Here's why I prefer polycarbonate to cheap metal...

[Vegastouch]

It's not made cheap. People are just inept.

Ineptitude will undo even something as slick as an iPhone.

Some people should not have nice things.

Image

Please....so you bash Android every chance you get but cant admit the iPhone is cheaply made? Talk about justifying your purchase. No other iPhones have done this. Hec i havent seen any Androids do that.

You probably want to try and tell me nobody put the iPhone in their pockets til they made it so much bigger with a .5" bigger screen and made it neccessary
Hey i love my GS3 but i admit its shortcomings. Thats called dealing in reality.
Try it sometime.

 

[siiip5]

All 100% user error.

Yeah, just like when Steve said, "You're holding it wrong."? Sorry, but you sound like an apologist for Apple by saying that. My iPhone 4 went through a hell of a lot of abuse and it never bent like that. It never chipped or stained. Same can be said for my S3. I haven't used a case or screen protector on it since I bought it in June and it is still flawless. And it stays in my front pocket all the time. I abuse the hell out of it, just like I did with my iphone. When i pay $500 to $600 for a phone (which i do), I expect a certain level of QA from the phone. The iphone 5 is crap in my book. I would buy a 4S before dealing with a 5.

 

[onthecouchagain]

All 100% user error.

From what I've read of those threads, a lot of those bends happened just from normal daily use. Can they be trusted? Who knows, but it's happening to more than just one person.

Even if it was "user error," how weak must the metal be for it to bend like that? I mean, I would think, you'd have to try very hard to accomplish some of those types of bends...

I want to be clear, I'm not even necessarily knocking the iPhone 5 per se. Defects do happen. But there's only one side of the fans that keeps touting superior build quality, superior engineering (where's Zbarian?), superior design, premium material, etc.

Zbarian once said thinner and lighter is only innovation if it's engineered correctly also. Where is he now?

EDIT: Apparently Zbarian is on time-out. Wonder what he did.

 

[Technarchy]

Please....so you bash Android every chance you get but cant admit the iPhone is cheaply made? Talk about justifying your purchase. No other iPhones have done this. Hec i havent seen any Androids do that.

You probably want to try and tell me nobody put the iPhone in their pockets til they made it so much bigger with a .5" bigger screen and made it neccessary
Hey i love my GS3 but i admit its shortcomings. Thats called dealing in reality.
Try it sometime.

Damaged phone = user did something stupid.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Damaged phone = user did something stupid.

Please tell that to the plethora of iPhone users who got scuffs out of the box, or the iPhone users from numerous threads telling us about exchanging iPhone after iPhone due to whatever defects they find (a ridiculous practice, if I may say so myself). I guess iPhone users are the stupidest users, according to you? Eh, I guess I can't argue that.

EDIT: Here you go. Right from the iPhone forums. Didn't have to look very far: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1495930/

This is far from the only one.

 

[mib1800]

I'm not defending the iphone, but there is a reason aluminum is the metal of choice for structural members in planes, motorcycles and cars. And single block of billet aluminum is not cheap in either cost or material. That said, the S3 feels much better in the hand over the iphone. It is just more natural and organic, like soft grain leather or wood. The iphone feels sharp, cold and dead, like most metallic objects.

Put the black oneX/metal grey note2 and black iph5 together. Can you tell which is made of what (if you have no prior knowledge of the material)? Not easily. If your eyes cannot tell, then I think it is only imagination for someone to think that something that is scratch-prone, stain-prone and dent-prone (aka ip5) is of a better material.

And I highly doubt it is really that much more expensive to manufacture the casing of ip5 compared to s3.

 

[Technarchy]

Please tell that to the plethora of iPhone users who got scuffs out of the box, or the numerous threads telling us about returning iPhone after iPhone due to whatever defects they find (a ridiculous practice, if I may say so myself). I guess iPhone users are the stupidest users, according to you? Eh, I guess I can't argue that.

I've yet to see an iPhone 5 damaged out the box, and I don't vouch for the opinion of people I don't know...usually.

We have six iPhone 5's where I work. All the users are squared away. None have complained about defects or returns. Until I meet someone I know for a fact is not a chimp, I have yet to see a problem.

 

[hyteckit]

Aluminum isn't a cheap metal. Aluminum is quite expensive compared to steel.

Many car makers use aluminum in place of steel to reduce weight, but the cost goes up.

In February 2011.

Aluminium per ton is $2507.33.
Steel per ton is $532.50.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I've yet to see an iPhone 5 damaged out the box, and I don't vouch for the opinion of people I don't know...usually.

We have six iPhone 5's where I work. All the users are squared away. None have complained about defects or returns. Until I meet someone I know for a fact is not a chimp, I have yet to see a problem.

If you really see no problem with what you just wrote, so be it.

But boy, you sure are giving every ounce of the benefit of the doubt you can possibly muster, aren't you, there? I wonder if you would rise to the defense in such a way with any other manufacturer. Somehow I doubt it.

According to you, Technarchy, every iPhone user with scuffs, dents, bends, or defects are "stupid," especially because you and a few other people you know got no defects on your iPhones. Thus, manufacturing defects don't happen even though Apple offers warranty precisely for manufacturing defects... Right.



----------

There's more from these supposedly "stupid users" (Technarchy):

 

[Lindsford]

Please tell that to the plethora of iPhone users who got scuffs out of the box, or the iPhone users from numerous threads telling us about exchanging iPhone after iPhone due to whatever defects they find (a ridiculous practice, if I may say so myself). I guess iPhone users are the stupidest users, according to you? Eh, I guess I can't argue that.

EDIT: Here you go. Right from the iPhone forums. Didn't have to look very far: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1495930/
This is far from the only one.

Scuffs out of the Box are a quality control problem.

Bent iPhones are 100% a user problem. I see people putting their phone in the back pocket of jeans and sitting on them all the time. With this being the thinnest lightest iphone yet it would be easy to assume there is a lot less internally to help combat the pressure of all the weight forcing the phone to bend. Aluminum bends much more easily then gorilla glass. (Doesn't take a rocket scientist)

 

[onthecouchagain]

Scuffs out of the Box are a quality control problem.

Bent iPhones are 100% a user problem. I see people putting their phone in the back pocket of jeans and sitting on them all the time. With this being the thinnest lightest iphone yet it would be easy to assume there is a lot less internally to help combat the pressure of all the weight forcing the phone to bend. Aluminum bends much more easily then gorilla glass. (Doesn't take a rocket scientist)

Perhaps. I guess there's no point in debating it too intensively since we can't be certain which story is true. From what I've read, though, the dents and bends are happening from normal usage. It's still a problem if the metal can't handle pocket stress. I mean, when did we last hear the iPhone 4/4S bending? Did people only start using backpockets when the iPhone came out? You're also this close to essentially saying "you're pocketing it wrong."

Regarding general defects, here's what Technarchy wrote regarding scuffs and defects out of the box:

I've yet to see an iPhone 5 damaged out the box, and I don't vouch for the opinion of people I don't know...usually.

We have six iPhone 5's where I work. All the users are squared away. None have complained about defects or returns. Until I meet someone I know for a fact is not a chimp, I have yet to see a problem.

They apparently don't exist cause he's never witnessed it with his own eyes, despite numerous threads in the iPhone forums stating otherwise, and despite Apple offering warranty precisely to cover manufacturing defects. Talk to him. You don't have to tell me.

 

[Lindsford]

If you really see no problem with what you just wrote, so be it.

But boy, you sure are giving every ounce of the benefit of the doubt you can possibly muster, aren't you, there? I wonder if you would rise to the defense in such a way with any other manufacturer. Somehow I doubt it.

According to you, Technarchy, every iPhone user with scuffs, dents, bends, or defects are "stupid," especially because you and a few other people you know got no defects on your iPhones. Thus, manufacturing defects don't happen even though Apple offers warranty precisely for manufacturing defects... Right.



----------

There's more from these supposedly "stupid users" (Technarchy):


YouTube: video

YouTube: video

YouTube: video

Also to further drive my point, the kid in video 3 admits its in his back pocket.

 

[ChazUK]

This problem obviously doesn't exist.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Also to further drive my point, the kid in video 3 admits its in his back pocket.

And in this thread, user claims to never have put it in his backpocket nor apply any sort of stress: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1465403/

Is he telling the truth? I don't know. At the very least, it debunks the supposedly premium build quality that's engineered to perfect innovation that some might tout. No?

Again, I'm actually not finding this a big deal. I'm not knocking the iPhone 5 per se. The Nexus 4 has had spontaneous cracks with its glass, and that's just as perplexing and troubling. I'm simply saying, only one side is constantly touting perfect design, build quality, materials, and engineering and always using it as a talking point against the other.

 

[Technarchy]

And in this thread, user claims to never have put it in his backpocket nor apply any sort of stress: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1465403/

Is he telling the truth? I don't know. At the very least, it debunks the supposedly premium build quality that's engineered to perfect innovation that some might tout. No?

Again, I'm actually not finding this a big deal. I'm not knocking the iPhone 5 per se. The Nexus 4 has had spontaneous cracks with its glass, and that's just as perplexing and troubling. I'm simply saying, only one side is constantly touting perfect design, build quality, materials, and engineering and always using it as a talking point against the other.

I don't buy spontaneous bending with the iPhone 5 in the same way I didn't buy spontaneous glass cracks in the iPhone 4S, and now the Nexus 4.

Some people should not have nice things. That's all there is to it.

User error...

 

[onthecouchagain]

I don't buy spontaneous bending with the iPhone 5 in the same way I didn't buy spontaneous glass cracks in the iPhone 4S, and now the Nexus 4.

Some people should not have nice things. That's all there is to it.

User error...

Yes, it's already perfectly clear how you go about things: if you've never witnessed it personally, said problem doesn't exist.

That's really a conversation stopper, so... good luck.

 

[siiip5]

I don't buy spontaneous bending with the iPhone 5 in the same way I didn't buy spontaneous glass cracks in the iPhone 4S, and now the Nexus 4.

Some people should not have nice things. That's all there is to it.

User error...

So they were holding it wrong? I'm sure a ten cent bumper case will fix this issue too? LOL

 

[Technarchy]

Yes, it's already perfectly clear how you go about things: if you've never witnessed it personally, said problem doesn't exist.

That's really a conversation stopper, so... good luck.

Some things just don't pass the sniff test. I've heard every excuse in the world for damaged and missing equipment from hundreds of junior enlisted soldiers.

Stuff does not magically break in the real world, and I doubt bent iPhone 5's are a Matrix glitch.

 

[Vegastouch]

Also to further drive my point, the kid in video 3 admits its in his back pocket.

Yeah we get that and my point is....show me other past iPhones that have had that happen? People just didnt start putting it in their back pocket with the iPhone 5 so trying to say user error is all fine and good but it was never a problem before with the iPhone or any Androids that i know of....and we all know how cheaply made they are being plastic and all

 

[Lindsford]

And in this thread, user claims to never have put it in his backpocket nor apply any sort of stress: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1465403/

Is he telling the truth? I don't know. At the very least, it debunks the supposedly premium build quality that's engineered to perfect innovation that some might tout. No?

Again, I'm actually not finding this a big deal. I'm not knocking the iPhone 5 per se. The Nexus 4 has had spontaneous cracks with its glass, and that's just as perplexing and troubling. I'm simply saying, only one side is constantly touting perfect design, build quality, materials, and engineering and always using it as a talking point against the other.

There are so many "stories" about how a phone spontaneously did something that defied physics. It just doesn't happen. Is it weaker then previous phone builds? Clearly. As you pointed out other phones aren't having people post their bent iPhone 4/4S etc. But to Assume this just happened on it's own is asinine.

Remember a while back when a Samsung Galaxy S3 just randomly exploded?

http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-galaxy-s3-did-not-spontaneously-combust-says-report-100096/

Phones do not just do things like that on their own.

----------

Yeah we get that and my point is....show me other past iPhones that have had that happen? People just didnt start putting it in their back pocket with the iPhone 5 so trying to say user error is all fine and good but it was never a problem before with the iPhone or any Androids that i know of....and we all know how cheaply made they are being plastic and all

Show me a phone that's built out of similar materials, just as thin, use it in your back pocket and sit on it on a daily basis for a week or 2 and let me know how it works out for you.

Gorilla Glass > Aluminum.

That's the problem with the race to get the thinnest phone. You begin to lose durability. Again, It's not rocket science.

 

[matttye]

Yet another problem that hasn't affected me in any way. I'm either lucky or just take care of my phone.

 

[Vegastouch]

There are so many "stories" about how a phone spontaneously did something that defied physics. It just doesn't happen. Is it weaker then previous phone builds? Clearly. As you pointed out other phones aren't having people post their bent iPhone 4/4S etc. But to Assume this just happened on it's own is asinine.

Remember a while back when a Samsung Galaxy S3 just randomly exploded?

http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-galaxy-s3-did-not-spontaneously-combust-says-report-100096/

Phones do not just do things like that on their own.

----------



Show me a phone that's built out of similar materials, just as thin, use it in your back pocket and sit on it on a daily base for a week or 2 and let me know how it works out for you.

Gorilla Glass > Aluminum.

That's the problem with the race to get the thinnest phone. You begin to lose durability. Again, It's not rocket science.

I guess that is a design problem then. And i have never understood the infatuation with a thin phone. Many say the Lumia 920 is too thick. My GS3 is thin for a big phone but i have a Otter Box on it and that makes it thicker and i dont care. We are talking about 1 or 2 mm's.

I saw one guy say that 1 or 2 mm's makes a big difference when trying to move your thumb across to the other side

 

[F123D]

Damaged phone = APPLE did something stupid.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Lindsford]

I guess that is a design problem then. And i have never understood the infatuation with a thin phone. Many say the Lumia 920 is too thick. My GS3 is thin for a big phone but i have a Otter Box on it and that makes it thicker and i dont care. We are talking about 1 or 2 mm's.

I saw one guy say that 1 or 2 mm's makes a big difference when trying to move your thumb across to the other side

Design problem, possible.
Phones bending on their own, impossible.

I don't care about thickness, I Just want the S4 to be same form factor, with a 1080P display and better battery life. Also I hope they keep the ability to add storage, and swap batteries. Huge selling point for me

 

[SlCKB0Y]

I would think, you'd have to try very hard to accomplish some of those types of bends...

Duh!! onthecouchagain!! It's a feature, don't you know anything? Whilst in your pocket, the iPhone 5 bends and molds to the natural contours of your leg for greater ergonomics and comfort for the user.