Study shows iPhone 4 screens breaking 82 percent more than 3GS

October 15, 2010 By Aemon Malone

A SquareTrade study offers evidence that the iPhone 4 may not be quite as durable as Apple claims.

Warranty provider, SquareTrade, has released an analysis of iPhone 4 accident claims and compared them to similar claims with the iPhone 3GS. Strikingly the company reported that instances of iPhone 4s with broken screens were up significantly over the 3GS model, to the tune of 82 percent. Cracked or broken screens remain by far the most commonly reported accident among users of the new iPhone.

The study finds that overall, iPhone 4 owners are reporting damaged phones 68 percent more frequently than 3GS owners did after four months of ownership. An estimated 15.5 percent will report a problem with the iPhone 4 within the first year –- roughly one out of every six owners.

The analysis suggests that the iPhone 4’s glass is at least as likely to crack when compared to the 3GS. The new iPhone’s redesign, which doubled the total glass surface area, is suggested as a likely culprit behind the problems — more glass, more area to break.

Apple made bold claims about the toughness of the iPhone 4’s design when it was first unveiled. It stands by those claims on its website, saying the phone features aluminosilicate glass that is “chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic” and is “ultradurable.” SquareTrade’s study suggests that the iPhone may not be as resilient as Apple would like us to believe. Maybe we should have been forewarned when Apple also claimed the screen to be “recyclable.”

Despite the rather bleak analysis, the study commends the iPhone has being a “well constructed device” that has an overall failure rate “much lower than most other consumer electronics.” SquareTrade says it plans to conduct a similar analysis among the latest Android models.

Showing 25 comments

Nokia ad takes a swipe at iPhone ahead of Lumia 900 launch at 4:01am 3rd April 2012 [...] the woman says dismissively. The phone’s fragility is the subject of the third skit — a study in 2010 appeared to show that the screen of the iPhone 4 was more likely to break than its [...]
iPhone 4 still selling well despite the iPhone 5 release looming at 5:47am 19th September 2011 [...] version of the iPhone 4 to replace the iPhone 3GS as the budget iPhone. Even with all the issues that plagued the launch of the iPhone 4, it is expected to remain one of the best-selling phones on [...]
iPhone 4 still works after 13,500-foot fall | IT News Post at 7:03am 19th July 2011 [...] the iPhone 4’s glass screen and back look amazing, they have been notoriously fragile. Jarrod McKinney’s iPhone 4 already had it cracked back when it was dropped by his two-year-old, [...]
iPhone 4 still works after 13,500-foot fall | iPhone 5 at 10:49pm 18th July 2011 [...] July 19, 2011 While the iPhone 4’s glass screen and back look amazing, they have been notoriously fragile. Jarrod McKinney’s iPhone 4 already had it cracked back when it was dropped by his two-year-old, [...]
iPhone 4 still works after 13,500-foot fall at 6:35pm 18th July 2011 [...] glass.While the iPhone 4’s glass screen and back look amazing, they have been notoriously fragile. Jarrod McKinney’s iPhone 4 already had a cracked back when it was dropped by his two-year-old, [...]
Mark at 8:31pm 10th July 2011 My screen cracked have a otter box defender case. Phone fell 2 feet onto carpet and busted. Apples warranty doesnot cover physical damage or should I rephrase that crappy design
Class Action Lawsuit Over iPhone 4 "Ultradurable" Glass - Get Your Gadgets Going! at 6:55pm 27th January 2011 [...] SquareTrade also issued a follow up report claiming that the iPhone 4 was one of the more reliable smartphones on the market. However, the iPhone 4 was on the track of becoming one of the most accident prone phones because of its continually shattered screens. [...]
Apple pulls iPhone 4 cases that crack phones | Go Lab Studios at 4:35pm 9th November 2010 [...] 4 was first released, there were a number of complaints about its fragility, in fact they were a fraction as durable as the 3GS models. But many users on the site’s forum reported that Apple was willing to replace the faulty phones [...]
Apple pulls iPhone 4 cases that crack phones at 3:40pm 9th November 2010 [...] 4 was first released, there were a number of complaints about its fragility, in fact they were a fraction as durable as the 3GS models. But many users on the site’s forum reported that Apple was willing to replace the faulty [...]
Rob at 6:52am 18th October 2010 Ok I am the last guy to defend apple as I dont like mac or ios (I am a strong Android supporter) and would never buy that cr@p for my personal use. But seriously give us a percentage or a number overall of the screens that are breaking ie 2% or 1 out of every 1000. Be honest and put it into perspercticve
John Kantor at 10:57pm 17th October 2010 Guess what? If you don't drop it, it doesn't break.
研究表明，iPhone4屏幕破损率较之3GS版要高出82% | 小手机，大世界 at 4:42am 17th October 2010 [...] has released an analysis of iPhone 4 accident claims and compared them to similar claims with the iPhone 3GS. Strikingly the company reported that instances of iPhone 4s with broken screens were up [...]
Rene at 9:47pm 16th October 2010 I've seen a lot more iPhone 3GS's with cracked screens. I've yet to see someone with an iPhone 4 cracked screen.
jeu3er@outlook.com at 7:08pm 16th October 2010 Any idiot that would buy an iphone deserves to have the glass cracked. Apple isn't "innovative" for making that outside of the phone they're STUPID! Hey, let's take an important device that people rely on daily and make it out of.... um .... maybe the most fragile material out there. Schmucks. http://TechReview.LIEconomy.com
Max Power at 6:44pm 16th October 2010 I like how "Harry Adams" says "Droid" over and over again like ALL droids are the same, sure there may be one model out there that has failed 8 times for one person. My guess would be a Motorola built droid, but that is just a guess. What he seems to forget is there are MANY devices that run the droid OS, so you can choose your hardware. Apple on the other hand attempts to keep the iOS locked to iphone. Not a good idea if the hardware is crap....
cracked screen at 6:40pm 16th October 2010 As strong as sapphire@ 5:20: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pgoThSNzIw
dude at 10:26am 16th October 2010 2 x the glass area but less than 2 x the breakage = stronger glass.
Harry Adams at 9:36am 16th October 2010 My friend is on his 8th Droid, yes 8 failed. He can't wait for an iPhone. Droid's quality is pretty damn poor, buyer beware.
1. droiddoes at 6:19pm 16th October 2010 I've had the same Droid since it came out a year ago. Dropped it dozens if not hundreds of times on concrete, tile you name it. I dont care what you say, its one tough phone. Your friend is just a clumsy idiot.
Mark Strait at 9:34am 16th October 2010 Study show that Aemon Malone sucks as a writing. Stop polluting people's minds with useless info. I don't trust this author.
Web Teevee at 7:18am 16th October 2010 they crack easily..my friends baby stepped on it accidentally and it cracked! Watch UFC121 - Lesnar vs. Velasquez at http://goo.gl/2hEt Watch PACQUIAO vs. MARGARITO vs. http://goo.gl/2hEt
Brian at 6:23am 16th October 2010 Not true. I see a lot of iPhones at my job, and the iPhone 4's don't crack nearly as much as the 3GS
1. Tony at 6:09pm 16th October 2010 I don't care where you work. You're WRONG. W-R-O-N-G. Square trade compares the percentage of warranties claimed on warrantied devices for iPhone 4 and the same for iPhone 3GS. Just because you see more broken 3GS at work doesn't mean they break more, it means theres more 3GS out there (obviously). Nice try kiddo.
Study shows iPhone 4 screens breaking 82 percent more than 3GS | Iphone 4 Directory at 4:23pm 15th October 2010 [...] Study shows iPhone 4 screens breaking 82 percent more than 3GS Uncategorizedapple, broken iphone, devices, iphone, iphone 3gs, may-not, mobile, study-offers [...]
ore masta at 11:30am 15th October 2010 *sigh* apple