By now, you may have read several reviews of Apple's latest iPhone model. One of the biggest talking points about iPhone 4 is the material used for the glass panel. Apple has noted that the screen is made of aluminosilicate glass, which is the same type of material used in the windshields of helicopters and high speed trains.
These panels are said to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, which makes the glass virtually unbreakable and scratch-proof.
However, folks at iPhone repair services company iFixyouri, differ in their assessment. The firm claims to have received their first set of iPhone 4 replacement parts recently and note from a preliminary test that the iPhone 4 glass panel may not be as strong as one may have thought.
For the test, iFixyouri studied the response of the aluminosilicate glass to shock and sudden impact. This was done by dropping an assembled iPhone 4 unit (without the internal circuitry elements) from a height of 3.5 feet on a flat, concrete floor. The firm notes that the glass on iPhone 4 cracked in just three such flat drops. A second trial on a softer carpet floor got the screen cracked by the seventh drop.
It may be noted that the iPhone 4 unit used for the test did not contain the internal components. It is hence likely that the relatively hollow nature of the unit may have accelerated the damage caused. iFixyouri however blames the vulnerability on a flaw in the design of iPhone 4 rather than the glass material itself. The firm notes that the glass panel on iPhone 4 "sits" on top of the aluminium frame, which makes it much more vulnerable to accidental drops. In comparison, the glass on iPhone 3GS is recessed and protected by a chrome bezel, which helps to better overcome the impact from a fall.
It is not clear whether the aluminosilicate glass panel on iPhone 4 is a better alternative than the Gorilla Glass technology used on rival devices like Motorola Droid. Until a comprehensive study on the same is conducted, we will have to take the results from this study with a grain of salt. It's also possible that the iPhone 4 replacement parts that iFixyouri received is fake.
It's also hard to believe that Apple who has been working on the iPhone 4 for the last 2 years, wouldn't have carried out even more extensive tests to find out the durability of the material used in the iPhone screen before making those claims.
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[via VentureBeat]
My 4G display cracked while I was sitting on the couch playing a game. I've had it about two weeks. I wonder if it's the heat. The display had been on a little while I walked the dog and was warm to the touch when I picked it up off the table it had been sitting on.
After two weeks of owning my iPhone 4 I sprained my ankle dropped my phone at the same time shattered the back side. When I took it back to apple they replaced it to my surprise. Then not two weeks later 4ft fall broke the new one this time the front! Called apple to complain obviously this glass is horribly fragile, but no luck. I want my 3GS back I hate feeling nervous every time I use my phone. Btw had my 3GS for a year dropped it plenty and it never broke (although it did have a big rubber case and screen protector). This is yet another design flaw.
Dropped my iPhone 4 yesterday from about 3.5 feet, with the bumpers on, and the glass front shattered. Very very fragile, since I dropped my 3GS several times, and no problem… Grr.
"Think Different" about buying the iPhone 4
http://www.ripoffreport.com/computer-manufaturers/apple-inc/apple-inc-apple-iphone-4-is-25b52.htm
i dropped mine when i got out of my car the other day, I had the blue bumper on it…it even landed on the back side and only cracked the front. VERY disappointed in apple! and they want $199 to fix it???
I just dropped my iPhone 4 today..it wasn't on a concrete floor..and it broke..
I was in the gym yesterday using a ground level locked, I pulled my shirt and accidentally pulled the iphone out of the locker onto the floor, probably a 5 inch drop and it put a big crack across the face from where the minus button is right to the other side of the home button.
This seems to be a manufacturing fault to me surely ! Going to book an appointment with Apple to discuss, my first iphone, I love it but if I knew it was going to do that I wouldn't have bought one, Standard !
I just managed to crack the back of my iPhone 4 screen. So much for a new tougher screen. This one seems more fragile!
Another broken phone here. 1 day old. Was just getting out of a car. About a 2ft drop. I was about to joke about my "daily Iphone drop", 'cause I dropped my 3g about a million times with no damage, when to my horror I picked it up an the screen was shattered. I went to an Apple store and got no love from them; just "I'm sorry, that'll be 200 bucks to fix"
get better Jason I love you!!!!!?