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iPhone 3G - Cracks in Plastic Housing

I have been reading a lot of posting indicating cracks in the iPhone 3G plastic housing. I have multiple hairline cracks around my camera and near the volume rocker.

For some reason the thread here (Apple Discussions) has disappeared??? So I opened a new one. Apple must do something about this.

There is another thread at macrumors.com on the same topic: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=525177

HP, Windows XP

Posted on Aug 1, 2008 5:41 AM

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320 replies

Aug 1, 2008 6:31 AM in response to Slicecom

After reading the various comments about the cracking plastics and viewing the pictures this appears to be a design flaw in the product, the story has now spread across numerous other apple blogs/sites so removing the discussion here will not stop the complaints, the sooner the problem is addressed the less damage to apple, keeping quiet allow the story to build. I have a concern that a phone that is purchased with a long contract appears to be breaking up after a couple of weeks, an official statement would help clarify the situation and dampen the outcry..

Aug 1, 2008 6:37 AM in response to neuroanatomist

neuroanatomist wrote:
widespread problem


This cracks me up! 😉 (sorry, couldn't resist) Over a million phones, a few hundred at most with this issue, that's not widespread.


You laugh now, but you won't be laughing when your phone starts cracking to pieces. We've had polls in other forums and have figured out that it's not due to a "bad batch" of phones, because its happening to phones that were made from the beginning of 3G production, to the most recent phones, bought days ago. If that isn't widespread, I don't know what is.

Aug 1, 2008 6:45 AM in response to musicvan

I personally think its on both but is only visible on the white phones as the dirt that gets in the hairline cracks is obviously darker than the case. I think the plastic case is injection moulded and then spayed with a clear-coat lacquer (hence some people having bubbles/imperfections). The clear-coat seems to be brittle and when the plastic case is pushed onto the chromed bezel the plastic stretches very slightly and crazes the lacquer at the weakest points where the plastic is thinner. This is my take on the reason for the problem and just comes from very close inspection of my white iPhone that has now been returned and exchanged for a black one. If I cant see the fault I'm not so bothered if its there etc. If you are bothered by the problem exchange your unit. If you purchased direct from apple you have 14 days.

Aug 1, 2008 6:50 AM in response to ballison1

I have a Black 16GB iPhone 3G and I noticed last night that it has two small cracks in the case. One is coming from the head phone jack area (facing away from the metal screen bezel) and the other crack is towards the bottom of the phone (on the curved plastic edge). I can say with confidence that I have never dropped this phone, nor have I put it in my back pocket and sat on it. I have not tried to go to Apple to replace it, because from what I understand, it's not like many Apple stores even have iPhones in stock.

It is definitely disappointing to see this "low quality" build of their newest gadget....especially after waiting 7 hours in line to get two on launch day (one for me, one for my wife). We also waited all day in line to get two of the original iPhones on launch day, but after this experience we'll probably wait a few months until after the launch of the next generation iPhone before we decide to upgrade again.

Aug 1, 2008 6:57 AM in response to runkelb

it looks like apple decided to block or remove the dozens of reports from the original thread ( http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7741878). that's pretty disgusting & makes me feel completely differently about the company. it's not what they are hiding, because we know what that is, but why are they hiding it? i hope they'll keep a copy for the lawyers for when this cracking issue becomes a class action suit.

mine: white, factory 88, week 26. exact same crack near the mute switch as about 20 other pics I've seen.

google cache of the original thread only caught 17 posts: http://tinyurl.com/62rbvd

Aug 1, 2008 6:58 AM in response to runkelb

Thanks for reposting. I added my comments last night and was just checking in to see if anyone had advice, but its gone.

I also have little fractures between the the headphone jack and the sim card cutout. They seems to be subsurface but Im afraid that they will spider or start to separate.

I have an appointment with the apple store for them to take a look on Saturday.

Not sure IF they offer me a new phone it will be worth it. If they all have the defect then I may has well keep mine. My hope is that I will be logged in their database with this issue and hopefully compensated when/if it's acknowledged.

I also wanted to put out there that I love my new iphone and am not an apple hater...just a concerned consumer who shelled out $$$ for the high end phone and service. It should be sturdy enough to last a few months (or 17 days) without showing signs of falling apart!

iPhone 3G - Cracks in Plastic Housing

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