Have you cracked your Nexus 4 yet?

[fernandezhjr]

Have owned this phone since about March or so. I previously had an iPhone 5 and I sold it. Why? Because I couldn't justify having a $600 phone when a $350 phone could accomplish just as much, unlocked. So I bought a Nexus 4 and sold my iPhone 5. Biggest mistake of my life.

I love this phone, I really do. It's the perfect phone for me in terms of power and performance. But seriously, what were they thinking? I love all the egotistical selfish people who spout out about how if you drop a phone and it breaks, you deserve it. Really? Get over yourself. As an engineer, I say that when you design a product, you have to think about the durability in the circumstance that it will be used. HTC, Samsung and hell, even Apple have considered this.

A cell phone is something you carry around. You hold it in your hands. You use it to take pictures. You use it to play games. It's constantly moved around and there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of opportunities where you can drop it throughout the day. I've owned, and dropped: HTC Thunderbolt, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, HTC Rezound, HTC One (2012 edition), Galaxy S3, HTC Evo 4G, iPhone, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, HTC Sensation. None of the phones had a serious problem with glass breaking. My original iPhone didn't crack until I dropped it face first on my classroom tile floor from 6 feet in the air. And even then, the screen worked perfectly! I'm not saying I'm a clumsy guy, but why design a phone that has to be cradled around like it's a baby? That's POOR design.

I dropped my Nexus 4 from 6 inches above the ground. It slipped out of my sweater pocket. Front is ruined and bottom right corner is unresponsive. Really? I had a Rearth Ringke Slim White case and an anti-glare screen protector on it. Didn't help. From that short of a fall? This is a SERIOUS problem to have. If LG charges $140 to replace it, I will have a nearly $500 phone. Why did I even sell the iPhone?

Seriously, how does a phone slip out of a sweater pocket only six inches from the ground??? Where you horsing around with someone? I have seen many iPhones cracked in this manner, especially the 4/4S because it has a glass front and back like this phone. My nephew had an iPhone 4 and was horsing around with my son and the back glass cracked while it was still in his pocket. I accidentally pulled my N4 off a table on to a concrete floor with only the oem bumper and it didn't crack. How it lands plays a big part, but considering you had some protection on it, cracking from a six inch drop would seem to be the exception.

 

[juxtapilot]

Well... It happened to me this morning. I didn't drop it, just had it in my pocket and sat down in my car. When I pulled it out of my pocket I noticed it shattered around the speaker. I have the bumper but would highly recommend a hard case if there's a good one out there. That glass on the back was a bad idea, any pressure in the wrong spot and it will break. I've had the phone since November so I've done well with it.

 

[Captainbob767]

Well... It happened to me this morning. I didn't drop it, just had it in my pocket and sat down in my car. When I pulled it out of my pocket I noticed it shattered around the speaker. I have the bumper but would highly recommend a hard case if there's a good one out there. That glass on the back was a bad idea, any pressure in the wrong spot and it will break. I've had the phone since November so I've done well with it.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk109/juxtapilot/Photoon5-24-13at850AM_zps57502bda.jpg

Did you have in in a shirt pocket, or a pant's pocket?

 

[Captainbob767]

I have had a smart phone for about 2 years now, and just got my Nexus 4. For my last phone, a Samsung, I immediately got a Holster case that attaches to my belt, with loops in the case that the belt threads though. so it can't unclip and fall, and a rubberized case. Not a bit of damage after two years. After reading about the Nexus 4, I ordered a Diztronics TPU case and a Leather Holster the day I ordered the phone. Amazon.com: Black Horizontal Executive Textured Leatherette Holster Case with Fixed Belt Clip for LG Google Nexus 4 Android Smartphone (E960) + SumacLife TM Wisdom Courage Wristband: Cell Phones & Accessories . The only way that the phone can fall, is if I drop it while holding it in my hand, since it is almost always in the case otherwise. I also put screen protectors on the front and back. Hopefully that should be enough protection.

 

[juxtapilot]

I had it in my pant's pocket. I think when I sat down the pressure must have been too great and it cracked. That stuff is pretty nasty when it shatters... I still have a little glass in my thumb.. Ouch. I have a pretty slick fix for it though.

 

[paul-c]

I had it in my pant's pocket. I think when I sat down the pressure must have been too great and it cracked. That stuff is pretty nasty when it shatters... I still have a little glass in my thumb.. Ouch. I have a pretty slick fix for it though.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk109/juxtapilot/Photoon5-25-13at904AM_zps837483a4.jpg

Duct tape can fix anything.

Sent from my Sony Xperia P

 

[OhioG]

Quick question, will a case keep the back from cracking? i was looking at Rearth Ringke slim for the nexus 4 in particular.

 

[TheLibertarian]

Quick question, will a case keep the back from cracking? i was looking at Rearth Ringke slim for the nexus 4 in particular.

That's like asking if an airbag in your car will save your life.

Probably?

 

[OhioG]

Hahaha okay i def didnt phrase it correctly. Has anyone with a case experienced cracks in the glass. It seems as some of the stories are just the phone was in my pocket and it cracked

 

[juxtapilot]

I think it's gotta be a hard case and its gotta be strong around the speaker port. There is NOTHING supporting the class around the speaker. Get a little bad luck and it'll probably break. That's just physics.

 

[Captainbob767]

I had it in my pant's pocket. I think when I sat down the pressure must have been too great and it cracked. That stuff is pretty nasty when it shatters... I still have a little glass in my thumb.. Ouch. I have a pretty slick fix for it though.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk109/juxtapilot/Photoon5-25-13at904AM_zps837483a4.jpg

If you put a piece of glass in your pants pocket, and sit down, it will probably break too. I have never put a phone in my pants pocket.

 

[juxtapilot]

If you put a piece of glass in your pants pocket, and sit down, it will probably break too. I have never put a phone in my pants pocket.

But I don't... I put a phone in my pocket, not a piece of glass.

 

[CoMoNexus]

Quick question, will a case keep the back from cracking?

I had mine in a Poetic Slimbook, stuck it in a back pocket and later sat down. Still in perfect shape, but not something I want to risk again.

 

[TheLibertarian]

If you put a piece of glass in your pants pocket, and sit down, it will probably break too. I have never put a phone in my pants pocket.

Interesting...

I don't put glass in my pockets either. Sometimes I put my phone and wallet there, though. Sometimes even a penny, but only if I find one heads up.

 

[dossamosas]

So is there a little glass repair kit on the market? Like that windshield repair stuff?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Captainbob767]

I am using a TPU case and SGP screen protector on the back, but if I ever do crack the back glass somehow, I am going to replace the back with a plastic one that you can get on Ebay for around $40. Here is the video on how it is done. http://phandroid.com/2013/04/30/diy-nexus-4-battery-cover-replacement/

 

[DrJRA]

If you put a piece of glass in your pants pocket, and sit down, it will probably break too. I have never put a phone in my pants pocket.

Its called a mobile phone. How and where do you carry it to make it mobile for you? And if you say you have it on your belt like a 1985 beeper, then what's the point? It's not practical to hook a garage door opener to a belt.
The N4 is great! I love it. But it is flawed as a true mobile phone with thin unsupported glass. A small crack should not render it totally useless. the weak edges allow side impacts to fracture the glass too easily, even with protective cases. Sad, because I loved my N4. Still not sure if I should repair, replace or find something else.

 

[Captainbob767]

Its called a mobile phone. How and where do you carry it to make it mobile for you? And if you say you have it on your belt like a 1985 beeper, then what's the point? It's not practical to hook a garage door opener to a belt.
The N4 is great! I love it. But it is flawed as a true mobile phone with thin unsupported glass. A small crack should not render it totally useless. the weak edges allow side impacts to fracture the glass too easily, even with protective cases. Sad, because I loved my N4. Still not sure if I should repair, replace or find something else.

Been using mobile phones since the 90's, and since using smart phones, I have carried them in a holster. Easy to access, and safe. All my smart phones have been in cases, with no damage so far. What is amusing are the folks that post they they dropped their phone, and it broke, but they never mention whether or not it had a case on it. I'm betting that the vast majority of broken phones had no cases on them. As far as I am concerned, the protection the phone gets from a bumper is pretty useless.

 

[fernandezhjr]

Oh please people, phones are not designed to be sat on. Maybe you could do that back in the day, but look at them today. Large and with glass over a touch screen.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[anon(5719825)]

Three months later (almost four) and still no cracks.