.


Q: Did I in any way abuse the phone, over-clean it, or rub it with bounty, sandpaper, etc.?
A: No, but if you don't believe me, it's really my word against yours, so any further discussion is pointless.

Q: Can I see these scratches in normal viewing conditions?
A: Yes, I can, but only if I look closely.

Q: In the end do I even care that the phone has those scratches on the back?
A: Nope - I love my iPhone 4 and I have no intention of making a couple of scratches a big deal. So all you people who are yelling foul need to realize that some people are just trying to help, and not trying to paint your beloved Apple hardware under an intentionally poor light. I will be buying screen protectors once decent ones become available.

Kal525,

In light of your discovery, do you plan to get a screen for your phone?

 

[ducktales]

Haha - plastic still on? Really guys? The plastic is not still on, I don't have pets, and I do not sleep walk. Keep in mind that these scratches are barely visible except under the right light. I used a macro lens with very bright light and took the photo at an angle which would reveal the scratches. The point was to show the material of the iphone backing up close so as to gain a better understanding of what the surface actually looks like when scrutinized. It looks nowhere near as bad in practice. The main point still remains - the back of the iPhone 4 scratches easily, even if it may not be immediately visible to the naked eye. My worry is that over time the phone will be more likely to accumulate visible scratches. Take my analysis for what it's worth and make your own conclusions. I've tried to be as objective as possible.

so wuts the problem? if you can't see it with your naked eye.