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iPhone 4 glass chipped through Invisibleshield?

O

Orbane

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 28, 2010
50
0
Okay, where do I start.

Basically I've had a 32gb ip-4 since launch, and had invisibleshield on both the front and the back, with a bumper from 2-3 days after launch. (I'm OCD about protection...figures) anyway, earlier today I took my phone out of my pocket and noticed an indentation on the invisibleshield (anyone that has one installed probably knows what I mean; sometimes things can 'indent' the film, which isn't a big deal since it fixes itself in a few hours. I'm guessing while in my pocket something pushed against it (I don't remember this happening, which means it was probably insignificant) This however caused me to notice a further problem.

Beneath the invisibleshield, right where the indentation is, are what look like small 'chips'; the glass looks like it's literally had small (and I mean very small) parts of it removed. Since this happened only recently, i've yet to take off the shield to confirm it's actually on the glass itself - but from what I can tell, it seems to be. I'm going to wait a bit and see if the shield 'buffs out' again.

Now I don't really know a whole lot about glass, but if this was something that was caused by pressure (as the indentation would suggest) wouldn't the screen be cracked and not chipped? Is that even possible through the invisibleshield?

Finally, if my fears are true and it is on the glass. What options do I have? I live in the UK, and obviously my phone is still within warranty and the 30 day return period. But at the same time I have a feeling it won't be a free replacement.

Apologies for some of the incoherence, I will fix later!
 
Believe me when I say i'm being very pedantic about this. I will try to photograph it, but it will not be easy!

If I return it to Apple, Am I entitled to a replacement? The return policy states a full refund, but since I renewed my contract and paid a subsidized price, I doubt I can simply re-purchase the phone...

Anyone else (in the UK) managed to successfully get a replacement?
 
Actually, I think you CAN simply return it for a full refund and re-purchase the phone at a fully subsidized price. Can someone confirm this?
 
My iPhone is chipped too.
 

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Orbane said:
but if this was something that was caused by pressure (as the indentation would suggest) wouldn't the screen be cracked and not chipped? Is that even possible through the invisibleshield?
Click to expand...

More dependant on the duration of the (excess) pressure; a very short, sharp tap will chisel (like the tool) a very small piece of material away, while pressure for a longer duration will deform a brittle / crystalline structure sufficiently to propagate a crack.

IS isn't going to protect against anything more than the most minor impact; there's simply not enough thickness to deform and absorb/cushion.
 
Purchased it from the Apple store in person.

@Ryeno that really is a chip! It makes me feel stupid because mine is so much less noticable. Though at least yours isn't in the middle of the screen.

Maybe it's just me, but after about 2 hours it seems to have gotten better. Perhaps these chips are in the shield and not the glass? Is there any way (without taking the protector off completely obviously) to check if it's in the glass, or simply the film? I don't want to risk peeling off what was a really good install to find out that the glass is fine. Somewhat of a catch-22, I know.

I feel like i'm being really extreme about this but it's something will drive me mad every time I look at the phone if I don't get it solved.
 
Orbane said:
Now I don't really know a whole lot about glass, but if this was something that was caused by pressure (as the indentation would suggest) wouldn't the screen be cracked and not chipped? Is that even possible through the invisibleshield?
Click to expand...
Well, while the invisibleshield is highly protective, it's not impervious.

Still, it's hard to believe/imagine how this could happen. If it really is chipped, the only thing that comes to me is that you had something sharp and pointy pressed up against the screen (like the teeth of some keys), and the pressure of being in your pocket pushed the iPhone screen up against the sharp point, piercing the invisibleshield and chipping the screen (kinda like how an ice pick chips ice, but using pressure instead of an impact). I find this really hard to believe, though, as most keys aren't sharp enough for this (unless they were freshly cut).
 
Googlyhead said:
a very short, sharp tap will chisel (like the tool) a very small piece of material away.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's exactly what it looks like. Very very fine chiseling. Thanks for clearing that up!


TLewis said:
Well, while the invisibleshield is highly protective, it's not impervious.

Still, it's hard to believe/imagine how this could happen. If it really is chipped, the only thing that comes to me is that you had something sharp and pointy pressed up against the screen (like the teeth of some keys), and the pressure of being in your pocket pushed the iPhone screen up against the sharp point, piercing the invisibleshield and chipping the screen (kinda like how an ice pick chips ice, but using pressure instead of an impact). I find this really hard to believe, though, as most keys aren't sharp enough for this (unless they were freshly cut).
Click to expand...

That's my thinking exactly! I don't even know what could have done it, I never carry anything else in that pocket except the phone, so it hasn't been keys. I'm thinking I have knocked something whilst walking past it, or leaned against something.
 
Orbane said:
Purchased
I feel like i'm being really extreme about this but it's something will drive me mad every time I look at the phone if I don't get it solved.
Click to expand...


no youre right, im exactly the same with everything that i buy. people think im an idiot when i return football shirts for having slightly wonky printing but at the end of the day, i know what i want so shove it. if i was you id return it. even if i had to pay
 
boy-better-know said:
if i was you id return it. even if i had to pay
Click to expand...

I'd love that, but chances are i'd be charged the same cost again, and I really can't afford that on a student's budget.

Maybe I could take it to the store and complain about the death grip, try get a replacement that way :D
 
Orbane said:
I'd love that, but chances are i'd be charged the same cost again, and I really can't afford that on a student's budget.

Maybe I could take it to the store and complain about the death grip, try get a replacement that way :D
Click to expand...

i know mate!!!

i was thinking you could do something like that, and throw the proximity thing in there too. being polite will get you everywhere.
 
Ordered a replacement shield from Zagg. I'll let everyone know how the glass is beneath it once I remove the current.

I took some photos but it is very difficult to capture on camera, in some photos it doesn't look as bad, and in some it looks worse :\

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I've bought IS and similar products before. It's kind of difficult to tell from your pictures, but if it's similar to what I've experienced, that is just the 'adhesive' that keeps the IS on your device. Looks like something caused the IS to shift or something applied pressure at those spots. I've seen similar after accidentally dropping my devices. Again, if this is similar to what I've seen on my devices, you won't see these flaws once you replace the IS.
 
Orbane said:
Ordered a replacement shield from Zagg. I'll let everyone know how the glass is beneath it once I remove the current.

I took some photos but it is very difficult to capture on camera, in some photos it doesn't look as bad, and in some it looks worse :\

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Click to expand...


Your front camera is to the right of the speaker?
 
That looks like it is just the shield. I've had invisible shields look like that before.
 
himni said:
I was thinking that but why bother flipping it.
Click to expand...

He's using the front camera to take the pictures in a mirror?

The photos are so resolution, it's hard to tell exactly what he's trying to show us. But it looks like air bubbles under the invisibleshield to me.

Mark
 
Mark Booth said:
He's using the front camera to take the pictures in a mirror?

The photos are so resolution, it's hard to tell exactly what he's trying to show us. But it looks like air bubbles under the invisibleshield to me.

Mark
Click to expand...

Actually I used my iSight to take the picture, with my phone being my only camera, it was difficult to do it in a mirror (and with the screen off!).

Anyway it does look exactly like Air bubbles under the shield! but obviously they weren't there when I first installed; it's been a result of whatever caused the pressure. Turning up the backlight on a white background shows the issue a lot clearer, but is not viewable from every angle(and thus very difficult to photograph). This is making me think that the shield has been damaged. I will confirm this when my replacement arrives.

I guess above everything this shows how easy the invisibleshield is to permanently scratch/dent, and while it's a lot better than the glass being damaged, it's far from 'scratch proof' as they claim. It definitely requires a replacement as any light from the screen makes the problem a ton more noticable.
 
If you're worried, you need to peel back the Zagg.

From my experience, IS's can be hit or miss with their quality - my iP4 skin has a 'hairline' mark on the screen. I initially thought it was a bit of hair caught under the skin, but upon peeling it back realized that it's an actual mark on the film, possible where the material hasn't properly set in production. It almost looks like where two skins were 'joined' but not properly.

Just check! :)
 
just peel it back then put it back on. i had completely removed the back shield when i got the SE Nude case and folded it in half, well my case was damaged and i hated it so i unfolded the invisible shield and put it back on and aside from a few finger prints and a little dust you could never tell i removed it. i am of course waiting for a replacement to arrive since the IS front was damaged when it got to me.
 
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