Galaxy S3 screen cracked by itself.... anyone else? Verizon..

[Max_HTC]

I just ordered my S3, so can't speak to it's possible defects. I will tell you this..

I have been an android user for 3.5 years and would never own one without insurance.

I would never carry an S3 or any other smartphone without an Otterbox defender or similar quality case. Sure, it's bulky and cumbersome, but the last thing I need is a broken device when I'm flying to Anchorage or driving through the south Bronx.

And there is no way to prove that the screen was not broken due to mishandling.

 

[topdowntimmyT]

actually on another forum someone had this happen to them and they got the phone replaced. but it was due to the phone getting so hot it broke the screen from the inside. once they sent it in i believe it was samsung that finally replaced it and verizon appologized sincereley blah blah blah.

 

[Crankintopwater69]

I just ordered my S3, so can't speak to it's possible defects. I will tell you this..

I have been an android user for 3.5 years and would never own one without insurance.

I would never carry an S3 or any other smartphone without an Otterbox defender or similar quality case. Sure, it's bulky and cumbersome, but the last thing I need is a broken device when I'm flying to Anchorage or driving through the south Bronx.

And there is no way to prove that the screen was not broken due to mishandling.

Amen on the Ins.

 

[greggatshack]

I just ordered my S3, so can't speak to it's possible defects. I will tell you this..

I have been an android user for 3.5 years and would never own one without insurance.

I would never carry an S3 or any other smartphone without an Otterbox defender or similar quality case. Sure, it's bulky and cumbersome, but the last thing I need is a broken device when I'm flying to Anchorage or driving through the south Bronx.

And there is no way to prove that the screen was not broken due to mishandling.

I have had a screen protector and a case on since I got my phone, another poster on this thread had an Otterbox and also had a crack with no apparent cause. My problem is that if Samsung won't replace/fix the phone under warranty then I have no insurance recourse because there is no "accident" I can point to that caused the damage. If I had broken it by dropping it then it would be no problem I would have just claimed insurance. I'm not the sort of person that can just lie to the insurance company. I am the sort of person that expects a corporation like Samsung to do the right thing and believe me when I said that it just cracked spontaneously.

 

[Brian72]

An engineer's perspective

Came across this thread while researching new phones, and I'm down to the S3 and Maxx HD, with a lean toward the S3.

I'm an engineer that works in the sporting goods biz, designing carbon fiber golf shafts and hockey sticks. Hockey is a brutal sport, and stick breakage on a high end $300 stick is not uncommon. Our official policy is to only replace sticks if there is a manufacturing defect, which is up to us to determine. We also don't cover excessive abuse, which is rarely evident, because hockey is a rough sport. So what happens in the end is we offer a one time replacement within the warranty period. Even though a stick might break through no fault of our own, we understand that if someone drops $300 and the product lasts them two weeks then a repeat sale is likely off the table. So we take care of them, no questions asked - once.

In my opinion Samsung, and other cell phone companies, should do the same thing. If a customer comes in with a cracked screen and there is zero damage other than the crack - replace it - once. If it was just something mysterious it's very unlikely to happen again, and you have a very happy customer that will keep coming back. Like my company does you can build it into the price, and I don't think most people would complain if they had to pay an additional $50 for their phone knowing that the product would be backed up and they would be taken care of.

I'm wondering if this is why iPhones cost so much. I'm not big on Apple but one thing they have is amazing customer service.

Design engineers are constantly being pushed to achieve new limits. A simple fix for this would be to make the glass thicker, but then you add an extra 0.25 millimeters or so of thickness that none of us would ever notice, except for the product designers who are being pushed for thinner phones, bigger screens, and lower costs.

My wife and I have two years with the Fascinate and no issues. We both use a Zagg SP and Seidio surface case. This won't deter me from the phone, but I am likely to purchase the insurance, at least for a few months. In my opinion if something is defective it will break quickly. If there are no issues after 3-4 months, dump the insurance, as it likely won't break for "no reason".

I'm also wondering if we get some insurance company employees in these threads trying to generate some business.

 

[sweeeeet]

Samsung is releasing flexible plastic displays in the first half of 2013 instead of going the thicker glass route.. the new displays will be lighter and far more durable than any glass display.. rumors of a gs4 with a flexible display 5" thinner and lighter phone are circulating but its just rumors.. I look forward to seeing how it all shapes up (pun intended) I know it sounds like a gimmick but it really does make sense

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[liftedplane]

Samsung is releasing flexible plastic displays in the first half of 2013 instead of going the thicker glass route.. the new displays will be lighter and far more durable than any glass display.. rumors of a gs4 with a flexible display 5" thinner and lighter phone are circulating but its just rumors.. I look forward to seeing how it all shapes up (pun intended) I know it sounds like a gimmick but it really does make sense

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

As long as it is just as scratch resistant they can make it out of whatever they want.

Sent from my frozenly delicious razr maxx.

 

[Brian72]

A couple of quick questions for those who have had screen cracks:

1) Has anyone had this issue on a phone that was bought after say early/mid October? In manufacturing issues might arise early on in the product being built and if they're small enough it will simply be fixed and swept under the rug if the issue is small enough. I'm wondering if phones produced after the first 3 months were modified to address the problem without the public knowing.

2) I've seen 1 or 2 people say Samsung will fix the phone for $178. If this is the case then the insurance is likely not worth it. $7/month for two years plus $100 deductible is $268. If that $178 is a real number it's probably cheaper to skip the insurance.

 

[sweeeeet]

2) I've seen 1 or 2 people say Samsung will fix the phone for $178. If this is the case then the insurance is likely not worth it. $7/month for two years plus $100 deductible is $268. If that $178 is a real number it's probably cheaper to skip the insurance.

insurance is not worth it for that issue.. but if u drop it in water, lose it or any other mishap... we're talking 300 for a used one and 600 for a new one

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[Brian72]

insurance is not worth it for that issue.. but if u drop it in water, lose it or any other mishap... we're talking 300 for a used one and 600 for a new one

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

Agreed, but that's a personal choice. Some people are extremely careful with their phones and some aren't. I'm just saying the insurance isn't worth it solely because there's a slight chance that the screen could crack seemingly on it's own, without being dropped. However after watching some drop test videos on youtube I think I would have to put this phone in an Otterbox Commuter at the very least. It seems it's definitely more fragile than most, especially on corner impacts. But I haven't seen any phone that will survive an unprotected drop onto the screen. That seems sure death for any phone.

Part of the problem is the marketing of gorilla glass and some of the phones themselves. When I read the marketing pitch for the Maxx HD I literally was lead to believe that the phone was bulletproof, when in reality it's far from it. When people start thinking this they get a little careless with the phone. Of course it's a win-win for insurance companies and cell phone makers.

 

[firstG1]

Someone in an earlier post came up with a good Idea in regards to the insurance issue. Get the Insurance for the first year when the phone is expensive to replace and then drop it after that because you will probably be able to get a replacement for less than the deductible.

 

[sweeeeet]

Someone in an earlier post came up with a good Idea in regards to the insurance issue. Get the Insurance for the first year when the phone is expensive to replace and then drop it after that because you will probably be able to get a replacement for less than the deductible.

I would recommend evaluating which phone u have and how much a used one is vs how much the deductible is + the monthly cost apposed to the used price average.... u can get a year old bionic for around 100 but something like a s2(I know its not Verizon but just an example) is a year and a half old but is still 200+... same with the iPhones.. 6 month old s3s are still 300+ and I don't see them under 170 after a full year but it depends what works best for u

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[Brian72]

Insurance costs $7/month and $100 for the deductible. That's $268 out of pocket if you need to use the insurance. On the off chance you need to replace the phone you can get a very capable phone to finish out your contract for that amount of money. If you pay the entire policy up front on squaretrade it drops to $225.

If you are careless with your phone or insist on using it with no case or a minimalistic style case, insurance might be a good idea. If you're very careful and put good protection on your phone, skip the insurance.

Consumer reports has a great smartphone issue out this month. They suggest skipping the insurance and keeping your old phone, which can be reactivated if needed. I'm not sure I could get much more out of my Fascinate, but I'm sure it would work fine while I figure out my options or get my phone repaired. I have never in my life broken a phone, so I'm considered low risk and after much back and forth thinking I will skip the insurance.

According to the article, a survey revealed that only 15% of people who bought a phone the last two years were doing so to replace a broken or damaged phone, and 2% were doing so to replace a lost or stolen phone. Insurance companies advertise that 1 in 3 smartphones will be lost or damaged, which is double reality.

Bottom line is insurance companies are in the game to make money. If you're careful with your phone you can skip the insurance and come out well ahead in the long run.

 

[firstG1]

The real bottom line with insurance is that it is supposed to protect you from a catastrophic loss. Now a catastrophic loss may be different for people depending on their situation. Having to pay 600 dollars for a new phone because it slipped out of your pocket and fell into a water puddle, might be catastrophic for someone that saved for a year to buy their phone. Or that they might be stuck with a two-year contract and is looking at using their old phone that’s out of memory and doesn’t do anything but send texts and make calls. For that person 7 dollars a month can buy a lot of peace of mind.

If on the other hand, you can afford the 600 dollars then insurance is a craps shoot and is a bad gamble. You have to make the decision based on your particular situation.

 

[shooting]

Hi,

I've had my GS3 for just under two weeks and love it. However, this morning I left for work and had it on my passenger seat in my car and when I got out of my car I noticed a crack going from the top of the phone straight down to the home button. The phone was not droped or anything and was fine before I left for work. I didn't even use it. I've read online that a few other people have had the same thing happen to them. Would Verizon swap it out for me? It is obviously a manufactures defect. I am reall disappointed that it happened. I just got the phone and signed a two year contract... depressed.

If you're sure the crack was not caused by personal factor, Version will change it for you. But if Version doesn't think so, it will be expensive to replace the screen for you. Because I found the cost of the replacement is not cheap, you can see the price here. Hope this can help you. Good luck.