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Had my iPhone 4 for 2 months. Been in an incase slider for about 1 month. Just took it off after reading this and there's no scratching at all. There was some dust in there though.

Cleaning once a month might be a good idea from now on.
 
The article should be re-titled "poor design of iPhone 4 back causes breaking when used with cases or if you sneeze lightly at it"
 
I used a bumper for the first few weeks that I had an iPhone 4. I took it off one day and noticed the steel around the edges had scratches. I got rid of the bumper and have gone "commando" ever since.

The bumper case itself has caused more damage to my phone than dropping it on concrete twice and everyday use for the past 2 months.

I was wondering if this was going to pop up. I have been using silicone "wrap around cases" ever since the second gen iPhones and never had any problems with them at all. Some even offer two or three layers of wrapping that doesn't have any sheering forces on the case at all. Works fine.
 
I used a bumper for the first few weeks that I had an iPhone 4. I took it off one day and noticed the steel around the edges had scratches. I got rid of the bumper and have gone "commando" ever since.

The bumper case itself has caused more damage to my phone than dropping it on concrete twice and everyday use for the past 2 months.

My experience exactly
 
So here's data:

Scoring and pressure are the means by which glass is cut.

Small scratches won't do it, by the way -- but edge-to-edge or interconnected scratch networks will indeed weaken the glass.

But doesn't the iPhone use and "incredibly strong" kind of plastic used on helicopters?

It's kind of sad to see a speck of dust can break this.
 
WTF is happening to the common sense in this world?

The back is glass, you KNOW that buying the phone. The case designers KNOW that. Yet you install a 3rd party case on your phone which causes scratches on a GLASS back that eventually turn into cracks... And this is a design flaw or defect with the phone? And somehow Apple is to blame?

Seriously, you people have all lost your minds.
 
I've got a screen protector on the back of my 4 and I had one of those invisible shields on my 3G/s I've seen the result of grit getting between cases and iPhone 3Gs before. Nasty great gouges. Bit of sticky vinyl on the back protects it from that though.
 
With all the "issues" that have surrounded this version (none of which have affected me, actually), I think it's safe to say that unlike the 3G and 3GS, which share identical builds, generations 4 and 5 will be quite different. I think an exterior antenna and glass black will be no more.

And if that's the case, I will not buy an iPhone 5.

I think what's happening here is that people are stupid. You are given a piece of glass, and you complain if it breaks after you drop it. Sand is crystal, crystal breaks glass. A case that causes dirt to trap between the phone and the case may break the glass, then that means that you shouldn't use the case. Without the case, it won't break, unless you drop it.

This iPhone is a jewel and you have to take special care for it. I think Apple should make NO EFFORT on it being drop resistant, but they actually do, for the people that decide not to care for their iPhones. It's like a laptop, don't complain if you drop it and it breaks, don't complain if you scratch it with your keys while carrying it somewhere. Basically, the iPhone is not a phone, it has nothing to do with a phone, it is a computer that can make calls. Don't drop your computer, nor sandwich pieces of dust between the screen and a crappy case because it can break.

I'm done.... WOW PEOPLE JUST WHIIINE!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
But doesn't the iPhone use and "incredibly strong" kind of plastic used on helicopters?

It's kind of sad to see a speck of dust can break this.
First, it's glass. Helicopter grade, very flexible, but when confined by the band and hit, its still going to shatter like glass.

Second, dust will never scratch glass. Sand or similar will scratch it.

Again, dust will not scratch glass.
 
Wow, all I can say is that apple really blew it with the IP4.
Antenna issues,
proximity issues
rear glass shattering.

The hits keep on coming.

Yet the rate of sales for the i4hone probably eclipses every other model before it, so they'll ignore it!

Warning ... i'm about to flog a dead horse, prepare ...

I mean, Steve said in that press conference that 0.55% of users bothered to call Applecare to complain about antenna issues (you know cos EVERYONE calls applecare!) So lets see, new estimates of 8 million iPhones sold this quarter ... thats only 44 thousand people by apples count? Chump change, who cares!? *sarcasm

I might boycott the iPhone and get a nokia N9 .... who am I kidding, i'll be first in line for an i5hone!
 
Apparently, the fanboys are out in full force. Is the iPhone 4 is the second coming of the the Cube? I have an iPhone 4 and love it but I'd be PISSED if my slide on case SHATTERED the glass back.

No one is buying the phone just because it has or does not have glass components. We are buying it because we are upgrading to the "latest and greatest" iPhone. Don't blame the user for poor design and material choices made by Apple engineering and Jobs' insane adherence to form over function.

WTF is happening to the common sense in this world?

The back is glass, you KNOW that buying the phone. The case designers KNOW that. Yet you install a 3rd party case on your phone which causes scratches on a GLASS back that eventually turn into cracks... And this is a design flaw or defect with the phone? And somehow Apple is to blame?

Seriously, you people have all lost your minds.
 
Basically, the iPhone is not a phone, it has nothing to do with a phone, it is a computer that can make calls.

:rolleyes:

The iPhone is nothing like a computer. I take my iPhone everywhere I go, and constantly move it around from my pocket to my head/desk/etc. Accidents happen, and I do hope Apple continues to make an effort in making drop resistant iPhones. I much prefer a resistant iPhone that sacrifices a little in aesthetics, than a nice looking phone which is very delicate.

First, it's glass. Helicopter grade, very flexible, but when confined by the band and hit, its still going to shatter like glass.

Second, dust will never scratch glass. Sand or similar will scratch it.

Again, dust will not scratch glass.

OK, sand. Just as common.

I'm not saying this is true, but if it is, Apple is definitely to blame. If you are making a phone made of glass, you should know this can happen, and therefore, warn consumers or alert case makers for them to take this into consideration.

We are not talking about irresponsible owners, we are talking about a very delicate aspect of the design of the iPhone.

As I said above, this is a phone. Phones need to be able to withstand certain abuse, and they should definitely withstand sand or similar.
 
this is being blown way out of proportion. does this issue actually exist? lol

Yes, my old 3GS (now refurbished thanks to a faulty mute button!) was in a plastic slider case and the back was scratched beyond belief. So the scratching with slider cases is real. Now scratched glass under pressure does tend to crack, so I'd say this story is real.
 
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