Broken phone screen from accidental damage

pizzabeek

I recently dropped my uninsured smartphone breaking the internal LCD screen on impact. Though under warranty, the fact that I had dropped it meant that I was liable for the damage. Though I understand that there are several reasons that this is fair, surely there is certain level of strength and durability that one should expect from something that cost several hundred pounds. The phone was dropped from no more than a foot high, something that I have done before to no ill effect.

What's more, anything the phone companies deem to be 'accidental damage' will not be repaired for free, even if this accidental damage is debatable. The companies take a strong stance leaving the consumer with little choice or chance of even being heard.

Am I right in in thinking that modern gadgets should be made to take a certain level of battering, or should I fall in line and pay up without complaint?

drbesty

If I dropped my TV on the floor and the screen broke, I would be liable for the repair (or replacement), whats the difference with a phone? Should I expect my TV to be durable enough to be dropped on the floor? No I shouldn't because thats not what its designed for

Parva

I was about to reply along the same lines as drbesty but he beat me to it. The world appears to have taken on this whole blame and claim culture and it's just never ending. If I drop a laptop from a height of 1ft and it shatters into pieces on the concrete floor do I sue Acer (or whoever supplied it) as not being fit for the purpose?

Laptops, TV's and even mobiles are not designed to withstand the impact of being dropped. I'm sure many of us have dropped mobile phones and the phone has survived but that's not to say that it's designed to withstand that sort of treatment and unless you have bought some kind of 'rugged' phone that professes to withstand that sort of punishment then you're on a hiding to nothing.

macman

Depends what you drop it on. 12 inches onto a thick carpet would probably be OK, the same onto a hard surface obviously will not. The LCD is always the vulnerable part.
It's perfectly possible to make a ruggedised model that will take this sort of punishment, but most buyers prefers trendy looks and new apps over solidity.

DUTR

pizzabeek wrote: »

I recently dropped my uninsured smartphone breaking the internal LCD screen on impact. Though under warranty, the fact that I had dropped it meant that I was liable for the damage. Though I understand that there are several reasons that this is fair, surely there is certain level of strength and durability that one should expect from something that cost several hundred pounds. The phone was dropped from no more than a foot high, something that I have done before to no ill effect.

What's more, anything the phone companies deem to be 'accidental damage' will not be repaired for free, even if this accidental damage is debatable. The companies take a strong stance leaving the consumer with little choice or chance of even being heard.

Am I right in in thinking that modern gadgets should be made to take a certain level of battering, or should I fall in line and pay up without complaint?

My handset has been dropped several times, still works fine, I think it's time to consider a case / cover for your next handset, also if you are going to insure a handset, then ensure the policy will cover your likely need for claim, best protection maybe not to insure , saves money and the owners are more careful with the handsets as it is not in the owners interest to leave it on a table in a busy restaurant, on a taxi dashboard etc etc

Rusty!

All depends on how it lands. I dropped my Nexus One (glass digitizer) from chest height in a car park. It survived with a minor scratch because the corner of the phone took the brunt. Other people have dropped the same phone from a much lower height and trashed the digitizer because that took the hit instead.

You've had some bad luck, but there is no way you should be expecting a free repair for being a clumsy oaf

Fifer

Parva wrote: »

mobiles are not designed to withstand the impact of being dropped.

That certainly didn't used to be the case. When I worked in the mobile manufacturing industry, our phone designs had to functionally survive a standard drop test from 1m onto a concrete floor.

Rusty!

They are designed with being dropped in mind, but they can't test every possible drop/landing onto every possible surface.

Here is some of what HTC put their stuff through: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1sz5c-R9h0

Parva

Fifer wrote: »

That certainly didn't used to be the case. When I worked in the mobile manufacturing industry, our phone designs had to functionally survive a standard drop test from 1m onto a concrete floor.

Oh I don't doubt that some ruggedness is built into phones and other electronics but as pointed out by Rusty it's near impossible to cater for every situation. It also doesn't remove the fact that phones are simply not designed to be dropped and attempting to make a claim for a broken phone that has been dropped will likely be thrown in the bin.

phoebe03cat

So why tell them it was dropped?

Rusty!

You could try that. Be pretty obvious from the damage though.