Glassgate Next for the iPhone 4?

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Posted October 7, 2010 at 10:12pm by iClarified

According to gdgt sources both inside and outside of Apple, after Antennagate, the iPhone engineering team identified another potential design flaw. This time it has to do with the cases themselves, and their effect on the iPhone. Apple has apparently found that non-bumper style cases, particulary those that slide onto the iPhone 4, are prone to particles getting caught between the rear of the phone and the case. This can cause scratching that could actually develop into a full cracking, or a fracture of the entire rear glass. Essentially, Apple is worried you buy a standard slide-on case, put it on, and then soon after discover your iPhone has been shattered. The last thing Apple wants is to further tarnish the iPhone brand.

According to the rumor, Apple swiftly moved to block sales of nearly all third party iPhone 4 cases. What better way to move their own bumper cases than to give them out for free? It is also rumored that the iPhone team has even created a lab and a large new test program to investigate this issue. As always, Apple declined to comment on this rumor.

So before things escalated out of control and they had "Glassgate" on their hands, Apple swiftly moved to block sales of nearly all third-party iPhone 4 cases from its stores (which it just this week reversed, but only online -- physical retail stores still aren't yet stocking cases). Internally, I've heard the iPhone team has grown to be very concerned by this issue with slide-on cases, and has created a lab and large new test program specifically to investigate this further. (If the bumper seemed like kind of an odd concept for a case when it was announced, now its design, which doesn't come in direct medial contact with either of the iPhone 4's glass surfaces, seems to make a lot more sense.)

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sevyn - October 9, 2010 at 12:14pm

who writes these fake articles? I never had an antenna problem, I've dropped my phone, I've put it front side down on many tables and have no scratches, now that I have my free case, I still don't have scratches anywhere front OR back. Who are these people scratching their phones?

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iceblu121 - October 13, 2010 at 5:35pm

why would u call this a fake artical? because of the fact it did not happen to you or maybe someone you know does not mean this is fake come on now.

lcurry12 - October 8, 2010 at 6:47am

Is this a joke? What competitor started this problem? Wouldn't it be easier to use a damp cloth to clean the phone and case every now and then?

iDammit - October 8, 2010 at 7:58am

Agreed. Not necessarily a competitor though, possibly Apple just being a little too keen to prevent another media frenzy. In the end though your right, an avoidable non issue.

Hal 9000 - October 8, 2010 at 11:29am

Is the price you have to pay when you are on the top and are the # 1. Everybody creates histories and lies about you, your products or your services. If there is a problem in this area the solution is simple, don't use a close case in your iPhone 4. it wasn't design in that way.

DigiHead - October 8, 2010 at 7:12pm

yep, brighter you burn - more water they prepare!

David - October 7, 2010 at 10:58pm

So they're concerned, yet they're investigating (meaning they have insufficient data to draw a conclusion)? They are just now doing this investigating and yet the bumper cases, designed months ago, suddenly makes sense now? They aren't selling 3rd party cases, yet they are selling them online (don't cases bought online work the same as those bought in a store?)? They gave away bumpers for free to avoid 3rd party cases with a back, yet all of the other cases given out for free at the same time did have backs? For a story to be true, all the data needs to line up, not just piecemeal, as needed to draw each individual conclusion. And why are we first hearing about this now? After 10 million phone sales, you'd think the evidence of such rampant issue would have shown up all over the place by now.

iDammit - October 8, 2010 at 3:11am

I think the problem is twofold David. In my opinion the bumper was designed as a pre emptive fix for an issue that Apple was already aware of (the antenna). The slide on case issue is one I believe that has crept in stealthily and possibly exaggerated because of the need to have a case of some form on the 4 to avoid the signal issue. I don't think it will grow to be as big an issue especially as it can be avoided by a little TLC, and believe me, at £600 ($951.02) my iPhone gets a lot of TLC

Leonick - October 8, 2010 at 7:04am

I don't have a case on and i never have problems with the antenna, just saying... not even at home where i have a maximum of 1-2 bars... As for the article itself, smells a little bit BS i say... The bumper case design isnt weird at all, it's designed to give some protection from a fall as all the edges are covered, it also let's you put it down on any table or whatever without having to worry the slightest that you would scratch it as it would be resting on the bumper, all this while still showing the front and back... seem perfectly logical to me

iDammit - October 8, 2010 at 7:53am

Hi Leonick, I'm glad you haven't had problems and wish I could say the same. I have the loss of signal issue and until the update I had the proximity sensor problem. As for the bumper, I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was a choice thing but in my case (no pun intended) it is no,t although I do agree with your points regarding the protection it affords. One of the main reasons I wanted the Ip4 is because I think visually it is stunning, with the bumper added it looks like an LG. I am not annoyed enough with Apple to become "a hater", but next upgrade I will wait a month or so to see if there are any glitches to take into consideration rather than queue for hours as I have in the past.