Study says Apple's iPhone 4 most reliable, most fragile smartphone

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 50
    I'm not particularly careful with mine... and I have had no problems or concerns with damage.



    However, I will say I am surprised at the number of iPhone 4's that I see out in the wild with no case or bumper. That just seems silly to me. While it is a good looking Tech device, and I'd prefer to have no case, that just seems stupid.
  • Reply 22 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSamplex View Post


    ***



    Try again Zeke. Those are failure rates including when someone drops the precious little device. Do you think only 1/8 of the phones brought in for service actually need service? What the heck are the other 7/8ths doing. Looking for love at the Apple store?



    Let's thank god the Apple gullibility field doesn't hold sway in important industries like aviation. Planes would be constantly falling out of the air, but there'd be plenty of excuses how it isn't really so bad, and how "our" planes crash less than "theirs".



    Hoo Hoo, you guys are awesome!



    Way to twist my words around there, bud! What I was saying is that the PERCENTAGES of claims, which is phone brought in for service, are because of defects. That means software-wise, imperfections out of the box, those kinds of things. I have no argument that the percentage of phones being brought in for service because of the glass breaking are higher than the percentage for other phones being brought in for service, but that still doesn't tell us how widespread a problem it is, since they make no mention of how many phones there are. 1/8th of what? 10? 50? 1,000,000? We don't know, so to proclaim this is a huge issue is a bit troll-ish, if you ask me.
  • Reply 23 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jrandersoniii View Post


    I'm not particularly careful with mine... and I have had no problems or concerns with damage.



    However, I will say I am surprised at the number of iPhone 4's that I see out in the wild with no case or bumper. That just seems silly to me. While it is a good looking Tech device, and I'd prefer to have no case, that just seems stupid.



    My 3G's hard plastic shell is the most durable of any phone I've ever had. I stopped using a case for it because I didn't really feel like it gave me anything I didn't already have. The new iPhone 4's being made of glass seems like a recipe for disaster to have no case, though.
  • Reply 24 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSamplex View Post


    ***



    Try again Zeke. Those are failure rates including when someone drops the precious little device. Do you think only 1/8 of the phones brought in for service actually need service? What the heck are the other 7/8ths doing. Looking for love at the Apple store?



    Let's thank god the Apple gullibility field doesn't hold sway in important industries like aviation. Planes would be constantly falling out of the air, but there'd be plenty of excuses how it isn't really so bad, and how "our" planes crash less than "theirs".



    Hoo Hoo, you guys are awesome!



    A quick search reveals this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10092377-94.html



    Even at 11.8% thats still better than the others. And I know other mobile failure rates are higher because I have had this very conversation with the people who run a well known UK mobile carrier. And if I could be bothered to entertain your trolling am sure I could get exact numbers, but I really have better things to do with my life. Bye.
  • Reply 25 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    A quick search reveals this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10092377-94.html



    Even at 11.8% thats still better than the others. And I know other mobile failure rates are higher because I have had this very conversation with the people who run a well known UK mobile carrier. And if I could be bothered to entertain your trolling am sure I could get exact numbers, but I really have better things to do with my life. Bye.



    ***



    "Still better than the others". That the best you can come up with.



    One should not define quality as a relative property if one is pursuing (or trying to purchase) excellence. It's clear that the Apple fans have a hard time admitting this.



    But I'm very happy for you that you have better things to do with your life...
  • Reply 26 of 50
    I have a 1st gen ipod touch that I've been trying to "accidentally" break for a year now...so I can get a new one. I've dropped it from 3 ft on numerous occasions onto parking lots and cement floors...nothing!!! The thing is like a tank. So I have to find a new excuse to convince the wife I need a new 64GB ipod.
  • Reply 27 of 50
    Here's my take. Most of the cost of owning a smartphone is with the two-year contract. At a minimum that's about $2000 for individuals and over $4000 for family plans. So the extra $100 or $200 one has to spend for an iPhone over the competition is in the noise level. The two-year contract is why Verizon and all the other carriers are so anxious to get the iPhone.
  • Reply 28 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bibbler View Post


    He said it has the Sex!!!



    Actually, it doesn't.



























    *Reference to the porn ban, if you didn't get it*
  • Reply 29 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    As a rule I find Mac/iPhone users to be considerably more 'objective' than your average PC/Android toting media puppet who is incapable of thinking for himself.



    I think you broke my ACME Irony-o-Meter!
  • Reply 30 of 50
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member
    From a consumer point of view, what would you prefer: a malfunction of the phone resulting in a free replacement, or a fragile phone which would cost you to repair, since you'd be the one at fault for dropping it?
  • Reply 31 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DrDoppio View Post


    From a consumer point of view, what would you prefer: a malfunction of the phone resulting in a free replacement, or a fragile phone which would cost you to repair, since you'd be the one at fault for dropping it?



    I'd rather have an iPhone if that's what you're asking.
  • Reply 32 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by fishstick_kitty View Post


    I have a 1st gen ipod touch that I've been trying to "accidentally" break for a year now...so I can get a new one. I've dropped it from 3 ft on numerous occasions onto parking lots and cement floors...nothing!!! The thing is like a tank. So I have to find a new excuse to convince the wife I need a new 64GB ipod.



    Apple seems to have learned its lesson. Try that with an iP4, and I wonder what would happen.
  • Reply 33 of 50
    berpberp Posts: 136member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AsianBob View Post


    Actually, it doesn't.



























    *Reference to the porn ban, if you didn't get it*





    It has, ...hard "wear" centric for a more human interface.
  • Reply 34 of 50
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by timgriff84 View Post


    Err since when were things ok because you could replace the bit that breaks. That's like saying it would be fine buying a car where the wheels keep breaking because you can just replace them. I tend to think when I spend a few hundred pounds on something that it's going to last a few years.



    Not that it?s the most reliable smartphone. Since this fragility has to due with damage to the device I don?t see how the ?wheel keeps breaking? is a good analogy.



    If we have to use a car as an example, wouldn?t an example about it?s ability to withstand an accident be better, and using the simple and large Detroit autos of the 70s compared to the complex, computerized, unibody cars that aren?t easily repaired with off the shelf, interchangeable, commodity parts be more apropos. Does anyone really want to go back to those days of inefficient automobiles? I don?t, except for the exclusion of DeLorean?s 1967 Pontiac GTO.



    On top of that, with the service that Apple has and does offer their customers I would much rather have the iPhone than other devices. A poster on this forum, sapprobabyrtns(sp?), dropped his new iPhone 4, busted the back, all his fault and he still received a new one free of charge from Apple. We can say that Apple replaced it because they are aware that the backs are fragile and are avoiding a class action lawsuit, but the point remains that they replaced the device at no charge due to user error. Try getting Dell to fix an issue that is there fault. I?ve certainly had the run around as their Indian consultants read their scripted massages trying to block you into a warranty dead end.



    But all that is besides the point, hmurchison?s point still holds. There is no legitimate reason I?ve read that Apple would redesign the device as initially implied. The antenna as the frame has been a success and others will follow as soon as they can get their designs to market. I can?t see Apple reducing the internal space even more for the next device to use the old antenna design. That doesn?t mean it won?t be altered as each revision is a new design but ,IMO, it will be an evolution of the current design, not a step back to the old design. The backing, maybe it will change to some flexible ceramic or maybe a better glass or hybrid backing, but plastic feels and looks cheap and metal and carbon fiber can kill RF. We may think this decision is simple, but there are many variables to weigh.
  • Reply 35 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSamplex View Post


    ***



    "Still better than the others". That the best you can come up with.



    One should not define quality as a relative property if one is pursuing (or trying to purchase) excellence. It's clear that the Apple fans have a hard time admitting this.



    But I'm very happy for you that you have better things to do with your life...



    the context of the discussion was the objection to the word "just," which he clearly demonstrates is used because it lower than other major manufacturers.



    If you want to complain about durability issues, fine, but that is not the context of the discussion, so to become agitated based on that is bad form.
  • Reply 36 of 50
    I dropped my iPhone 4 but was able to grab is just before it hit the ground! My GF said I looked like James Bond catching just inches from it landing on a tile floor. She didn't realize my heart was beating like an eight year old girl who had just seen a snake! I almost started crying! It's one of my prized possessions! I think it is beautiful piece of design work.



    Best.
  • Reply 37 of 50
    Apple clearly has the most reliable devices -- it's nonsense to combine malfunctions (which are outside of user control) with accidents (which are generally within use control, despite the term 'accident').
  • Reply 38 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dunks View Post


    Given the perception of antennae and durability issues in the media I guess Apple will aim for a complete redesign rather than increment some of the features.



    From an aesthetic standpoint I think the iPhone 4 is the most beautiful consumer product of the last decade.



    A model with 64GB storage wouldn't go astray though.



    I think you're completely off on this one. The iPhone 4 design is more durable and a better design overall, and the antenna is arguably better than anyone else's. All they have to do is fix the glass back breakage issue and they are golden.



    What I'd like to see (and I think they will do it), is for them to give up on the idea that there will ever be anything but black painted glass on the front screen, leave the idea of coloured iPhones alone, and concentrate on making a new back piece that won't be so delicate. Simple logic tells you that the front glass can't be any more of a problem than on previous models since it's the same (or stronger) glass, and it's attached to the device in the exact same way (with the patented metal ring). The edge of the glass parts are even recessed on the iPhone 4 so they should be less prone to breaking on a drop than a 3Gs.



    I think we'll see essentially the same phone next time, but with a coating on the steel to pump up the hardness a bit, even stronger glass if it's available, and some kind of new back, perhaps many different styles of back.
  • Reply 39 of 50
    Apple should pour some dollars into the development of "Rubberglass".
  • Reply 40 of 50
    xzuxzu Posts: 139member
    The study could be flawed. It seems that android and iphone are close... why, they are both used more then you typical phone, more usage, more damage. I used my old razr 4 times a day, i use my iphone 40 times a day.



    It is like comparing a bike to a car. Smart phones are subject to be dropped more often then other phones, its just the nature of the device. I have dropped my iphone more times at construction sites because i walk around with it it my hand, its my camera, it takes notes, it does research.... my old dumb phone remained in my car.
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