Definitely dont get an iPhone if you need durability. Unless you have a bulky case around it, you can expect these things to take damage *easily*. That entire top-surface is glass. That polished plastic and chrome - scratch magnets. You're spot-on thinking the iPhone is delicate. Any proper case you get for it, very much detracts from the slickness of the exterior appearance. I had an exec crack his screen twice in a week, but all-in-all I really haven't had any issues across the user base - at least no others I am aware of - but that doesn't say much because anyone that has one owns it, and can very well just take it to an Apple store without my knowledge. But I do usually get the calls for recommendations for issues.
Side-story: For the exec, he knows a friend of a friend that knows a local guy in Miami that replaces screens right in front of you while you wait for $50. He comes to where ever you are, as I understand it. He has the specialty tools to do it, and it takes 15 minutes or so. I checked it out after, and I never would have known it was replaced. The exec at least knew better than to not watch and just hand-off the device. He uses a very slim protector. I use the More. Leather Original Plus: http://www.more-thing.com/leather-hard-cover-for-iphone-3g.html The LOP makes the phone twice as thick, but it has a tall ridge around the display that provides excellent protection. I've dropped the thing on tile twice, pavement 3 times, and I cant tell you how many times at home or around the office. Hell, I will drop it from 4 feet to show people in the office (standard office pile carpet). Its either been excellent or I have a horseshoe up my rear that someone didnt tell me about the next day. It otherwise looks good and has a good grip/feel IMO. The grip is good; I'm just butter-fingers with phones. I also keep an anti-glare screen protector on it. This detracts from the vibrancy and clarity of the native screen and "crystal clear" protectors, but I really do not like the otherwise highly reflective properties of the phone - especially when outside in sunny Florida. -- ME2 On Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 11:36 AM, Martin Blackstone <[email protected]>wrote: > So let me pose an iPhone question. > > Compared to a BB, how does it physically hold up. I have guys here that > just beat the living hell out of their phones and of course they are also > the ones who want iPhones and the iPhone just looks too delicate for day to > day usage by a lot of folks. > > The BB can take a hell of a beating and short of the occasional track ball > replacement, I rarely have to replace them unless someone has dropped it in > a toilet or some other catastrophic issue. > > But that glass front on the iPhone scares me. > > So how many of you that have deployed the iPhone have had to deal with > physical damage? >
