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It would really be incredible if Apple devices were the only device with unbreakable glass screens. That's why phone cases are ubiquitous. Why should they pay f

It would really be incredible if Apple devices were the only device with unbreakable glass screens. That's why phone cases are ubiquitous. Why should they pay for your negligence? You might have a point if they refused to replace the screen at your cost.

Hermel 6y ago
Not all glass is equal. There is a trade-off between being scratch-proof (harder glass) and shock-proof (softer). Apple seems to be particularly aggressive in going for the former. Also, Apple tends to sacrifice robustness for elegance. Both design decisions make iPads less suitable for children than the average tablet. My wife’s mistake was to trust the advice of the Apple salesperson who claimed that the iPad is a good choice for children.
Nullabillity 6y ago
I managed to drop my old Nexus 5X several times (from regular usage height, on a variety of surfaces), and it never even got any obvious scratches. Screen design are all about tradeoffs, but some people got it right years ago.
- perl4ever 6y ago
  I had a Nexus 4, with a glass back and I dropped it and chipped it early on. Since then I use a case, but I've never broken a screen for whatever reason.
- kergonath 6y ago
  I also managed to drop my iPhone without it getting a scratch. It does not prove anything, though. Glass is a fragile material and seemingly similar shocks can have very different results. AFAIK most of high-end smartphones use the same gorilla glass.
  - Nullabillity 6y ago
    There are different revisions of the Gorilla recipe, with different tradeoffs. The 5X in particular also made a bunch of other decisions that helped the glass survive, like having the frame raised slightly past the glass, so that the frame would absorb the impact rather than the glass itself.
- shard 6y ago
  Force = mass × acceleration. The larger size of the tablet means that if it fails at an angle where the glass is subject to the impact, the force will be greater. It's possible that tablet glass is designed to withstand a larger force to compensate. I don't have any info on that, anyone has any insight into this?

Hermel 6y ago

Not all glass is equal. There is a trade-off between being scratch-proof (harder glass) and shock-proof (softer). Apple seems to be particularly aggressive in going for the former. Also, Apple tends to sacrifice robustness for elegance. Both design decisions make iPads less suitable for children than the average tablet. My wife’s mistake was to trust the advice of the Apple salesperson who claimed that the iPad is a good choice for children.

Nullabillity 6y ago

I managed to drop my old Nexus 5X several times (from regular usage height, on a variety of surfaces), and it never even got any obvious scratches. Screen design are all about tradeoffs, but some people got it right years ago.

perl4ever 6y ago
I had a Nexus 4, with a glass back and I dropped it and chipped it early on. Since then I use a case, but I've never broken a screen for whatever reason.
kergonath 6y ago
I also managed to drop my iPhone without it getting a scratch. It does not prove anything, though. Glass is a fragile material and seemingly similar shocks can have very different results. AFAIK most of high-end smartphones use the same gorilla glass.
- Nullabillity 6y ago
  There are different revisions of the Gorilla recipe, with different tradeoffs. The 5X in particular also made a bunch of other decisions that helped the glass survive, like having the frame raised slightly past the glass, so that the frame would absorb the impact rather than the glass itself.
shard 6y ago
Force = mass × acceleration. The larger size of the tablet means that if it fails at an angle where the glass is subject to the impact, the force will be greater. It's possible that tablet glass is designed to withstand a larger force to compensate. I don't have any info on that, anyone has any insight into this?