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OG Droid vs iPhone Glass

C

Clemsonfan15

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 22, 2012
14
0
I have had OG Droid since December of '09. Never had a case on it. It's been dropped numerous times. 2-3 times from 4+ feet onto concrete as I've got out of my car. All there is to show is a ~2" horizontal crack. The screen still works perfectly and you can't even tell it's there when you run your finger over it.


Fast forward to the present. I'm thinking about getting a 4S. I'm wondering how strong the iPhone glass is compared to the OG Droid. Although I try to avoid dropping it, life happens sometimes.


Seems like there are pictures all over this site showing an iPhone after being dropped and the screen is completely cracked and unusable.

Thanks for any insight.
 
Both devices use Gorilla Glass so there isn't really much difference there. Gorilla Glass isn't really much better than regular mobile device glass when it comes to shattering; it really only helps when it comes to scratches.

The difference between the OG Droid and the iPhone is the protection surrounding the glass. The OG Droid was built like a tank in its all-metal housing. The iPhone with its edge to edge glass has a thin bezel and consequently less protection for the glass.

The bottom line is that the iPhone is more prone to shattering when dropped than an OG Droid, period. If this is a concern, then you'll want to invest in a protective case.
 
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It's just as easy to google images of Droids with cracked glass.

But, my last week of owning an iPhone 4 (before I got my 4S), I had some bad luck and managed to drop it a total of 4 times on concrete and asphalt over a few days. All I had to show for it were some tiny glass chips along the edges of the glass where a layer of plastic is sandwiched between the glass and the metal band. A bit of that plastic layer was eaten up too, but unless you looked very closely at the phone it was really hard to even see the damage.

It's all luck of the draw, and where the phone makes contact with a hard surface. Some are lucky and their phone withstands abuse just fine, others might shatter then phone on a single drop.

My suggestion: get AppleCare+.
 
Sounds like a given that its going to get dropped.

When it does, if it bounces back you will chalk it up as one tough phone.

If it folds like a dollar store juice glass, I guess all droids will be hero's.

Net net, do you feel lucky, well do ya? :cool:
 
Yeah. Seems like it's all about the drop angle.

So is Applecare + the recommend insurance? Obviously Verizon is $10 plus ~$170 to replace no matter how many times.

Applecare is $100 plus $50 to replace.
 
Yes get AppleCare + well worth it and much better than carrier insurance , just don't loose it that's what they don't cover.
 
Clemsonfan15 said:
Yeah. Seems like it's all about the drop angle.

So is Applecare + the recommend insurance? Obviously Verizon is $10 plus ~$170 to replace no matter how many times.

Applecare is $100 plus $50 to replace.
Click to expand...

the advantage to Applecare+ is you'll be getting an Apple replacement, not a third party replacement from Solectron or some other lowest-bidder repair shop that Verizon contracted. The quality of cell phone insurance refurbs is often pretty mediocre to bad, while it's generally recognized that Apple refurbs are almost indistinguishable from new.
 
Og droid has weird screen it's very ugly compared to the iPhones screen but it's a lot more durable.

My girlfriend had an og droid since 2009. She totally abuses it and is completely careless with it. I got a 4S and she liked it and got a 4. Within 2 weeks she dropped it smashed the screen. Got a refurb. About a month later she sat on it cracked it again. She will keep her phone in her back pocket an purposely sit on it. Got a refurb and I sold it and she went back to the og droid.

She's a nurse in shock trauma and there is just way to much action to use a caseless iPhone.

I would definitely use a case. There are a lot of pretty sleek looking cases.
 
Even Gorilla Glass isn't unbreakable. If you're worried about damage then take whatever precautions you're willing to deal with.
 
What's the cost of replacing the screen by yourself?

If the 4S really uses the same glass as the OG Droid then I shouldn't need a screen protector. Right? Don't have one on the Droid and there isn't a scratch on it.



I believe most of my drops have been corner drops (knock on wood) so there shouldn't be many full back or frontal impacts. Is a case like the Magpul Field Case enough to withstand corner abuse?
 
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