Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
Everything in title. Have an appt in an hour with Apple. I know that anything can happen depending upon angle, etc. But they advertise this amazing ceramic screen and the thing completely shattered after I dropped it while sitting in my office chair, on a carpeted floor, just a one foot fall at most, with a screen protector on. Was sad I had to change my screen protector at first then noticed the entire screen underneath was destroyed. And now I am possibly looking at $230 to replace? This seems crazy. Never broke an iphone screen before. Do they ever comp you the fee? Will see what they say, but this seems unusual.
 
  • Sad
  • Haha
Reactions: Sanme and sorgo †

Andeddu

macrumors 68000
Dec 21, 2016
1,656
2,052
That’s a terrible shame. I guess you’re just really unlucky. I have dropped my iPhone 12 Mini onto concrete from over 2ft with no damage. I have a case and a thin anti-glare screen protector. I drop this thing all the time and have never sustained any damage, actually. You must have caught it at a really specific angle for such a thing to happen. Hope Apple do you some kind of deal where you don’t have to pay the full amount. They do charge rip-off prices for their repairs.
 

Spetsgruppa

macrumors 6502a
Feb 3, 2021
726
436
Everything in title. Have an appt in an hour with Apple. I know that anything can happen depending upon angle, etc. But they advertise this amazing ceramic screen and the thing completely shattered after I dropped it while sitting in my office chair, on a carpeted floor, just a one foot fall at most, with a screen protector on. Was sad I had to change my screen protector at first then noticed the entire screen underneath was destroyed. And now I am possibly looking at $230 to replace? This seems crazy. Never broke an iphone screen before. Do they ever comp you the fee? Will see what they say, but this seems unusual.
you must be really really really unlucky...my wife's 11 Pro Max has been dropped by my son so often i lost count and the screen is still intact and pristine xD.
 

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
Yeah, it’s very bizarre. Still trying to wrap my head around it. I’ve dropped a million apple devices and NEVER cracked a front screen.
 

MPclk2006

macrumors 6502
Sep 20, 2013
494
327
Texas
Also had a case on, not that it matters

Really? That's crazy, I've dropped my iPhone 12 mini just as much as any other iPhone I've had with a case/screen protector and not a scratch on the phone. Now, the Apple silicone case is crap OR is really good at doing its job, why? Because my case is in the worst shape and its the most expensive case I've bought, I've had cheap $15 cases last longer in better condition than this one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu

Andeddu

macrumors 68000
Dec 21, 2016
1,656
2,052
Really? That's crazy, I've dropped my iPhone 12 mini just as much as any other iPhone I've had with a case/screen protector and not a scratch on the phone. Now, the Apple silicone case is crap OR is really good at doing its job, why? Because my case is in the worst shape and its the most expensive case I've bought, I've had cheap $15 cases last longer in better condition than this one.
The coloured Apple silicone case, which is what I use on my 12 Mini, has a nice felt interior which must provide decent protection to the phone. I had the clear gel case prior to that one and it provided decent protection also. I used it for around a year before switching over.

I’ve owned iPhones for 7 years now and have have never really damaged one and I drop my phones all the time. Guess I am one of the lucky ones!
 

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
I use a caudabe case. It apparently hit the chair leg screen first somehow.
 

Mark Stone

macrumors 6502
Mar 20, 2022
497
551
In its case.
Everything in title. Have an appt in an hour with Apple. I know that anything can happen depending upon angle, etc. But they advertise this amazing ceramic screen and the thing completely shattered after I dropped it while sitting in my office chair, on a carpeted floor, just a one foot fall at most, with a screen protector on. Was sad I had to change my screen protector at first then noticed the entire screen underneath was destroyed. And now I am possibly looking at $230 to replace? This seems crazy. Never broke an iphone screen before. Do they ever comp you the fee? Will see what they say, but this seems unusual.
I might be wrong, but this may reflect a manufacturing defect. I don't know how that could be proven, though. My 13 is new, and has not been dropped yet (it's due -- lol), but I was able to use my 8 Plus to chop wood and hammer nails and when I sold it on ebay last week it was pristine. Your wrecked screen should not have happened.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ajm222

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
I might be wrong, but this may reflect a manufacturing defect. I don't know how that could be proven, though. My 13 is new, and has not been dropped yet (it's due -- lol), but I was able to use my 8 Plus to chop wood and hammer nails and when I sold it on ebay last week it was pristine. Your wrecked screen should not have happened.
Thanks, and I agree and had considered that myself. I asked about that and they said of course I could have any repair done by mailing the phone in, in which case they would also perhaps do a more thorough job of examining the device and the glass. But I seriously doubt they'd actually do more than the store did in quickly glancing at it, and I'd be without a device for weeks.

I ended up getting it repaired even though they said they couldn't do anything about the price. I basically got the phone free through Verizon and will definitely want to trade it in at some point. The screen worked and I could have continued using it broken, but it would be worthless for trade in purposes without a repair. I'll send a note to the Tim cook email and maybe even file a BBB complaint for a refund. Can't hurt. And not to be a jerk necessarily, because maybe they'd actually be interested in knowing something like this happened when it probably shouldn't have. They can always look up where the phone was manufactured and see if there have been any other issues with devices made there over a particular time period. Unlikely, but it's a possibility.

Ultimately it may have just been one of those super unlucky instances where a hard material made contact in precisely the way necessary to shatter it. But thinking about what happened again even now it seems odd given all the other ways I've dropped and damaged my devices in the past, never to have a screen shatter, even back to the iphone 4. After hitting a rounded piece of plastic. The chair leg does have a sort of corner that is rounded but could have bluntly made contact with the screen in one very isolated spot in a one in a million kind of way.
 

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,883
8,742
Arizona/Illinois
I might be wrong, but this may reflect a manufacturing defect. I don't know how that could be proven, though. My 13 is new, and has not been dropped yet (it's due -- lol), but I was able to use my 8 Plus to chop wood and hammer nails and when I sold it on ebay last week it was pristine. Your wrecked screen should not have happened.
Not sure how you can possibly come to that conclusion. So many different variables factor into whether or not the screen is damaged or survives. The OP's phone is a 12 mini which could be 2 years old if purchased/received when released. If the screen was defective, why did it take that long to break? I'd say the screen cracked because all the variables lined up and that all. Defects in screens show up as a singular crack with no spidering or obvious impact mark. If the screen has multiple cracks it's not considered defective.
 

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,883
8,742
Arizona/Illinois
Thanks, and I agree and had considered that myself. I asked about that and they said of course I could have any repair done by mailing the phone in, in which case they would also perhaps do a more thorough job of examining the device and the glass. But I seriously doubt they'd actually do more than the store did in quickly glancing at it, and I'd be without a device for weeks.

I ended up getting it repaired even though they said they couldn't do anything about the price. I basically got the phone free through Verizon and will definitely want to trade it in at some point. The screen worked and I could have continued using it broken, but it would be worthless for trade in purposes without a repair. I'll send a note to the Tim cook email and maybe even file a BBB complaint for a refund. Can't hurt. And not to be a jerk necessarily, because maybe they'd actually be interested in knowing something like this happened when it probably shouldn't have. They can always look up where the phone was manufactured and see if there have been any other issues with devices made there over a particular time period. Unlikely, but it's a possibility.

Ultimately it may have just been one of those super unlucky instances where a hard material made contact in precisely the way necessary to shatter it. But thinking about what happened again even now it seems odd given all the other ways I've dropped and damaged my devices in the past, never to have a screen shatter, even back to the iphone 4. After hitting a rounded piece of plastic. The chair leg does have a sort of corner that is rounded but could have bluntly made contact with the screen in one very isolated spot in a one in a million kind of way.
Sorry but I really don't understand the emailing Tim Cook or notifying the BBB. What exactly did Apple do wrong here? You openly admitted to dropping the phone so it's was obviously your fault. Seems your complaining that you have to pay for the screen replacement and your justification is you don't believe the screen should of cracked from the impact it was subjected to. Glass breaks, there are tons of variables in why it does in some situations and why it doesn't in others. I've dropped drinking glasses and had them survive and other times they break. I don't expect the company to compensate me for my mistake. If you wouldn't of dropped the phone, it wouldn't of broken, that's a fact. Every time I drop my phone, I'm prepared it may break the screen or worse the back glass. If it survives, I count my blessings and hope I doesn't happen again. Unfortunately, the law of averages dictates sooner or later it will break and considering you stated you've dropped your devices millions of times without issues, I'd say your well ahead of the curve..
 

ShrimpScampi

macrumors member
Apr 30, 2021
58
33
Sometimes I think it's just luck. I go case-less/screen protector-less on my phone and in all my years of owning phones have only had one shatter with that being my iPhone X that was kicked off the second floor by my dog! Meanwhile I have friends whose phones have shattered while being dropped in a UAG case from waist height while getting out of their car. Go figure.
 

TiggrToo

macrumors 601
Aug 24, 2017
4,205
8,838
I basically got the phone free through Verizon and will definitely want to trade it in at some point. The screen worked and I could have continued using it broken, but it would be worthless for trade in purposes without a repair. I'll send a note to the Tim cook email and maybe even file a BBB complaint for a refund. Can't hurt.
Wow, that comes across as very very entitled.

Good luck with the BBB - Apple did nothing wrong and you accepted the repair thus meaning the contract between you and Apple has been satisfied. Just what you expect the BBB to do? YOU dropped the phone, it didn’t just shatter on it’s own accord.

Ditto emailing Tim Cook. Which, first of all doesn’t go to him. There’s probably a staff of people who monitor his inbox throwing out all the cruft looking for nuggets that can actually hurt Apple that they feel should be addressed.

For you - you dropped the phone. You apparently didn’t have AppleCare. The device is out of its warranty. Why would Apple care about this?

Just what did you expect Apple to do here? You got the same treatment EVERYONE does.

Just be thankful that you apparently got the phone ‘free’ and have only paid $229 for it so far.
 

Expos of 1969

Contributor
Aug 25, 2013
4,741
9,257
Sorry but I really don't understand the emailing Tim Cook or notifying the BBB. What exactly did Apple do wrong here? You openly admitted to dropping the phone so it's was obviously your fault. Seems your complaining that you have to pay for the screen replacement and your justification is you don't believe the screen should of cracked from the impact it was subjected to. Glass breaks, there are tons of variables in why it does in some situations and why it doesn't in others. I've dropped drinking glasses and had them survive and other times they break. I don't expect the company to compensate me for my mistake. If you wouldn't of dropped the phone, it wouldn't of broken, that's a fact. Every time I drop my phone, I'm prepared it may break the screen or worse the back glass. If it survives, I count my blessings and hope I doesn't happen again. Unfortunately, the law of averages dictates sooner or later it will break and considering you stated you've dropped your devices millions of times without issues, I'd say your well ahead of the curve..
He has dropped a million devices at least once each but I get your point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BugeyeSTI

Motionblurrr

macrumors 65816
Jul 1, 2008
1,303
1,623
There are people that have totaled their car by accidentally tapping their car into something at the worst angle. It's part of life, **** happens.

I cracked my first iphone last year and I've owned every iPhone since the original in 2007. It was onto a wooden floor and I was mad but what can ya do.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: ShrimpScampi

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
Well, Apple sold me on the notion they have the the strongest smartphone glass ever that has nano-particles stronger than metal infused into the material. And it shattered when I dropped it 10 or so inches onto a plastic leg of an office chair. While it's theoretically possible I am sure to crack under the circumstances (and I spelled this out already), it seems very unusual and pretty poor performance for what's said to be very best smartphone on the market in this regard. And yes, I am fully aware the emails don't go to Tim Cook (which is why I said the Tim Cook email). There are people employed at companies like Apple to handle full-time such complaints/concerns that reach the company through the Cook email and the BBB and various other avenues. They're more than welcome to tell me to eff off if they choose, but this is a business and there is a calculus built in that suggests in some circumstances it's actually beneficial to the company to refund a dissatisfied customer. They can tell me if this qualifies. They can certainly afford it, and in fact have these sorts of things baked into their budget, while for myself $250 for a new piece of glass on my phone is quite an expense. I provided all the details honestly in my complaint. Lastly, not sure 'entitled' is quite accurate. I've spent a fortune (for me) on Apple products and services over the years, and also on Verizon products and services. As they say, nothing is truly free, and I understand the only reason I got a 'free' phone from Verizon in the first place is because they've had numerous analysts determine that it actually benefits them to offer it as such.

I was mainly curious to see if this sort of thing is more common than I suspected, and it seems it truly is sort of a one in a million thing given the exact circumstances. I was also interested to see what the latest situation is with Apple stores and their customer service in terms of covering such things even is a device is 13 months old without Apple Care (which I no longer purchase because the phones have to this point been extremely resilient). I'll be interested to see how they respond and will update accordingly.
 

Motionblurrr

macrumors 65816
Jul 1, 2008
1,303
1,623
Well, Apple sold me on the notion they have the the strongest smartphone glass ever that has nano-particles stronger than metal infused into the material. And it shattered when I dropped it 10 or so inches onto a plastic leg of an office chair. While it's theoretically possible I am sure to crack under the circumstances (and I spelled this out already), it seems very unusual and pretty poor performance for what's said to be very best smartphone on the market in this regard. And yes, I am fully aware the emails don't go to Tim Cook (which is why I said the Tim Cook email). There are people employed at companies like Apple to handle full-time such complaints/concerns that reach the company through the Cook email and the BBB and various other avenues. They're more than welcome to tell me to eff off if they choose, but this is a business and there is a calculus built in that suggests in some circumstances it's actually beneficial to the company to refund a dissatisfied customer. They can tell me if this qualifies. They can certainly afford it, and in fact have these sorts of things baked into their budget, while for myself $250 for a new piece of glass on my phone is quite an expense. I provided all the details honestly in my complaint. Lastly, not sure 'entitled' is quite accurate. I've spent a fortune (for me) on Apple products and services over the years, and also on Verizon products and services. As they say, nothing is truly free, and I understand the only reason I got a 'free' phone from Verizon in the first place is because they've had numerous analysts determine that it actually benefits them to offer it as such.

I was mainly curious to see if this sort of thing is more common than I suspected, and it seems it truly is sort of a one in a million thing given the exact circumstances. I was also interested to see what the latest situation is with Apple stores and their customer service in terms of covering such things even is a device is 13 months old without Apple Care (which I no longer purchase because the phones have to this point been extremely resilient). I'll be interested to see how they respond and will update accordingly.
Trust me, we all feel the same way the first time it ever happens. These feelings will subside and you'll forget about it when you get it replaced.

You just ended up very unlucky. Good news is that extremely bad luck rarely strikes twice!
 

Andeddu

macrumors 68000
Dec 21, 2016
1,656
2,052
Not sure how you can possibly come to that conclusion. So many different variables factor into whether or not the screen is damaged or survives. The OP's phone is a 12 mini which could be 2 years old if purchased/received when released. If the screen was defective, why did it take that long to break? I'd say the screen cracked because all the variables lined up and that all. Defects in screens show up as a singular crack with no spidering or obvious impact mark. If the screen has multiple cracks it's not considered defective.

He said he dropped it onto a solid and rounded surface with a narrow point of impact. The phone cover would have provided zero protection as that is designed to protect the phone against flat surfaces. The screen protector cannot protect against blunt force, it’s designed to defend against scratches. This is an example of a freak event as 99.9% of falls are absorbed by the case/bumpers. I would wager my house on his phone not being defective in the slightest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BugeyeSTI

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
Trust me, we all feel the same way the first time it ever happens. These feelings will subside and you'll forget about it when you get it replaced.

You just ended up very unlucky. Good news is that extremely bad luck rarely strikes twice!
Indeed. And the replacement prices have certainly gone up.

No, I doubt the screen is defective. Just would really have expected it to still hold strong given how the technology seems to have been described as now both much stronger and more resilient to all sorts of impacts.

If not defective (and again, highly unlikely, and no way to prove), it's certainly a cautionary tale that even the Ceramic Shield can still shatter under fairly benign circumstances, in much the same way that any glass will shatter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BugeyeSTI

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,883
8,742
Arizona/Illinois
Indeed. And the replacement prices have certainly gone up.

No, I doubt the screen is defective. Just would really have expected it to still hold strong given how the technology seems to have been described as now both much stronger and more resilient to all sorts of impacts.

If not defective (and again, highly unlikely, and no way to prove), it's certainly a cautionary tale that even the Ceramic Shield can still shatter under fairly benign circumstances, in much the same way that any glass will shatter.
I never get Applecare+ when I buy my iPhones. When I got my iPhone X, I was extremely tempted to add it but the extra $200 on an already $1000 phone seemed over the top to me. 5 years later (knock on wood) the phone is still going strong with the original screen. I would like to replace my X with a larger device so a Pro Max will definitely be in my future and this time I will get Applecare+ just because of how expensive these phones have become to repair. Like you, I have been lucky when it comes to screen/device damage but I still cringe every time I drop one of them. At this point if it happens, I just will chalk it up to the law of averages and it was finally my turn. Hope things get resolved for you either way. You're correct, it doesn't hurt to reach out to Apple to see if they can lessen the blow of the repair. Worse they can say is No..
 
  • Like
Reactions: ajm222

Eso

macrumors 68020
Aug 14, 2008
2,034
938
Make sure to bring your credit card because The Genius Bar is stingy af in the Cook era.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ajm222

RinkDinkus

macrumors member
Mar 30, 2022
70
84
Instagram: maxzeuner
Weird things happen. I used to drop my iPod touch 4 all the time and it was so scratched up by the time I got rid of it. But never actually shattered or broke.

Sold it to a friend in high school, and they said it broke after falling off of a couch cushion onto the floor. Another friend broke his after sliding his iPod onto a table out of his hand.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
  • Wow
Reactions: ajm222

Dealmans

Suspended
Mar 12, 2022
1,405
1,212
I use a caudabe case. It apparently hit the chair leg screen first somehow.
There you go, I have cracked a screen with a sheath on a max, fell about 3ft onto edge of a cupboard draw, sides are not as solid as other cases, rubber comes away.

My daughter has a 12 mini that has been dropped who knows how many times in a spigen case and only damaged the GSP.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.