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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,271
23,954
Wales, United Kingdom
Yes, I can! There are equally as many variants of glas and aluminum, yet the underlying chemistry is always the same. I dare you to permanently bend a glass pane at normal temperatures without breaking it. Also find me a translucent radio-transparent aluminum alloy. You have thousands of varieties to choose from.
Ask your mother for some kitchen foil to test your theory that thickness and frangibility of a material have nothing to do with each other. The Pentagon will make you a billionaire, if you build them indestructible tinfoil tanks.

You made the comment that plastic has to be made ‘thick’ in order for it to be durable and that is false. I’ve been designing with plastics and metals for nearly 20 years and have worked with Dekra testing a wide variety of materials. Aluminium foil is not a material used in product design nor is it structural or impact absorbing.

Polycarbonate has been the common plastic used in the electronics industry due to its flexibility and impact resistance. That’s probably why riot police use it in there shields to which it doesn’t have to be very thick at all.
 

revmacian

macrumors 68000
Oct 20, 2018
1,745
1,468
USA
I was just wondering if anyone else would be in favor of a plastic back on a budget iPhone? I would rather the XR type of the phone for the future have a plastic back for durability and the ability to charge. I loved the 3G iPhone plastic back and they could even use a higher quality back to meet their current standards. I personally hate the glass back that is currently being used and allows Apple to collect enormous fees for repairs.
I don't really care which materials are used as long as the device functions as advertised. I also don't put much value in appearance.. one could wrap dog poo in the most beautiful wrapping paper and bow you've ever seen.
 

Gudi

Suspended
May 3, 2013
4,591
3,264
Berlin, Berlin
Polycarbonate has been the common plastic used in the electronics industry due to its flexibility and impact resistance. That’s probably why riot police use it in their shields to which it doesn’t have to be very thick at all.
Riot police don’t have to protect fragile microelectronics just a tenth of a millimeter behind the shield. Their shields can flex several centimeters in both directions without destroying the policeman.

Durable plastic phones from Nokia had a lot of air between the outer plastic case and the inner plastic structure which held the electronics and the battery had its own plastic enclosure. iPhones are build differently. There is no room for flexibility, the backside needs to stay sturdy until it breaks.

The iPhone 5C had an inner steel frame to provide structural support. So it basically was another metal phone with a permanently applied plastic case. The plastic didn’t protect the phone, the steel did. Every little deformation of a lithium-ion battery and it might explode in your hand.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,271
23,954
Wales, United Kingdom
Riot police don’t have to protect fragile microelectronics just a tenth of a millimeter behind the shield. Their shields can flex several centimeters in both directions without destroying the policeman.

Durable plastic phones from Nokia had a lot of air between the outer plastic case and the inner plastic structure which held the electronics and the battery had its own plastic enclosure. iPhones are build differently. There is no room for flexibility, the backside needs to stay sturdy until it breaks.

The iPhone 5C had an inner steel frame to provide structural support. So it basically was another metal phone with a permanently applied plastic case. The plastic didn’t protect the phone, the steel did. Every little deformation of a lithium-ion battery and it might explode in your hand.

All modern phones have metal frames whether they have a mix of plastic or not, that’s never been up for debate nor is it likely to change. The same with glass backed phones, the glass doesn’t protect your phone either but unlike plastic it will shatter with a drop.
 
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EssModelsRule

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2017
312
228
A 2008 article about the iPhone 3G cracking is, well, outdated. Does that have to be said?? I don’t give a damn what material(s) they use, just make a phone that is smaller, lighter and cheaper than any new iPhone today and it will sell.
 
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44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
A 2008 article about the iPhone 3G cracking is, well, outdated. Does that have to be said?? I don’t give a damn what material(s) they use, just make a phone that is smaller, lighter and cheaper than any new iPhone today and it will sell.

Smaller, lighter and cheaper’ really isn’t in Apples vocabulary. Especially if you have been paying attention to the rising cost of smart phones, including the Apple Watch, iPad, they have become larger and more expensive, Apple really doesn’t share your thought pattern with those three ingredients I mentioned at the top of my post. I don’t disagree I would like to see more diversity, but Apple doesn’t conform to how everyone envisions the iPhone either.
 
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EssModelsRule

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2017
312
228
Smaller, lighter and cheaper’ really isn’t in Apples vocabulary. Especially if you have been paying attention to the rising cost of smart phones, including the Apple Watch, iPad, they have become larger and more expensive, Apple really doesn’t share your thought pattern with those three ingredients I mentioned at the top of my post. I don’t disagree I would like to see more diversity, but Apple doesn’t conform to how everyone envisions the iPhone either.
Apple is growing its service business and they need a fresh but basic gateway phone to get more people in the door. The old 7 and 8 fill that role now, but they won’t last forever and the current $1000+ phones will never get to $500 or less from Apple so the old $100 price cut on last year’s model strategy won’t work. We’ve already seen that with the X. It’ll be interesting to see how the lineup evolves.
 
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