
Ask HN: When did iPhones become so weak? - Nib
Today has been extremely stressing and weird.
But keep that aside, one of the most saddening events happened tonight, my iPhone 6S that I purchased not even 2 weeks back had it&#x27;s screen shattered, and I mean, like, shattered.<p>The entire bottom half is gone(<i>sigh</i>) and I have no idea what to do. I purchased it in the US, and have come back to India now, so this makes the situation even worse. I have totally no idea what to do, the drop wasn&#x27;t even 3-4 feet. My previous iPhone 5 survived a 10 foot drop with minor scratches, and a little bit of a crack. I do NOT have Applecare, I never thought I needed it. :(<p>It really saddens one&#x27;s heart to have their phone screen broken. This isn&#x27;t an anti Apple, or spam thread, I&#x27;m just wondering what the alternatives are here? Should I shift to Android or something else now that these have become so poorly built?
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jlgaddis
I had a _bad_ motorcycle wreck a couple years ago. I was hit head-on and got
to experience the joy of flight momentarily before landing on my back and ass
in the road. At the time, my iPhone (4) was in my back left pocket, protected
by a heavy duty Otterbox "Defender" protective case. While several of my bones
were -- to borrow your term -- "shattered", the iPhone (and case) survived my
landing on it (with some speed and force, I might add) just fine. A nurse in
the E.R. used it to call my girlfriend and I continued to use it until I
bought a 6s when they just recently came out.

On that note, the _first_ thing I did with that 6s was to secure it inside a
new Otterbox Defender. They're certainly not the cheapest cases you can buy
but they're cheaper than a new iPhone and, to me at least, they're worth every
penny.

If it's just the screen and the phone still actually functions, you can get it
replaced. That won't be real cheap, either, but it'll be cheaper than a new
phone.

I'm sorry that happened to you, it really does ruin your day when that
happens.

------
ceejayoz
Both Apple and third parties will replace your screen for $100ish. Get a case
next time. It has nothing to do with it being "poorly built" \- glass is
breakable. It happens.

The 6S isn't likely to be weaker than a 5 (if anything, they improve the
strength with pretty much every iteration). How it lands matters a lot more.
Hell, I just broke my toe slipping on one step while some people fall down an
entire mountainside and get a few scratches.

~~~
Nib
I get that, but my 5 survived a crash, and this didn't even come close, there
was a pretty normal landing I would say, but it just shattered. Totally
unexpected for it to do so..

~~~
ceejayoz
So? Sometimes you get lucky, other times you don't. A single set of anecdotes
isn't any evidence of any sort of widespread difference between the two device
classes.

------
joshschreuder
As anecdotal evidence, I have had an iPhone since the first model (then 3GS,
then 4, then 5) and had never broken the screen (have had many decent drops
too).

I have dropped my 6 a couple of times now and cracked the screen both times,
from heights that my previous phones would sneeze at. This suggests to me that
the current models are more susceptible to smashing.

------
Zigurd
Apart from a couple models of Android phones, one from Moto, one from LG IIRC,
that claim to be especially rugged, all phones from top quality OEMs will be
about the same. They use the same glass, touch sensors, and displays. iPhones
have an advantage in the US because there are a limited number of models and
they have a large market share, so repair services are widely available.

Apple almost went to sapphire crystal for screens. But it was unclear how much
that would help, compared with the cost and complication of making that much
sapphire.

------
gvb
The iPhone6 reportedly is more susceptible to bending. That indicates less
rigidity and less rigidity would lead imply more susceptibility to screen
breakage.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_6#Technical_problems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_6#Technical_problems)

------
hitsurume
Most accident prone people I know get heavy duty cases for their phones. Other
then that read reviews online before making an investment on your next phone
or you can try to mail in your phone to get it repaired via third party.

~~~
Nib
It did have a case. And everyone in the world can have this crash, I mean it
wasn't even 4 feet. Totally rekt. I feel my specific piece was flawed, it's
impossible for it to break at such low heights, any idea how to get it checked
in any manner by an Apple guy or someone?

