Screen is fragile, just broke the glass

[bruder]

I just dropped the Nexus from a few feet and the screen cracked. I dropped by original Droid many times and the screen isn't even scratched. The nexus has a fragile screen. Will Costco exchange it?

 

[stenzor]

Sad to hear. RIP

 

[Tim K]

All it takes is the right impact and anything will break. Droids, iPhones, anything. In particular, corner hits are the most likely to break the glass. Sorry to hear about your phone.

 

[jamisont]

its harder to break GNex screen (or other nexus series since its curved screen) than droids or anyother phone u can think of since its CURVED.
Gorilla glass are scratch resistance, not against shocks, so it doesnt matter wether its fortified glass or GG when it comes to shock.

blame ur bad luck, and i doubt they'll exchange it since it was ur fault to break the phone unless u have an insurance (i hope u have it)

 

[dgold82]

I'm not so sure it's bad luck. My wife just cracked hers this week with a Silicon case from Verizon. This is her third Android phone and the first to get cracked. And she has only had her phone for a month! Not to mention some of the fine scratches we both already put on ours.

It's definitely not as strong as our previous Incredible or Droid 2 glass. XO skins (which we never had to use) are on the way as I type. Still love the phone and don't regret buying it but they could have used better glass.

 

[vasilator]

I'm not so sure it's bad luck. My wife just cracked hers this week with a Silicon case from Verizon. This is her third Android phone and the first to get cracked. And she has only had her phone for a month! Not to mention some of the fine scratches we both already put on ours.

It's definitely not as strong as our previous Incredible or Droid 2 glass. XO skins (which we never had to use) are on the way as I type. Still love the phone and don't regret buying it but they could have used better glass.

While I do agree bad luck plays a part in this, it does definitely appear that the glass on this phone is not as good as the phones you mentioned. I dropped my DINC many times naked (even on concrete) and it never cracked.

When something cracks with a silicone case on it there is a little cause for concern IMO. That shouldn't happen unless it hits a corner IMO. I loathe the otterbox but can understand why some people use it for this phone in particular (just like the I-phone).

 

[dgold82]

While I do agree bad luck plays a part in this, it does definitely appear that the glass on this phone is not as good as the phones you mentioned. I dropped my DINC many times naked (even on concrete) and it never cracked.

When something cracks with a silicone case on it there is a little cause for concern IMO. That shouldn't happen unless it hits a corner IMO. I loathe the otterbox but can understand why some people use it for this phone in particular (just like the I-phone).

It was the corner on her Gnex. But still...with a Silicon case and she doesn't even remember dropping it? We both remember some of our major drops in the past (very traumatic experiences with pieces flying everywhere) and they just scratched the plastic without really even scratching our screens. Maybe some tiny hair scratches. Oh well, we're OK and I'm looking forward to the screen protectors.

In 18-24 months when we upgrade again I hope to have some of this protecting our new Super(duper)Amoled+HDExtreme screens: Corning and Samsung to marry Lotus Glass with OLED displays in new joint venture | The Verge

 

[tdub88]

A silicon case will do very little to protect a phone from a drop. Especially if it lands on a corner - there absolutely no structural reinforcement from a silicon case.

 

[dhworph]

Sorry yours broke, hopefully you find a minimally painful way to replace it... maybe consider an otterbox (I don't have one, but still think about getting it) and insurance (I def'ly have that).

These devices are not made to be drop resistant, they are made to be easily replaceable... (my belief)

Maybe the screen isn't as strong as claimed, without in depth research it's hard to tell... either way, treat it like its a fragile object...

 

[BubbaNexus]

The screen is not fragile, it cracks because its only surrounded by a thin strip of plastic, unlike moto phones. Thats why you should put a good case on it.

 

[vinny.minso]

Mines taken some pretty gnarly falls and is still running strong, no scratches and certainly no cracks. Sounds like bad luck man sorry to hear it

 

[Tim K]

Gorilla glass are scratch resistance, not against shocks, so it doesnt matter wether its fortified glass or GG when it comes to shock.

Actually, that's not correct. Gorilla Glass is not primarily scratch resistant, it is designed for strength - to resist breakage. That is its primary feature.

It also happens to be more scratch resistant - though the newest version of GG is supposed to be more scratch resistant than the first.

 

[AntimonyER]

The screen is not fragile, it cracks because its only surrounded by a thin strip of plastic, unlike moto phones. Thats why you should put a good case on it.

This. Small bezel = less material to absorb energy prior to it hitting the glass.

 

[Crashumbc]

ALSO keep in mind this is a draw back of a LARGE screen...


the bigger the screen the easier it crack from drops. That's just the way physics works...

 

[SharpBarb]

A silicon case will do very little to protect a phone from a drop. Especially if it lands on a corner - there absolutely no structural reinforcement from a silicon case.

I'd like to hear other people's opinions on this. I never expected my thin silicon case to provide much protection. But I like to believe a mm of silicon will provide some protection.

 

[stenzor]

It will provide very minimal protection. Silicone is soft and squishy so (i'm assuming) upon impact it will "move out of the way". Try something like a TPU case which is more rigid yet still flexible.

 

[ThEoRy36O]

That's terrible man sorry to hear that.

What we all have to remember though is that there is glass in your phone. Glass. I don't care who makes it, I don't care what phone it's in, it's just glass. Not diamond. Glass.

Hope I'm not coming off the wrong way, I do realize how that may read but it's not intended to be offensive. Just a stern reminder.

Regards,

 

[zerocool79346]

Actually, that's not correct. Gorilla Glass is not primarily scratch resistant, it is designed for strength - to resist breakage. That is its primary feature.

It also happens to be more scratch resistant - though the newest version of GG is supposed to be more scratch resistant than the first.

Wrong. All reinforced glass, be it in your home or on your phone, is shatter prone because of the way the molecular structure is changed.

 

[ExDementia]

Just a pet peeve of mine:

Any glass screen is going to shatter into a million pieces if you drop it right. My mom bought the same Droid as me after she saw mine and two weeks later calls me up saying the phone is a piece of junk.

"This phone is brand new and I barely dropped it and the screen shatters into pieces! You should return yours before it cracks in your pocket!" I didn't even try to explain what Gorilla Glass was.

It doesn't matter how new or expensive the device is. A glass screen is going to shatter if you drop it on it's corner. My Droid's screen still doesn't have a scratch on it and neither does my Nexus'. It's all about how you take care of it, and in a lot of cases, luck.

Just because yours broke doesn't necessarily mean "the nexus has a fragile screen."

 

[jamisont]

Actually, that's not correct. Gorilla Glass is not primarily scratch resistant, it is designed for strength - to resist breakage. That is its primary feature.

It also happens to be more scratch resistant - though the newest version of GG is supposed to be more scratch resistant than the first.

you are talking about different shock.
dropping phone is more like lateral shock, and all those shock test gorilla glass and dragontrail are doing is shock right on surface of glass.
like this one
Dell Streak's Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video) -- Engadget

stress on surface of glass spread out quite evenly so it doesnt break the glasls that easily (like pressing with pen, or tapping with objects) but shock from sideway (like dropping phone), shock spread out unevenly so it causes crack rather easily.
u can find bunch of thread saying dropping phone causes crack on phone with gorilla glass.

gorilla glass might resist against lateral shock than regular soda limes but different wouldnt be that big IMO, it has more to do with phone structure against shock from sideway than type of glass.

 

[Tim K]

Wrong. All reinforced glass, be it in your home or on your phone, is shatter prone because of the way the molecular structure is changed.

I think you are talking about different glass altogether. Gorilla Glass and other "fortified glasses" are different than what you are calling reinforced glass. Regular Tempered (aka safety glass) is heat treated to break into small pieces rather than shatter into large, sharp, dangerous shards but it is also stronger. This is what your side windows are made of in your car, and why your car is such a mess after a break-in. Lots of tiny little glass squares everywhere.

There is also laminated glass which consists of multiple panes of glass adhered to a thin plastic membrane between them. This gives the glass strength and also holds it together in the case of breakage. You front windshield is made of laminated and tempered glass.....which is why when they get smashed they stay in one big piece.

Gorilla Glass and other 'fortified glass' is produced in such a way as to strengthen it against breakage.... hence its 'fortified'. I don't know if the gorilla process qualifies as "tempering" b/c I don't know enough about it. These glasses may be laminated as well, but that is separate from the "gorilla-fying process".

 

[Tim K]

you are talking about different shock.
dropping phone is more like lateral shock, and all those shock test gorilla glass and dragontrail are doing is shock right on surface of glass.
like this one
Dell Streak's Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video) -- Engadget

stress on surface of glass spread out quite evenly so it doesnt break the glasls that easily (like pressing with pen, or tapping with objects) but shock from sideway (like dropping phone), shock spread out unevenly so it causes crack rather easily.
u can find bunch of thread saying dropping phone causes crack on phone with gorilla glass.

gorilla glass might resist against lateral shock than regular soda limes but different wouldnt be that big IMO, it has more to do with phone structure against shock from sideway than type of glass.

I'm pretty sure that's what I said in my first post.... that any phone dropped on its edge (corner especially) will be more likely to break, Gorilla glass or not.

I also agree that the lack of a screen surround means an edge drop puts all the force on the glass....whereas other phones where there is more material framing the glass, may be more likely to survive.

 

[s.m.knipe]

Gorilla Glass and other 'fortified glass' is produced in such a way as to strengthen it against breakage.... hence its 'fortified'. I don't know if the gorilla process qualifies as "tempering" b/c I don't know enough about it. These glasses may be laminated as well, but that is separate from the "gorilla-fying process".

From what I understand this process is basically a cycling of annealing for uniformity, then tempering and adding the hardener (cobalt or whatever they use for it), then re-annealing and re-tempering for consistency. It is like hardening steel I believe, except they have to actually "melt" a tiny bit of the silica to mix in the hardener and create a harder surface. I think the "lotus" glass is the small-scale answer to laminated glass, but I could be wrong...

 

[truelove79]

This is why you get insurance. it's like $6 per month and totally worth it.

 

[zeroG]

This is why you get insurance. it's like $6 per month and totally worth it.

That's highly debatable. If someone breaks their phone every 3 months then yeah sure. However for many of us that have never broken their phones, or only broken their phones 1 time during a contract, phone insurance is not cost efficient and is a rip-off in the long run.