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Apple Reportedly Heading Off iPhone 'Glassgate'

Posted by Soulskill on from the you're-just-not-holding-it-right dept.

alphadogg writes "Apple is reportedly working behind the scenes to address scratching and cracking of the iPhone's glass back panel by certain third-party cases. This 'Glassgate' story got rolling with a report in the gdgt newsletter by Ryan Block, who says he spoke with sources inside and outside of Apple about this issue, but was unable to get an official Apple comment. Block writes: 'Apple has apparently found that non-bumper style cases — specifically those that slide onto the iPhone 4, which are occasionally prone to particulate matter getting caught between the rear of the phone and the case — can cause unexpected scratching that could quickly develop into full-on cracking or even much larger fracturing of the entire rear pane of glass. To put it another way: Apple is afraid you might buy a standard slide-on iPhone case, put it on your phone, and then discover the next time you take it off that the entire back of your device has been shattered by no fault of your own.' Apple is said to be taking it seriously, looking to avoid the sort of backlash it got when reports surfaced over the summer that the iPhone 4's antennas didn't work correctly when users gripped the phones in a certain (and quite natural) way."

5 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. next up by Dyinobal · · Score: 5, Funny

    Next up assgate, you don't want to know about this defect trust me.

  2. ok seriously by ravenspear · · Score: 5, Insightful

    why does every type of problem that anyone encounters now have to be suffixed with "gate".

    Not every problem is the result of a conspiracy to cover up illegal activity, so the analogy doesn't really fit imo.

    Looks like this was just a case (no pun intended) of design oversight.

    1. Re:ok seriously by Mordok-DestroyerOfWo · · Score: 5, Funny

      This culminated when the entryway for the driveway for Microsoft's founder was found to be vandalized, I called it Gates's gate-gate.

      --
      "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
  3. Doin' it wrong by bigstrat2003 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Those users are putting their cases on wrong." - Steve Jobs, master of customer service

    --
    "16MB (fuck off, MiB fascists)" - The Mighty Buzzard
  4. Function doesn't always follow form by pedropolis · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've got an iPhone 4, with it's associated death grip(e) and continuing proximity sensor issue. It's worked OK to date, a bit slippery, and I love it's electro ice-cream sandwich design (even if it was made to be broken).

    That said, this thing seems so problematic that I can't help but think it's Apple's S-Type or X-Type Jaguar. The smart phone everyone will forever associate with problems. It's beautiful form that doesn't allow for any real-life durability.

    Kind of like a celebutante.