We previously covered Apple's iPhone 4 issues with its antenna - see Apple iPhone Grip of Death and Apple blames it on the formula - but could a new iIssue be hoving into view?The techno-blogosphere (see Coated.com and Engadget, for example) is highlighting the apparent fragility of the new iPhone's back panel when used with slide on protective covers. It seems the glass is are susceptible to repeated friction with small pieces of debris that may be introduced between the case and the phone.
Engadget explains:
The basic problem seems to be with non-bumper cases, specifically ones that slide on to the phone, and the danger of trapped particles scratching the back of the phone while taking the case on and off. Case-caused scratches are nothing new (though still annoying), but the big problem seems to be that these scratches can lead to cracking and even full-on shattering of the back panel.
What triggered the coverage was a post by Ryan Block on his gdgt blog. He highlights what he sees as a potential issue:
According to Engadget, it has lead Apple to "severely limit its reselling efforts of third party cases for a time".
Here is how Apple highlights the "Engineered Glass" used on the iPhone 4:
According to my sources both inside and outside Apple, after Antennagate the iPhone engineering team identified another potential design flaw that appears to have sent them into lockdown, and has them working behind the scenes in what's been described to me as something of a quiet panic to preempt any further tarnishing the iPhone brand. Apple has apparently found that non-bumper style cases -- specifically those that slide onto the iPhone 4, which are occasionally prone to particulate matter getting caught between the rear of the phone and the case -- can cause unexpected scratching that could quickly develop into full-on cracking or even much larger fracturing of the entire rear pane of glass. To put it another way: Apple is afraid you might buy a standard slide-on iPhone case, put it on your phone, and then discover the next time you take it off that the entire back of your device has been shattered by no fault of your own.You can also read his follow-up thoughts, which highlight the polls of both Engadget and CultOfMac and their indication that there might indeed already be a sizable issue...
According to Engadget, it has lead Apple to "severely limit its reselling efforts of third party cases for a time".
Here is how Apple highlights the "Engineered Glass" used on the iPhone 4:
All the breakthrough technology in iPhone 4 is situated between two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass -- the same type of glass used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains. Chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, the glass is ultradurable and more scratch resistant than ever. It's also recyclable.Have you had any experience of a shattering iPhone 4? Let us know.
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