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Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

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Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#31

Post by sokoloff »

balderdash wrote: post #14

I’ve had two iPhones without cases for 10+ years I’ve cracked a screen twice, doesn’t exactly seem like a pressing issue

Similar. Been no case since the iPhone 6. I have no idea how, but I’ve only broken one screen and across our family of four (kids only starting with iPhone X, others preferring cases), we’ve broken 2 iPhone screens and one iPod screen in that time. One iPhone screen was a flex-based breakage where the screen developed a defect while the glass was intact. For all I know, plastic screens might be more subject to that failure.

Each screen replacement cost me around $75 to replace DIY.

In exchange, I have 4 3-6 year old phones that look and function as new. If you hold them just right you can see fine scratches in the light, but at a casual glance, they appear unblemished. That would not be the case if the cases were plastic. I also get the convenience of wireless charging (not possible in metal cases).

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#32

Post by ethbr1 »

pch00 wrote: post #22

Oh god I wish someone from Apple would read this; I only buy iPhones for the software, I couldn't care less what the case looks like and would take rugged over fancy any day. My favourite ever iphone was the plastic-bodied 5C, never felt the need for a case on that thing and it felt indestructible.

The all-metal iPod case was a masterpiece of ruggedness.

I remember seeing friends' that were dinged to hell, but still worked perfectly fine.

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#35

Post by deepsummer »

It always bothered me that manufacturers use an expensive design just for the users to hide it in a case. Almost 20 years ago there were phones with exchangable bodies. That was ideal, and I wish Apple would offer something like that. An alternative could be a plastic screen on the phone, as many people are using tempered-glass protectors anyway. One you have a glass protector, it shouldn't make any difference whether the phone uses glass or plastic on its screen.

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#36

Post by CalRobert »

JacobSeated wrote: post #9

I never ever smashed my phone. Why would I wanna do it? How/why can people be so clumsy? I think it is a symptom of having too much money.

I never did either until phones got too damn big. I also started dropping them after I had kids.

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#37

Post by ethbr1 »

josebama wrote: post #2

My shiny new Pixel 8 just fell off a table after 1 hour that I left it there. It didn't vibrate and I didn't move the table or anything like that. Glass phones are so slippery that they take a life of their own when placed on a flat, smooth surface. I miss plastic phones.

This is the biggest concern for glass phones.

The coefficient of friction of gorilla glass seems negative at times, especially as so many other surfaces we're around are textureless.

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#39

Post by closewith »

lillecarl wrote: post #30
closewith wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conversely, I always use Apple's iPhone case and have broken ~2 iPhone 15 Pros and four iPhone 14 Pros, so I would very much appreciate a more durable phone.

Check out Otterbox cases, they're made for us clumsy people. They turn a drop from "hope it didn't break" to "oops"

I actually used their cases for year until the iPhone 13, when the back glass cracked on day one in their case. Now I just rely on the Apple plastic case for grip and AppleCare for protection.

Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones

#40

Post by aulin »

JacobSeated wrote: post #9

I never ever smashed my phone. Why would I wanna do it? How/why can people be so clumsy? I think it is a symptom of having too much money.

Latest glass screen I've broken I did it while sleeping... fell asleep while reading reddit, woke up with the sound of the phone hitting ground. And that's one of the best outcomes I've had while falling asleep while using the phone. Worst ones have been sharing a link of whatever I was reading/watching to random people, liking random whatsapp statuses of people I didn't talk to since years and other similarly embarassing stuff. Maybe I should stop using a phone before bed.
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