Cracked Screen - Defective, not dropped.

**friguy3#AC** · 07-21-2012, 09:27 PM

So here is the story...my wife just got the S3 and she calls me the other day...there is a scratch across her screen! I thought how in the hell? She hasnt even gone out being we just had a baby. So i get home, its a crack, not a scratch. There is a very fine crack in the middle of the screen (see pic). You cannot feel it with your finger but with your fingernail you can kind of put a little pressure and then feel the lip of the 2 sides. So I googled and whow...Im not the only one. So i call verizon, this is obviously a defect in the S3. Verizon transfers me to samsung. Samsung wants me to pay $200 to send it to them so they can tell me whats wrong and fix it. they first tried to get me to do a hard reset which I thought was kind of funny. She said they do that on all trouble shooting. I told her this isnt trouble shooting, its a cracked screen! She would not tell me if they had any other calls on this only saying, its $200 for us to look at it, please send it back. (I also asked her while they have my phone for a few weeks would she return my calls and texts and in a serious answer, she said they are not permitted to do that.) I told them um no and just went into the verizon store. She had never seen it (nobody in the store had) but she returned it and gave me a new one. So...anyone else have the crack? Check your screens...its VERY VERY thin. It looks like a hair is on your screen at first.

**nelonez** · 07-22-2012, 02:17 AM

thats looks a scratch to me.... but then again it could be a defect in the lcd that makes it look like that..... glad you got it taken care of.....

**Mark_C** · 07-22-2012, 09:59 AM

looks and sounds like a scratch to me.

Glass very rarely cracks in the middle, the crack normally extends to the edge.

I'd say your wife scratched it accidentally and didn't realise she had done so, several other owners have done so.

**jcp007** · 07-22-2012, 10:10 AM

No issues since June 21st. It looks as if there is no screen protector. It sounds as if a Zagg HD screen protector would work. If either of you are rough on phones, get the OB Defender. Having a new baby can lead to drops and being in contact with rough surfaces. GG2 makes the screen more scratch resistent not invulnerable.

Sent From My Samsung Galaxy S3 Handheld Device

**ibcop** · 07-22-2012, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by jcp006

It sounds as if a Zagg HD screen protector would work.

For god sake, don't get a Zagg.....unless you want orange peel on your screen.

OP, thankfully you got it taken care of quickly, but I do agree with the others - looks like a scratch to me.

**didiwags** · 07-22-2012, 12:41 PM

I agree looks like a scratch to me!

**jcp007** · 07-22-2012, 12:42 PM

Point taken. They can be bothersome after a while. You can only shout at the wind for a rugged case when some are wanting to protect the phone with the least amount of protection possible even though commando looks the best. The Defender screen protector is built-in and not adhesive and the case itself would stand up to the demands of younger and older parents alike.

**spazoid86** · 07-25-2012, 11:51 AM

A simple google search would show this is a known problem that Samsung denies knowing and Samsung doesn't care to fix, they would rather charge people for fixes. The phone suddenly will appear with hairline cracks in the casing, and screen. It kinda looks like a scratch but I would put money on it being a crack

**Roboticz** · 07-25-2012, 12:54 PM

It's some sort of Samsung conspiracy eh?

**taekcool** · 08-16-2012, 12:24 PM

Same here. My girlfriend's Galaxy S3 cracked horizontally across the screen with NO REASON This happened after around 10 days of use. She babied this so much that she didn't even let me play with it and I was with her when this happened. I did see the screen was fine about an hour ago and then we suddenly found this crack when she was watching Youtube/Texting. The only thing I can think of right now is the Heat causing some tensile/compressible force on the glass by the things surrounding it, lcd, casing, name it. We are planning to go to AT&T tonight and they'd better refund us if not this will go viral in the internet and I will make sure it costs them.

**thirsy1258** · 08-16-2012, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by taekcool

Same here. My girlfriend's Galaxy S3 cracked horizontally across the screen with NO REASON This happened after around 10 days of use. She babied this so much that she didn't even let me play with it and I was with her when this happened. I did see the screen was fine about an hour ago and then we suddenly found this crack when she was watching Youtube/Texting. The only thing I can think of right now is the Heat causing some tensile/compressible force on the glass by the things surrounding it, lcd, casing, name it. We are planning to go to AT&T tonight and they'd better refund us if not this will go viral in the internet and I will make sure it costs them.

Lol billion dollar company vs one man in Internet. Mine also shows a small hairline crack/scratch never dropped never abused in case with a good lip dunno what I'll do

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

**Roboticz** · 08-16-2012, 02:49 PM

I sitll don't understand how screens just crack on their own. Because of these threads I keep looking at my screen at funny angles to try and see if there's a scratch. Luckily I haven't found any.

**funkylogik** · 08-16-2012, 03:03 PM

has anyone seen someone with an international report unexplained scratches/cracks?

**sectas** · 08-20-2012, 05:25 PM

Hello. My phone screen cracked last night while it was lying on my bed and I went upstairs to retrieve my charger. When I picked it up to send a text, I noticed the fine crack that extends from the left to the right down. I am currently on hold at the Samsung Support Line (Richardson, Texas) and am waiting to talk to a higher manager.

More on this later.

**funkylogik** · 08-20-2012, 05:29 PM

wow thats not good mate. good luck with samsung

**friguy3#AC** · 08-20-2012, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by sectas

Hello. My phone screen cracked last night while it was lying on my bed and I went upstairs to retrieve my charger. When I picked it up to send a text, I noticed the fine crack that extends from the left to the right down. I am currently on hold at the Samsung Support Line (Richardson, Texas) and am waiting to talk to a higher manager.

More on this later.

for me samsung was usless. They said I could pay $200 to have them "look" at it and let me know how much it was to fix. Oh geez thanks. Went to verizon and they swapped it out

**sectas** · 08-20-2012, 06:41 PM

So here's my update: After I spent roughly 2 hours on the phone, speaking with the third customer representative (supposedly executive level), the person on the phone told me that I could ship it in to have a technician look at it. However, since this is physical damage, it is unlikely that it is covered by the warranty unless the technician comes to the conclusion it is a manufacturers defect. If I get an e-mail saying it's not covered, I will request it sent to me back without repair.

In my opinion, the crack alone is too clean, too small to be caused by either a drop or impact by a foreign object. Additionally, sitting on it would also apply immense pressure onto the LCD screen below, probably damaging that one as well. Both people I talked to at T-Mobile agree with me.

The guy on the phone took all my info, noted the history and how everything occured and sent me an email with the shipping info. Let's hope for the best.

**funkylogik** · 08-20-2012, 07:40 PM

yeah im hoping for the best for you but if u think of it from samsungs point of view, if they replace that screen for you, everyone who broke their screen would expect a replacement. i know it wasnt your fault but they dont know that.
i feel your pain man

**ansextra** · 08-20-2012, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by taekcool

Same here. My girlfriend's Galaxy S3 cracked horizontally across the screen with NO REASON This happened after around 10 days of use. She babied this so much that she didn't even let me play with it and I was with her when this happened. I did see the screen was fine about an hour ago and then we suddenly found this crack when she was watching Youtube/Texting. The only thing I can think of right now is the Heat causing some tensile/compressible force on the glass by the things surrounding it, lcd, casing, name it. We are planning to go to AT&T tonight and they'd better refund us if not this will go viral in the internet and I will make sure it costs them.

Are you still at ATT after 4 days?

**funkylogik** · 08-20-2012, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by ansextra

Are you still at ATT after 4 days?

theyve done an "occupy wall street" on at&t

**Almeuit** · 08-20-2012, 08:58 PM

I have never heard of any smartphone screen cracking for no reason... Such as sitting on a bed and it just somehow cracks on its own.

Just hard to believe for me.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

**sectas** · 08-20-2012, 09:39 PM

Same here and I understand your doubts. I have been using the phone all day and would have noticed such a change immediately. What I assume, is that the outer casing exhorts permanent pressure onto the glass, causing this crack. There are other users out there, experiencing the exact same issue. If Samsung does not cover this, I will just ask for the unrepaired cell phone to be returned. I just replaced the Digitizer on my HTC Desire Z and will be using that phone in the meantime.

**TICKEDINTX** · 08-23-2012, 08:28 PM

I had my S3 less than 24 hours and was on my way to purchase a case. While at the case store the clerk was cleaning my screen and says, "you're screen is already cracked". Yes, in the upper right had corner was a crack from the upper corner to the right side. It was very faint, hairline and I never saw it. Took it to Target where I purchased it. They said I dropped it and can't take it back because it isn't in "sellable" condition. I told them I didn't drop it and they said they didn't sell it cracked and were very indignent. Sprint says it is Target's problem. Samsung says they don't have problems with cracked screens so they won't do anything. The insurance I purchased wants $100 to fix or replace it because I dropped it...I kept repeating that I didn't drop it to no avail!! I like the phone, but sure don't like the glass!! No checking to see if my credit card will replace it or stop payment on the payment to Target. Now I am just plain ticked.

**Almeuit** · 08-23-2012, 09:09 PM

I dunno .. id have to see a ton more reports of random cracked screens to believe.

**oldAGE** · 08-25-2012, 02:24 PM

Add another one... Cracked from the lower right hand corner of the earpiece where it protrudes from the glass down on an angle to the mid-point on the right hand side. Not a nick on the phone. No drop, no bounce... not there one hour and there the next with normal handling and never in a pocket.

It will be interesting to see what another 6 months of this phone on the market indicates. We need a "screen cracked" sticky thread. Yeah, if you bounce it, then that's the way it goes but there are plenty out here without cause.

AGE