Perhaps this is due to the touch sensor and screen on the front? Just pointing out there is a lot more going on than the glass on the front.
Could be, but the effect I'm referring to is quite a bit of diffraction (prism effect) in the reflection on the front; it sure looks like it's coming right off the glass vs. the back that reflects more like regular glass.
Thanks for the picture and sorry about the accident. Hopefully you fared better than the phone, and hopefully you can pick up a new one when they are sold in the Play store today!
I got a pretty awesome cut on my knee that needed stitches but I'm otherwise fine. Unlike the N4, I'll heal. (though also unlike the N4, I can't buy a new self) The bike's a dualsport and only took ~$50 worth of damage. I'm glad to have provided some entertainment for my fellow Android nerds, and I was able to order another one about 5 mins ago through the enter-key mashing method. I'll be in a different state by the time the replacement ships, so it was $20 cheaper thanks to the taxman.
I plan on experimenting with the already-cracked back a bit later to see what will and will not scratch it.
ETA results: every metal object in my apartment failed to scratch it--this includes keys, stainless steel knives, carbon steel knives, US, CA, and EU coins, pens, a razor blade, a steel file, etc. A piece of concrete didn't scratch it, but a stone I picked up from my crash (see above) left very shallow scratches if pressed hard. Unsurprisingly, a diamond file scratched it quite seriously as soon as it made contact.
I got the same results on the front and back--the only thing that scratched it easily was the diamond file.