IPod Touch Cracked Screen After Small Bump

I purchased an IPod touch 4th generation, 32 gb in December for my son. Earlier this week the IPod was dropped on a granite counter while my husband was trying to plug it in. The screen broke. I was very surprised that this IPod did not hold up to a drop like this because we have had 5 IPods that all have been in clumsy hands at one time or another and have never cracked a screen. It seems that the IPod should have held up to a short drop of this nature. I took the IPod to the apple store and even though this IPod is less than 1 year old, it will still cost about $150.00 to fix. It is disappointing that this new line of IPods is not sturdy like older models. We are loyal Apple customers. We have an Imac and just purchased a new imac earlier this week (should be shipping to our house as I type this). We also encouraged our family to purchase Apple products and since we are the "tech savvy" relatives, all of our family has purchased mac books and imacs for their home computers. We have not bought the new IPad, but are looking into one for the future. I am now leery to try anything with a touch screen that is so sensitive to cracking. Although our purchases are enjoyed and used extensively, we are very tight on money with one income and young children. It is so disappointing to us when these circumstances arise. We also called Apple and were asked to post on the forum and told that our complaint would be forwarded to a supervisor and we may or may not hear back.

It's something that can happen with a device with a glass screen. Just like a dinner plate, sometimes it can withstand a small drop, but if it gets dropped just right it can shatter.

Defected glass

This sounds like it is a defect in the glass. I would call the dinner plate company as well... We never experienced a problem like this with our other IPods... If this is what happens when touch screens are the new thing to use, I would rather not use a touch screen...

Amybohac said:

This sounds like it is a defect in the glass. I would call the dinner plate company as well... We never experienced a problem like this with our other IPods... If this is what happens when touch screens are the new thing to use, I would rather not use a touch screen...

Click to expand...

Every accident that results in damage...does not automatically mean "defect"!

Like "Stretch" mentioned...sometimes very fragile objects (like ceramic dinner plates, drinking glasses, etc.)...can sometimes survive very large falls, or impacts with other objects. And then other times...they can break or crack very unexpectedly.

Same thing with the touchscreen on an iPod. It probably hit the VERY hard granite countertop at just the right angle...so VERY little force was needed to cause a crack.

iPod Touches (and iPhones) have been around for a long time now (4th generation). If there were widespread defects with the displays...we probably would have heard about it.

iPhones (same display) are WAY too popular...for a widespread defect like this to not have made the nightly news, local newspapers, internet blogs, and all sorts of product review websites!

- Nick

You dropped glass on granite. Apparently with no protective case on it.

I like the way you have tried to shift the fault to Apple. Most amusing.

My touch I bought used was shattered and I fixed it for free. Before I fixed it I did a few tests and found that corner drops and angled drops are the harshest on the screen. I have a ton of iPods and I do have to say that the touch is the weakest of all of them. I have cases on all of my iPods and that is what I recommend if you don't want a shattered device.

It was a corner hit

@rabbitjetta, How did you replace the screen. We have done some small repairs on our imac, like swapping out an old hard drive. Is the repair much harder or on the same level as that....
@chas_m There really isn't the need for sarcasm. I was not trying to be rude or amusing.

I don't suggest that the glass defect is a widespread problem. Of course there would not be iphones and ipods so widely in use if it were. I was just quite surprised that they are so fragile compared to old models that have seen a lot more wear and tear. I didn't feel like the glass should have broke with such a short drop. When and if we do replace the screen, I will get a protective cover for this device. We are waiting a little while for an ipad due to economic constraints, but I would get a protective cover for that too.

I don't think or even think there is an option for a cover for the new imac that should be arriving in the mail today

Thank you for those that were helpful and kind in your responses. Overall we have been very happy Apple customers.

Well you will need some tools and you can get them rather cheap on amazon.
you will need Amazon.com: White Ipod Touch 4th Lcd Display Screen + Touch Glass Screen Digitizer Assembly + White Home Button with White Plastic Round Holder + Tool: Cell Phones & Accessories ( i chose the white because it has a home button already on it but you can find another.)
Amazon.com: 5 X New Ipod Touch 4th Gen Adhesive Strip Sticker: MP3 Players & Accessories
A hair dryer
tweezers
and this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V2Y24Y/?tag=macforums0e4-20
The guide is avalible here http://ifixit-guide-pdfs.s3.amazonaws.com/guide_3639_en.pdf
I pretty much fix iPhones, ipods and macs for a "job" (i am 16 now). If you have taken your imac apart then you can take the touch apart. it is rather easy if you follow the guide.

Thanks Rabbitjetta

That's a shame, it's weird how it will only break sometimes when you drop it. I've dropped mine a million times and fortunately it hasn't broken.

Amybohac said:

@chas_m There really isn't the need for sarcasm. I was not trying to be rude or amusing.

Click to expand...

I wasn't being sarcastic. You are trying to deflect blame for the problem from yourself by claiming that Apple gave you a defective product. The fact of the matter is that Apple didn't drop an unprotected Touch on hard granite. You did.

Man up (or woman up) and pay to have it fixed. Learn the lesson, buy a case and/or be more careful with it. This isn't rocket science.

The iPhone and iPod Touch both use the same Corning Gorilla Glass that is used on other smartphones and media players. It's just a laminated, reinforced glass, much like what you would find in an automobile.

And just like with automotive glass, if it hits at the right angle, it can easily shatter. This is especially true if the device comes down on a corner. This is why most protective cases wrap around the edges.

I would imagine that if it had fallen flat on its face, it would have been fine, but I'd be willing to bet it came down on a corner or the edge.

I have a hard time understanding how this could be interpreted as a "defect". I think you'd be inclined to agree that if the act of dropping it onto a rock-hard, granite countertop hadn't occurred, the glass wouldn't have cracked. Am I right?

This is something that is user inflicted. Had it cracked during normal handling, I would be inclined to agree with the "defect" assessment.

I'm not trying to rub salt in the wound here, but you do need to apply a little common sense to your expensive electronics and take a little personal responsibility when you've neglected to do so.