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Is the iPhone 4's Glass the Worst Yet?

Does the iPhone 4 have the "worst" glass of any iPhone to date?

  • Yes, I've been very careful and have a few scratches already.

    Votes: 53 20.6%

  • Yes, I'm not particurally careful but my iPhone 4 isn't holding up as well as previous iPhones.

    Votes: 7 2.7%

  • Yes, dropping my iPhone 4 once was worse than the x amount of times I dropped my previous iPhones.

    Votes: 6 2.3%

  • No, I've been careful and I don't notice any scratches.

    Votes: 99 38.5%

  • No, I haven't been particurally careful but I don't notice any scratches.

    Votes: 67 26.1%

  • No, this has stood up to a few drops already with barely any marks.

    Votes: 25 9.7%
  • Total voters
    257
MICHAELSD

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
5,522
3,535
NJ
iPhone. Zero scratches ever on the glass no matter what kind of light you look at it in. iPhone 3G. Same thing. Then, the iPhone 3GS came with it's oleophobic coating and I got a few scratches you can see in certain light during it's life time.

After one week with the iPhone 4 (in a case when it's in my pocket), and I even make sure the screen faces the inside and the back faces the outside so if anything scrapes against me nothing will scratch. I keep my iPhone 4 alone in my pocket. Still, I have one decent-sized scratch and a few others on the screen that are visible in sunlight and under a lamp.

This wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't for how well the iPhone and iPhone 3G held up to scratches and Apple is claiming that the glass is improved. What happened to actual testing of products? Give me back the glass on my first-generation iPhone.
 
I do have a screen protector on the front but not on the back. Both sides are completely scratch-free. Not that I'd mind a few minor ones, though. If I could afford a Ferrari, I'd much rather drive it as it is and get a few scratches here and there than put an ugly-looking clear bra.
 
On thursday I set my naked iPhone down on a client's desk and I heard a small squeek/scratch noise... I picked up my phone and saw a minor, but no less unnerving scratch on the back- I felt the desk and yes, a single grain of sand managed to scratch the back glass. It's hard to see and I'm really not that upset about it, but only 20 minutes later did I get home to find the Bumper I ordered waiting for me. :rolleyes:

Oh well.
 
Yep, I've been very careful with my phone and I've already got a bunch of little scratches. I'd say that the back and front are about as scratched up as my 3gs was after a year of use...

That said, the scratches on the front, like the 3gs are only visible when you angle the phone correctly in the light. They don't cause much of a problem, but it is disappointing to see such an expensive device with scratches already.
 
the-comic-book-guy-pondering.gif


worst glass ever
 
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I don't have any scratches, whew!

I have a Wrapsol Ultra on the back, & bumper. The Wrapsol is driving me up the wall, though. I hate covering up the gorgeous back, but I'm afraid if I take it off I'll get tons of scratches.
 
I have no protection on my phone and no scratches. The phone is either in my pocket or on a micro fibre cloth.
 
an ATT sales guy showed me the demo units that they have had in the store for less then a week, looked like they were dragged behind a quad on a bumpy dirt and sand track! he said he never saw the other phones do that! i am a lil worried now.
 
No scratches at all yet. I JUST put a Invisible Sheild skin on the back of the phone. I'm waiting for my Power Support Crystal skin for the front.

And a frickin' Otterbox case at some point ...
 
MICHAELSD said:
After one week with the iPhone 4 (in a case when it's in my pocket), and I even make sure the screen faces the inside and the back faces the outside so if anything scrapes against me nothing will scratch. I keep my iPhone 4 alone in my pocket. Still, I have one decent-sized scratch and a few others on the screen that are visible in sunlight and under a lamp.
Click to expand...

Check to make sure the case itself isn't scratching the screen. Is there a particle stuck in it? I wear it naked in my pocket with no case and have absolutely no visible scratches in sunlight.

Give me back the glass on my first-generation iPhone.
Click to expand...

No thanks for me. The oleophobic screen stays a lot cleaner. I've never had to clean my 3GS screen as it was self-cleaning when worn naked in my pants pocket and I haven't found any difference between it and the iP4 screen. On the other hand, I've had to clean the 1st gen iPhone glass many times.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Check to make sure the case itself isn't scratching the screen. Is there a particle stuck in it? I wear it naked in my pocket with no case and have absolutely no visible scratches in sunlight.
Click to expand...

It's just a rubberized plastic case covering the back and steel, it doesn't touch the glass.
 
daihard said:
I do have a screen protector on the front but not on the back. Both sides are completely scratch-free. Not that I'd mind a few minor ones, though. If I could afford a Ferrari, I'd much rather drive it as it is and get a few scratches here and there than put an ugly-looking clear bra.
Click to expand...

Completely OT, but I've noticed Ferrari and other exotic car owners tend to park in completely average spots, leaving their cars susceptible to carless idiots swinging their doors open, while Bimmer (like myself) and Porsche owners tend to park far away and sometimes straddling a no-parking zone, so there's like a 5-6 foot buffer between you and the next car.


And on topic: Has anyone gotten a DEEP scratch? All/most hairlines are in the oleophobic coating, but the deep ones would be in the glass...
 
I hear individuals speaking about how well the glass was made on the original I only have experience with the 3G, 3GS, and 4. I don't give my screens much of a chance to see how well they hold to the elements. I put s screen protector on all of them within 2 days of ownership. Before I'm selling them though sometimes I'll take off the protector to enjoy it a bit.

Since I've had the 4 though this is the first time I used an invisible shield since I usually use anti glare by power support. The clarity of the screen is amazing I knew the invisible shield wouldn't have a negative effect much on visibility and losing such sharpness of color.

If any of you enjoy th clarity of your 4, but don't want scratches I'd honestly recommend the invisible shield. Gets a bit sticky at times though, just keep your hands clean.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
What do you mean? It's an iPhone 4 so it has an oleophobic-coated glass back. Or are you saying you only have scratches on the front glass?
Click to expand...

You said that the case I was using might have scratched the screen so I added that that the case I'm using doesn't touch the screen.
 
The glass is stunning, and like any other piece of glass it will be prone to scratches, albeit minor ones.
 
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