Last week, the free iPhone 4 bumper program finished...so everything is happy and good in Appleland, yeah? Nope. Ryan Block was one of the first to report that the iPhone engineering team has discovered another major design flaw.
Gizmodo, who also raised concerns over the iPhone 4's glass back, validates Block's findings that non-bumper cases which slide onto the iPhone 4 can cause scratching (when particles get between the case and the glass), and those scratches can lead to serious cracking. Basically, if somebody puts a slider case on their phone, there's a possibility the next time they pull the phone out, the back will be completely busted as a result of the design flaw. It's a big enough issue that Apple is blocking all third-party cases from the Apple Store until this week, even ones certified "made for iPhone." And the rumor is Apple's engineering team has built a lab and test program just to examine this problem.
Apple's "solution" of pulling the cases from their shelves screws manufacturers who are paying Apple a cut (possibly up to 10-15%) to get the "Made for iPhone" badge - which allows their cases to be sold in Apple Stores. It's possible the products may not end up back in Apple Stores at all - and Apple's not telling the manufacturers when or if that will happen. The cases are still being sold elsewhere, for those who want to amplify the problem.
Gizmodo, who also raised concerns over the iPhone 4's glass back, validates Block's findings that non-bumper cases which slide onto the iPhone 4 can cause scratching (when particles get between the case and the glass), and those scratches can lead to serious cracking. Basically, if somebody puts a slider case on their phone, there's a possibility the next time they pull the phone out, the back will be completely busted as a result of the design flaw. It's a big enough issue that Apple is blocking all third-party cases from the Apple Store until this week, even ones certified "made for iPhone." And the rumor is Apple's engineering team has built a lab and test program just to examine this problem.
Apple's "solution" of pulling the cases from their shelves screws manufacturers who are paying Apple a cut (possibly up to 10-15%) to get the "Made for iPhone" badge - which allows their cases to be sold in Apple Stores. It's possible the products may not end up back in Apple Stores at all - and Apple's not telling the manufacturers when or if that will happen. The cases are still being sold elsewhere, for those who want to amplify the problem.
In hindsight, the iPhone 4's antenna flaw coupled with the replacement bumper case design makes more sense - there's no contact with the glass back, and it covers the iPhone 4's antenna. You can bet the next iPhone with not have a glass back or a weak spot in the antenna.
UPDATE: Now there's data to support the cracked glass theory.
UPDATE: Now there's data to support the cracked glass theory.
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