Nexus 4 back shattered within 24 hours - not dropped!

[KwietStorm]

Word. Lets see the front.

 

[YoSaintLaurent]

It's called thermal downshock. It happens when the hot glass is suddenly cooled by a cold surface. It normally happened with granite countertops though so that counter had to be wet and/or super cold. I'm sure the fact that the glass on the back is thin doesn't help either.

I'm sorry that happened to your phone. I would be super pissed if that happened to mine so I can only imagine having it for 24 hours and that happening.

 

[idaute]

YoSaintLaurent,
It would sure be nice to see some of the BS and joke experts (as well a couple that seem to have extra-sensory ability in knowing when someone else is a liar, and then blatantly calling someone a liar) try to extricate themselves from the hole that they have dug for themselves.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk HD

 

[TvTechGuru]

No sudden temperature changes? I've heard that can cause that. Also the surface you put it on wasn't a big temperature difference?

 

[TypoCorrecto]

Interesting...I haven't removed the plastic from my Nexus 4 yet, still haven't put a plan on it yet either. You have me handling it now with even extra care until my cases arrive...

 

[The Hustleman]

But you miss the point. I took a "naked" N4 and placed it. You know. Not dropped. Not even slightly dropped. Placed it on a kitchen surface. And the glass shattered.

I think the useful comments on the thread (if you can find them among all the useless ones) have suggested that it could be the temperature difference that caused a defective phone to break.

As I said... I hope this is just one in a million as it would be a shame for others to have this... but if they do, then maybe they will post too and maybe something will get done about it.

I read it, just agreed that I'd keep it in a case


sent from the best smart phone (not phablet) on the worst network- the galaxy S III unfortunately on T-Mobile

 

[AFM1204]

All you people calling the OP a fraud need to chill the f*@# out. The glass that's used in these devices is chemically tempered glass. (This includes Gorilla Glass.) In order to make it stronger, a finished piece of alkali glass is bathed in molten potassium salts, so that smaller sodium ions in the glass get replaced by larger potassium ions. This places the surface of the glass under a large amount of compressive stress. Get it? It's under stress. The only reason why it doesn't break spontaeously is because the stress field is set up in equal and opposite directions. Any tiny microscopic flaw in the glass can result in propagating cracks. Also, the glass can be over tempered, resulting in too much stress, making the glass more vulnerable to this kind of thing. So the situation that the OP described is quite feasible.
[/science][/compassion]

 

[calfee20]

A long time ago at a Mercedes dealership I was trying to repair a door window. The glass would fall out of a U shaped channel. The fix was a new piece of rubber to go between the glass and steel U channel. I struggled with it for quite some time using various lubes silicone ect. I gave up and carried the window into the service managers office. While I was standing there talking about the trouble I was having the window shattered and crumbled in an instant. So I believe this could happen..

 

[zedorda]

I have never had a product bring me so much joy every single day just because I didn't buy it.

 

[codeda]

I don't have anything great to add but I do remember all the threads from when people first got their phones and said to myself " my naked phone is not going to be placed on a cold surface! " and it hasnt. I since have gotten a case but gotta be extra careful with these glass devices.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[swebb]

I have never had a product bring me so much joy every single day just because I didn't buy it.

Very helpful.

 

[AFM1204]

OP had a bad piece of glass. It didn't matter how OP treated the phone. It was going to shatter eventually.

Getting a case for a Nexus 4 is a good idea. On the other hand, I doubt that a case would have kept that piece of glass from eventually breaking.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[Greg C]

I have never had a product bring me so much joy every single day just because I didn't buy it.

And the relevancy of YOUR reply is.....

 

[thundersteele]

It broke by itself in front of your eyes? You know no one is going to believe that. I say BS.

This has been reported before, from respectable sources. Since there is no down-vote button, I hereby un-like and un-thank your post!

 

[planoman]

A piece of treated glass put under pressure and tension will eventually shatter as we see in the pics. The spider webbing looks too uniform to be from one point of impact. I have heard of this happening to car wind shield put on incorrectly and the pressure shatters them after hitting a small bump etc.

A case would not have help here but I agree the N4 is case worthy if you want to keep it intact. Just my .02 cents.

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

Pretty sad how many petty posts were made in this topic.

 

[dancing-bass]

To the OP. That sucks.

A number of years ago I worked installing custom railings on decks and patios. Some of them required tempered glass panels. We were installing some glass panels on a hot day and we lost about q out of 8 panels that day. They would spontaneously shatter, likely due to sitting in the hot sun and getting it stalled into relatively cool aluminum channels.

I'd agree with others... Either temp shock, or a manufacturer defect. I hope Google steps up and helps you out

Sent from my rotary phone

 

[FYourProblems]

Sorcery!

 

[NotJustAPhone]

Let's keep the discussion civil. If you don't care for the thread, then don't post. If you believe a post is inappropriate, then hit the report button. Thanks.

Sent from my SGSIII

 

[unopepito06]

Sorry to hear about it, but at least google is accepting a return and not shafting you. Glass is not a perfect material (far from it), it's subject to defects in craftsmanship and installation. I think you just got a bad piece of glass is all, and I would hope you don't feel "burned" by crazy random chance.

For what it's worth though, I don't think I would buy a phone with a glass back.