[Q] Screen Scratches - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III

Okay, call me confused.... I bought my device on Black Friday and got it some time around Nov 27th. For the first two weeks I owned it, I didn't notice a single scratch on the display, and it seemed to "repel" finger prints (or at least they seemed to clean themselves off after a short period of time). Now, less than two weeks later, I'm seeing tons of long ultrathin scratches (so thin I can't feel them), and one "dent" (about a half mm in diameter) and the fingerprint repulsion property may have decreased.
I've talked to both Sprint and Samsung who are claiming I physically damaged it and its not covered any warranty. Both claim scratches on the glass are extremely rare (one supervisor at Sprint claimed he had never heard of a single incidence of this). I've owned devices with Gorilla Glass before and never had problems like this. Generally speaking I try to be very careful with my phone (in a pocket with nothing else) or on a desk, face up. Of course, I'm not saying I'm a perfect angel about it, but I do try. I only touch the screen with my finger.
Samsung has been all over the map. One person claimed that Samsung recommends a screen protector, another person claimed that "manufacturers usually recommend" a screen protector, and when I asked where in writing they published the recommendation they of course had no answer. The same person who said the "manufacturers usually recommend" also explicitly said I should not expect scratches after 4 weeks without one.
Its almost like there was a hard coating on the surface of the glass that is wearing off and it is becoming far more sensitive to scratches. I keep reading reports about how some phones are highly resistant and some aren't, So... what's the deal with this?

I've had mine since August and no scratches of any kind, without a screen protector.
Then again, I baby my devices. It's either in my hand, on my desk, or in my pocket with nothing else in it. Only my fiance is allowed to use my phone, no one else.

This is a long shot here, but have you tried giving the screen a really careful cleaning? I've had thin streaks of ....maybe grease?.... on the screen that I thought were scratches. After a careful cleaning they disappeared. My SGS3 is about 6 months old now and still no scratches on the screen.
As far as the hardening wearing off, seems unlikely. Its actually a heat treatment to the surface of the glass, not something they spray on. It's part of the glass itself.

I'm pretty sure its not grease... I went over it with my fingernail and I can definitely feel some and there is no deformation of the "scratch." I've also scrubbed it with my shirt. If it was simply grease or something on top of the surface I'm sure it would have wiped away.
I wouldn't say I've babied the phone but I think I've made an intentional effort to be careful with it, especially once I saw the first scratch, but they just seem to be multiplying. I strongly suspect the glass is defective. When searching on it, it seems some people never have scratching problems and others are getting the screen scratched up within hours. It seems to me that the quality of Gorilla Glass is inconsistent, but it also seems like Sprint and Samsung deny the problem exists. So I may be SOL.

Qs go in Q&A
Thread moved
XDA Moderator

I am sorry to here this man, in your post before this you mentioned using your shirt to clean the screen. That is a big no no in my book, i would suggest using a lint free microfiber cloth, and make sure it is dry. I always bye Rayban sunglasses and they tell you never to use your shirt to clean them. I am not saying that's how they occurred but from now on maybe FYI.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Related

[Q] Nexus display scratching?

Hi,
I heard that display is prone to scratches. I used HTC HD2 for two years without any scratch and without any display protection. I hate display protections!
So, is it necessary to use some screen protection or display is armored?
The Galaxy Nexus screen isn't Gorilla® Glass, but it's something similar.
All screens are prone to scratches, but it depends on luck. You can find scratch tests that show people taking keys to phones (even the Galaxy Nexus), but keys can be relatively softer than random particles of dirt, salt, dust, etc.
My Galaxy Nexus showed 2 extremely minor scratches on the screen after a few days of very, very gentle use; however, they're only noticeable when reflected under a 6500K-150W light bulb (basically, sunlight) with the screen off. Any other time (with screen on or off), they're impossible to see. No idea where they came from, but meh.
A quality screen protector is a worthwhile investment, and isn't too much of a deal if it's a decent protector. I hate Zagg protectors; orange peel and a lot of friction added to the finger (this doesn't bother some people).
I recently tried an XO case on my GN and while the fit could be a bit better (it's a tad too short), it's perfectly smooth and adds minimal friction. Mine's still drying, but I plan to follow up to my other post tomorrow: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21082579#post21082579
There are even a few coupons earlier in the thread, and with a 30 day refund policy and lifetime warranty, shipping (like $3) is all you have to lose.
Get one... Or you're going to regret it after about a week
4278 said:
My Galaxy Nexus showed 2 extremely minor scratches on the screen after a few days of very, very gentle use
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That happened to my phone a well, i was carrying it around in my jeans, without anything else in that pocket...
I would really recommend to get yourself a screen protector, but I don't think one needs a case as well if you don't plan to drop your phone
c00king.c0w said:
That happened to my phone a well, i was carrying it around in my jeans, without anything else in that pocket...
I would really recommend to get yourself a screen protector, but I don't think one needs a case as well if you don't plan to drop your phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't plan on dropping your phone. Sometimes it is just unexpected
i just let my headphones plugged in at all times, those are usually enough to prevent the phone from dropping just don't do this while riding a bike... when your phone gets into the wheel you strangulate yourself...
and yes, i'm speaking from my own experience i just got myself some bt headphones for biking
I've had this device since release and have had no problems with scratches. I've dropped it multiple times and I haven't necessarily been gentle with it. Just get insurance. Totally worth the money IMO.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Screen easy to broke?

Hello everyone,
Is it just me or the new M8 have a fragile screen? I've had quite a lot of HTC phone in the past and never had a scratched/broken/cracked screen with any of them (they had invisible shield but it still was very clear). But my M8? A different story. My first one last 1 month before cracking near the middle on the left. I changed it and immediatly (as in remove from the box and install) an invisible shield glass. Now, the protector, 8 weeks old, is cracked at 4 places.
The phone never droped or hit anything and is alone in my pocket, far from anything, like all of my other phone... Is it because it's bigger then the other, thus making it "warp" in my pocket, adding pressure on the screen? I don't know, but I really feel like I'll be forced to by a case with front flap to prevent that, something I really wanted to avoid.
nodiaque said:
Hello everyone,
Is it just me or the new M8 have a fragile screen? I've had quite a lot of HTC phone in the past and never had a scratched/broken/cracked screen with any of them (they had invisible shield but it still was very clear). But my M8? A different story. My first one last 1 month before cracking near the middle on the left. I changed it and immediatly (as in remove from the box and install) an invisible shield glass. Now, the protector, 8 weeks old, is cracked at 4 places.
The phone never droped or hit anything and is alone in my pocket, far from anything, like all of my other phone... Is it because it's bigger then the other, thus making it "warp" in my pocket, adding pressure on the screen? I don't know, but I really feel like I'll be forced to by a case with front flap to prevent that, something I really wanted to avoid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've invested in this Awesome phone, but you don't want to spend money to protect it? Personally I bought an otterbox. These days one hast to have a protective case, as all the newer phones screens are fragile. I am glad the rep at the T-Mobile store talked me into getting the case. I have a bit more peace of mind now. If you get a case I highly recommend an otter case, I don't think there is a case better than an otter case, then again this is the first time I have bought a case for my phone so I could be wrong.
Hmmm... Haven't had a case since one x, gorilla glass are suppose to be tough and I like the aluminum finish on the phone. M7 didn't had this issue neither. Right now I'm waiting for my invisible glass replacement, but still, this phone never dropped, never bump on something, always rest on his back and still, screen broke. It's super fragile and it shouldn't be like that
Never had this problem at all. I hammer my phones too. I've dropped it numerous times, and it has marks and chips in the aluminium and two very small scratches on the screen.
Nothing at all fragile about this phone or the screen, although you said the screen protector shattered too so it's something you are doing.
I really don't see what I'm doing differently then with all my other phone. It's in my pocket, screen side on my skin so if it bump, it bump the back, always rest on his back, never droped or bumped.... The first one cracked from the middle of the screen (left to the middle), this one, the screen protector cracked from the top middle to the right. Really weird...
nodiaque said:
I really don't see what I'm doing differently then with all my other phone. It's in my pocket, screen side on my skin so if it bump, it bump the back, always rest on his back, never droped or bumped.... The first one cracked from the middle of the screen (left to the middle), this one, the screen protector cracked from the top middle to the right. Really weird...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps it's getting twisted from being in the pocket. The phone is quite tall, so when it's in your pocket and you move around, it could put stress on the phone and make it crack. For instance when you sit down and your pants gets stretched out etc. I've broken the volume buttons of another phone by keeping in the pocket while im on a bike, and in time the stress on the buttons caused them to malfuntion.
That's the only explanation i can think of, when you say that you haven't dropped it and it hasn't bumped into anything etc.

Screen Durability/Scratch Resistance

Hi all,
So I bought a OP3 used from some dude online. Phone was in great condition when I saw it. Only had a light scratch on the screen. Noticeable, but nothing to cry about. I did wonder what the guy could have done to it (and why he removed the screen protector) since it is GG4 and is supposed to be the newest of the new, but whatever. Well, a few days ago, I had to put the phone away in a locker and it was stored along with other phones. I did not notice until a day later, but it has a whole bunch of little scratches on the screen now. Just wanted to ask you all if anyone has had similar issues. My Nexus 6p has never gotten a scratch and I have always had it without a screen protector. I also am always careful with my devices. Never been dropped either.
Thanks,
I leave this here for you.
derdjango said:
I leave this here for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but I kinda wanted real world experience. I have seen that video before. How am I supposed to know what strength a level 7 pick resembles. And even if I do my experience was glass on glass scratches which wouldnt make sense then.
I have noticed two little scratches on the screen just a few minutes ago, i ve used it at the beach during a vacation .. i m a bit disappointed for the screen resistance of this phone , i would ve never thought this was supposed to have scracthes so easely...
shajk-00 said:
I have noticed two little scratches on the screen just a few minutes ago, i ve used it at the beach during a vacation .. i m a bit disappointed for the screen resistance of this phone , i would ve never thought this was supposed to have scracthes so easely...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your comment. Exactly what I was thinking. The video above does not compare to real world usage.
Yes indeed, mines are even very noticeable with the screen on...this device actually has a very bad screen resistance
Ok first of all every phone with gorilla glass 4 will scratch identically. Tired of all this my phone is scratched my other phones never scratched in every XDA forum for a specific phone. EVERY PHONE WILL SCRATCH IN YOUR POCKET. Tiny particles of silica are inside the grit in your pockets which is much harder than glass and if you rub your phone in your pocket it will scratch, and this happens every day. Every phone I've had without a screen protector is eventually filled with micro scratches. My Galaxy S3, HTC M7, galaxy S4, LG G2, xperia Z2, galaxy S5, galaxy S6 all scratched slowly over time. Its normal, get a screen protector and you won't complain
crzykiller said:
Ok first of all every phone with gorilla glass 4 will scratch identically. Tired of all this my phone is scratched my other phones never scratched in every XDA forum for a specific phone. EVERY PHONE WILL SCRATCH IN YOUR POCKET. Tiny particles of silica are inside the grit in your pockets which is much harder than glass and if you rub your phone in your pocket it will scratch, and this happens every day. Every phone I've had without a screen protector is eventually filled with micro scratches. My Galaxy S3, HTC M7, galaxy S4, LG G2, xperia Z2, galaxy S5, galaxy S6 all scratched slowly over time. Its normal, get a screen protector and you won't complain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhhmm.. It's not really a complaint. I am just wondering why they are soo noticeable. I am looking at my 6p right now on direct light and at my OP3. I treat them both the same, wear the same clothes (not every day), put them in the same pocket all the time and never put anything else in that pocket but the phone. Both phones are not using cases. I see no noticeable scratches (to me) on the 6p. The oneplus 3's are very noticeable. If you are tired of the posts, then go complain to the people that make the videos of them scratching the phones with picks that do not mimic real world usage. I just posted to read what others thought. I mean the phone is awesome and everything and scratches aren't gonna hurt performance but I was literally in awe because I have never scratched a phone as noticeable as the OP3 has gotten.
Sand will easily scratch any glass even gorilla glass, regardless of your phone.
I didn't like the screen protector that came with my OP3 because it muted the sharpness of the screen. I tried a couple tempered glass protectors off Amazon and they didn't adhere truly to 100% of the screen...so I threw both out. I was about to settle for another screen protector, however I decided I just liked the sharpness of the display with nothing on it, along with the natural oleophobic feel of the glass. I decided that since the phone was only 399 that I'd wing it and see how long I could get out of using it the way I truly enjoyed it before I detected the slightest of any flaw on the screen. It's been approx. two months now and I love using the display with no protection, and still don't have a single scratch. I regularly have the phone in my pocket, along with constantly transferring it between my car cradle and my house/office. I regularly clean the phone every evening....wipe down the back with a dab of alcohol on a tissue, and a dab of water to wipe down screen. Never use anything other than water on the screen because it will deteriorate the oleophobic coating. So far so good.
jorgis1 said:
Uhhmm.. It's not really a complaint. I am just wondering why they are soo noticeable. I am looking at my 6p right now on direct light and at my OP3. I treat them both the same, wear the same clothes (not every day), put them in the same pocket all the time and never put anything else in that pocket but the phone. Both phones are not using cases. I see no noticeable scratches (to me) on the 6p. The oneplus 3's are very noticeable. If you are tired of the posts, then go complain to the people that make the videos of them scratching the phones with picks that do not mimic real world usage. I just posted to read what others thought. I mean the phone is awesome and everything and scratches aren't gonna hurt performance but I was literally in awe because I have never scratched a phone as noticeable as the OP3 has gotten.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you're doing something wrong with the OP3. The pick test is a real world test. If 2 screens require a level 6 on the mobs scale then it will require something of that hardness or higher to scratch your screen. The OP3 and 6P have the same exact screen hardness, they will scratch exactly the same. You or someone probably moved your phone while it was flat on its screen and it went over some grit or something which scratched the screen. It happens and it sucks.
crzykiller said:
Then you're doing something wrong with the OP3. The pick test is a real world test. If 2 screens require a level 6 on the mobs scale then it will require something of that hardness or higher to scratch your screen. The OP3 and 6P have the same exact screen hardness, they will scratch exactly the same. You or someone probably moved your phone while it was flat on its screen and it went over some grit or something which scratched the screen. It happens and it sucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you are probably right. It sucks that it happened so quick though. What I don't like about the pick test is that they should at least show what they mean by level 6 or give a little more explanation. In any case, this was not being made to rant on the phone quality because it is a very well made phone for the price. It exceeded my expectations coming from previous OP devices. I am perfectly fine with the phone. I ordered a TG protector. Hopefully it can hide some of the scratches.
jorgis1 said:
Yeah you are probably right. It sucks that it happened so quick though. What I don't like about the pick test is that they should at least show what they mean by level 6 or give a little more explanation. In any case, this was not being made to rant on the phone quality because it is a very well made phone for the price. It exceeded my expectations coming from previous OP devices. I am perfectly fine with the phone. I ordered a TG protector. Hopefully it can hide some of the scratches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it sucks, my boss slid my 2 day old bare galaxy S6 on a smooth surface and the rear glass was scratched all around the sides.
crzykiller said:
Yeah it sucks, my boss slid my 2 day old bare galaxy S6 on a smooth surface and the rear glass was scratched all around the sides.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is he still alive?

*Updated* Hav'nt had a Screen Protector or Case on my Note 7 since the recall ...

Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORIGINAL POST:
So ...
Since the day or so after the initial recall I decided for once in my life I'll throw caution to the wind and take the plunge of no case or screen protector on my phone, It made me a little sick to my stomach to peel off the screen protector and case and take off for a busy day of work and school with nothing protecting my phone from damage. I figured I'd see a plethora of scratches by the end of the day, and I was able to try this test out because of the recall and Samsung promising to take the phone back regardless of the condition. To my surprise, nothing, not a single scratch, day 2, same and so on.
Fast forward a few weeks, recall phone is traded - STILL IN PERFECT CONDITION, not a screen protector or case has touched it in weeks. Granted I still coddled it, but no different than I would any phone I've had, and I treated the phone like it had a Screen Protector and case on it. Threw it in my pocket, laid it on my desk at work, sat it in my center console in my truck etc. Not a single scratch or dent.
Trade the phone in on Sept 21st and got my new "Safe" Note7, decided that I finally felt comfortable with going "Naked" on my phone after the recall device and have since, so about another week with my "Safe" device and still not a single mark or scratch to be found. I'm actually in the process of getting a replacement for my replacement through Samsung, nothing major, just a lack of quality control on Samsung's part that I have an issue with with this replacement device and Samsung is giving me no hassle about it. I assume my phone suffered from the rush of trying to fix the recall ... but who knows.
Anyways, I will continue going "naked" on this phone, I have no reason not to. And a screen protector just destroys the feeling of this beautiful phones feel and functionality, and really so does a case. i own the LED Wallet case which I love and plan to use here and there, and I probably own around 20 other various cases that I'm sure I will use for fun here and there, But for the most part I've felt the "Naked" feeling and there's no going back lol.
Point of this thread is, I'm not sure how people that are complaining about this phone being "easily scratched" are treating their phones, or if they maybe got defective glass or something. I haven't had a single problem, and when i say I'm anal about my phones it's an understatement, and I feel 100% confident in using this phone protection-free on a daily basis. Obviously you still have to take care of this phone and be extremely careful .... it's made of glass after all. And I cant endorse its drop capabilities lol, That i have no idea of, and hope i never do. But for anyone wondering how this phone holds up with no protection and a pretty active daily use ... so far with my Note7 ... perfectly fine, still looks like the day I opened it.
What issues did you have with your replacement that has caused them to replace the replacement?
This is an interesting test to run - i still have my original one, and the replacement, because Samsung decided the closest drop-off location for me is about 3.5-4 hours away without traffic... I'll be waiting until they call and give me another method to return it. Think I might carry it around and see how it holds up... would be an interesting test, as I'm pretty hard on my devices.
really good to hear your note 7 not scratching easily, I think most ef the people posting geting scratches out of the blue, were careless, honestly not remembering what could have probably scratched their phone, it just takes 2 or 3 people reporting the same thing to drive many others real paranoid, I got my note7 on 29th Aug, and not a single scratch, I treat my phone as any other one, if you spend a sizeable ammount of money, the best way to do is use common sense, and normal level of care
I've never used a screen protector on my original and now replacement Note and all is fine. Now I definitely use a case cause i find this phone too slippery without one... I do take caution, always put it down/away if distracted with something else and never place it in my pocket with anything else like your supposed to.
Sent from my SM-N930P using Tapatalk
asaqwert said:
What issues did you have with your replacement that has caused them to replace the replacement?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The metal bezel on the left hand side of the phone is sharp, like almost razor-blade sharp. You cant see if from looking at it, but you can scrap your hand off it and it feels sharp and uncomfortable to hold. and the corners of the phone where the back glass meet the metal is also sharp on all 4 corners, the right side of the phone is smooth as silk though. very weird, but almost seems like it was clued together fast and off centered and shipped out to meet demand. $900 for a phone i HAS to be as perfect as possible, but this one wasn't forgivable.
winol said:
really good to hear your note 7 not scratching easily, I think most ef the people posting geting scratches out of the blue, were careless, honestly not remembering what could have probably scratched their phone, it just takes 2 or 3 people reporting the same thing to drive many others real paranoid, I got my note7 on 29th Aug, and not a single scratch, I treat my phone as any other one, if you spend a sizeable ammount of money, the best way to do is use common sense, and normal level of care
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, just be careful, life happens and that's not up to you, but if you're careful and conscious of your phone on you you should be alright, my wife is horrible about that, I drive a beefed up semi-lifted truck and EVERY time she goes anywhere with me, she places her phone on her lap and then hops out of my truck forgetting the phone was sitting on her lap. Drives me nuts. Her Note 4 has seen some shxt in its day, but still looks good and functions perfect, she wants to upgrade to a Note 7 which i hope she does, but shes gonna have to start paying more attention, because one of those falls out of my truck is going to destroy a Note 7 lol. Clumsiness for the most part can be prevented, just being aware, my phone is the most expensive thing I carry on me, so I always make sure its protected, and to be honest I've seen people smash phones wrapped in tempered glass screen protectors and otter-boxes, stuff happens, but I do my best to avoid it.
Itchiee said:
I've never used a screen protector on my original and now replacement Note and all is fine. Now I definitely use a case cause i find this phone too slippery without one... I do take caution, always put it down/away if distracted with something else and never place it in my pocket with anything else like your supposed to.
Sent from my SM-N930P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh this phone naked is like holding a wet bar of soap, its horribly slippery, But I guess that's the price you pay for a beautiful glass device lol I enjoy the way the glass looks and feels, but I do fear the slipperiness of it, so for me again anytime I pull mine out of my pocket I always ensure my grip is on point, anytime I feel the need to "whip" my phone out really fast I take a breath and realize that i don't actually need to lol, and when I hold the phone, i comfortably hold it with my pinkie finger under it so the phone rests on my finger. Bottom line ... take care of your stuff and be mindful and you should be alright, people treat phones like crap then complain that it cant take a beating ... drives me nuts ... its glass. Treat it like a $900 piece of glass lol.
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
Dmac1984 said:
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least you have a replacement! I put a clear skin on the front and back of mine before I ever powered it on. I'm OCD and any scratches would annoy me and plus I want to keep it in mint condition so if I ever go to sell it on swappa it will be in like new condition. Even with the skin on it, I'm still babying it. What's crazy is my mother had an S4 and she is not easy on phones and after almost 2 years of use on that phone the sides and screen had not a scratch, not even a slight one (I know because I just sold it on swappa and inspected it very close). The screen and edges were still in like new mint condition. Only the removable plastic back had signs of wear. That's kind of sad when you think that a 3+ year old device made by the same company as the note 7 has a more durable screen. I replaced my V10 with the Note 7 and after months of use on my V10 with no protection it still looks new. I stopped using screen protectors and cases 3 years ago because I just hate the added bulk but unfortunately I'm not taking the chance with the Note 7. The clear skin doesn't really bother me though. And I'm thinking about also getting a calicase.
Anyway, thanks for the update. I'm glad I read all the post and not just the first one lol. I think you should edit post 1 so others who are lazy and only read post one don't go and take off their protection and then end up with scratched phones
P.S. I almost forgot. I'm actually on my second note 7 because the first one never made it out the store without getting scratched up. I had them put a screen protector on it for me and they took my phone in the back of the store for like 20 minutes and then come out with a poorly attached protector and then I inspected the phone and they had scratched the back up bad. So I made them replace it.
imucarmen said:
At least you have a replacement! I put a clear skin on the front and back of mine before I ever powered it on. I'm OCD and any scratches would annoy me and plus I want to keep it in mint condition so if I ever go to sell it on swappa it will be in like new condition. Even with the skin on it, I'm still babying it. What's crazy is my mother had an S4 and she is not easy on phones and after almost 2 years of use on that phone the sides and screen had not a scratch, not even a slight one (I know because I just sold it on swappa and inspected it very close). The screen and edges were still in like new mint condition. Only the removable plastic back had signs of wear. That's kind of sad when you think that a 3+ year old device made by the same company as the note 7 has a more durable screen. I replaced my V10 with the Note 7 and after months of use on my V10 with no protection it still looks new. I stopped using screen protectors and cases 3 years ago because I just hate the added bulk but unfortunately I'm not taking the chance with the Note 7. The clear skin doesn't really bother me though. And I'm thinking about also getting a calicase.
Anyway, thanks for the update. I'm glad I read all the post and not just the first one lol. I think you should edit post 1 so others who are lazy and only read post one don't go and take off their protection and then end up with scratched phones
P.S. I almost forgot. I'm actually on my second note 7 because the first one never made it out the store without getting scratched up. I had them put a screen protector on it for me and they took my phone in the back of the store for like 20 minutes and then come out with a poorly attached protector and then I inspected the phone and they had scratched the back up bad. So I made them replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol good point, I updated the first post. And yeah I'm ridiculously anal with my devices, But i'm wondering if I need to start loosening up lol. I keep these phones pristine for a year then trade them in (AT&T) my last phone the S6 Edge + (Miss that phone) was M-I-N-T when I turned it in, protector on the front and back, which looking back at it now I realized that i suffered not having the full feel of the phone so that AT&T can sell it top dollar and the next person gets a great deal on a mint phone, who for all I know will; not care and destroy it. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna start being rough with my phone, gonna use my LED case more, and I just ordered a Skinomi Full body protector (we'll see how that goes, I don't have much faith in it) and if it feels like shxt, it's coming off and I'm gonna enjoy the phone as I have been, and get my moneys worth, and AT&T can figure out to do with it when I upgrade.
The Note 7 was designed to be naked, no doubt about it ... but the execution was botched and going naked comes with a price, which sucks, but again the fact is, this isn't my phone in the end, and as much as I love it, I know i wont pay it off once the Note 8 rears its head next year lol so screw it, I'll give the Skinomi Protector a shot, if it's crap, them I'm not gonna sweat the phone getting light scratches ... I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack just typing that, But i'll just have to work at it and get through it lol
Dmac1984 said:
Lol good point, I updated the first post. And yeah I'm ridiculously anal with my devices, But i'm wondering if I need to start loosening up lol. I keep these phones pristine for a year then trade them in (AT&T) my last phone the S6 Edge + (Miss that phone) was M-I-N-T when I turned it in, protector on the front and back, which looking back at it now I realized that i suffered not having the full feel of the phone so that AT&T can sell it top dollar and the next person gets a great deal on a mint phone, who for all I know will; not care and destroy it. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna start being rough with my phone, gonna use my LED case more, and I just ordered a Skinomi Full body protector (we'll see how that goes, I don't have much faith in it) and if it feels like shxt, it's coming off and I'm gonna enjoy the phone as I have been, and get my moneys worth, and AT&T can figure out to do with it when I upgrade.
The Note 7 was designed to be naked, no doubt about it ... but the execution was botched and going naked comes with a price, which sucks, but again the fact is, this isn't my phone in the end, and as much as I love it, I know i wont pay it off once the Note 8 rears its head next year lol so screw it, I'll give the Skinomi Protector a shot, if it's crap, them I'm not gonna sweat the phone getting light scratches ... I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack just typing that, But i'll just have to work at it and get through it lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the Skinomi clear skin and its been great so far. After you attach it give it a day to settle onto the phone because at first it doesn't look good but after a few hours I noticed it looked a lot better and the next day it looked perfect. The only problem I had was getting the sides to stick. I even used a blow dryer and I just couldn't get them to stay down but I ended up using the top burners on my stove to heat the edges up and then they stuck and they haven't come up since. The s-pen still slides smooth as well with the white inserts. It does have a bit of a texture which I could see would annoy some people but it doesn't really bother me.
What material are your pockets made out of, sandpaper? My original Note 7 (recall replacement arrives today) has never seen a case or screen protector and is completely unscathed. I have not even been as gentle as you described. So weird.
Dmac1984 said:
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I certainly believe your report of your observations and recollections, but your experience differs sharply from my own. I've been using unprotected Note 7s heavily (pre- and post-recall) for about a month, and I've acquired no scratches whatsoever.
When I check for scratches, I always use direct sunlight or a comparably bright source, and I rotate the phone through a range of angles in order to see any subtle defects. It sounds like that's not something you've been doing routinely, but rather something that just recently happened by chance. If that's the case, you may not really know when your scratches arose (or even whether your previous devices might have had similar scratches), which may complicate the diagnosis of how they occurred.
I trust we agree that the careful treatment you described could not have scratched even ordinary glass, let alone Gorilla Glass 5. So there are several possibilities. Perhaps the phone scraped against something sharp (even while it was in your pocket) without your noticing. Perhaps the process of applying or removing the case or screen protector scratched it somehow. Perhaps it came with subtle, hard-to-notice scratches already on it. Or could it even be that the phone isn't scratched, but rather has some sort of residue that rubbed off on it? (Have you tried washing it off with a wet paper towel and substantial pressure?)
Again, I trust your observations, but I'm curious as to how your scratches arose, and how your experience diverged from my own. I appreciate your taking the time to update everyone on your situation. And regardless of how the scratches happened, I'm glad you're getting a replacement.
Like i said, being so anal i looked at the phone everyday after naked use, never noticed any scratches, but last night I caught direct light at a side angle and saw the back bottom scratched, from 2 feet away from your eyes looking straight at the phone, looks perfect, up close and examining it with angled light it's def scratched.
When i say im careful, I'm careful... I got the cold sweats when i saw the scratches lol I've coddled thus phone with mittens since i got it, like i said I lay it on tbings and then move that whenever I set my phobe on my desk for no otger reason but to avoid sliding my phone on any surfaces ... pocket always empty and clean, I don't play in the dirt or go to the beach, pockets feel like normal clean pockets lol. I mean people can make excuses for tge glass, he'll i did too when i saw the initial scratch posts, even started a thread praising the scratch resistance ... I seriously don't know how much more careful you can be with a phone as i have been with this one and it still scuffed. I'll grab some pictures with the wife's phone and post them.
It almost seems like theres a raised lips right before the glass dipps down.
Attached is a pic illustrating the damage on my phone almost exactly (until i can grab a few pics) ... and also attached is why I think its happening.
Dmac1984 said:
Attached is a pic illustrating the damage on my phone almost exactly (until i can grab a few pics) ... and also attached is why I think its happening.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just wanted to use the fancy s-pen features and that drawing was your excuse. ;P
And I don't blame you :laugh:
Dmac1984 said:
Like i said, being so anal i looked at the phone everyday after naked use, never noticed any scratches, but last night I caught direct light at a side angle and saw the back bottom scratched, from 2 feet away from your eyes looking straight at the phone, looks perfect, up close and examining it with angled light it's def scratched.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, that was my point. Until last night, your inspections didn't include checking the surfaces through a wide range of different illumination angles. As a result, subtle scratches went unnoticed and you don't know when they happened (or even if the phone came with them).
When i say im careful, I'm careful...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you. But something nevertheless scratched your phone--any idea what it could have been? You and I are both careful with our phones, yet only one of us acquired any scratches. There has to be some explanation for that difference. Figuring out what it is might help us, and others, to avoid scratches in the future.
It almost seems like theres a raised lips right before the glass dipps down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm, I don't see that on mine. May I ask what kind of screen protector(s) you had been using? If liquid, could it have left a residue? If solid, could the protector itself have scratched the glass that it was in contact with?
Or another possibility: if you used a case initially, could a few sand or grit particles have gotten lodged between the case and the phone? It looks as though the scratches may have been in areas that a case would have contact with. That's one of several reasons that I'd be reluctant to use a case with an all-glass phone.
Gary02468 said:
Right, that was my point. Until last night, your inspections didn't include checking the surfaces through a wide range of different illumination angles. As a result, subtle scratches went unnoticed and you don't know when they happened (or even if the phone came with them).
I believe you. But something nevertheless scratched your phone--any idea what it could have been? You and I are both careful with our phones, yet only one of us acquired any scratches. There has to be some explanation for that difference. Figuring out what it is might help us, and others, to avoid scratches in the future.
Hm, I don't see that on mine. May I ask what kind of screen protector(s) you had been using? If liquid, could it have left a residue? If solid, could the protector itself have scratched the glass that it was in contact with?
Or another possibility: if you used a case initially, could a few sand or grit particles have gotten lodged between the case and the phone? It looks as though the scratches may have been in areas that a case would have contact with. That's one of several reasons that I'd be reluctant to use a case with an all-glass phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No case or screen protectors since I got this phone last Sunday (Oct 25th) I didn't recall any scratches on my recalled unit so I didn't bother with protecting the replacement. But regardless, I don't recalled a single incident in which would result in these scratches, so they must have happened during light use of the phone, how they happened? I don't know ... but they did .... The glass just seems soft and easily scratch-able. It shouldn't be, but unfortunately it is. And agreed, I've seen scratches come up from case use on my phones before so that is always a concern, but I didn't use a case on this phone, and I never sat the phone down on a hard surface, and never in a pocket with anything else, and the weird isolated scratched areas don't show signs of "pocket damage" ... they came from somewhere I get that, but wherever they came from, they happened with no effort or force.
Inspected my new phone that came in yesterday. Not a single scratch to be found in any light ... Screen protector should be in today so it'll get wrapped before I even use it and we'll try again ... I recommend to anyone who has a Note 7, wrap it up and keep it clean, this issue just may not be avoidable with everyday use.
Is GG5 on the back as well as the front? My rear is scratched only after 2 weeks replacement and general it wears a case. NOT impressed.
Dmac1984 said:
But regardless, I don't recalled a single incident in which would result in these scratches, so they must have happened during light use of the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the phone wasn't scratched by the skin of your hand, the cloth of your pocket, or the piece of paper you rested it on, so there must have been some other contact that you're unaware of. (I'll occasionally notice a small cut or bruise on my arm without recalling what contact was responsible. It happens.)
Regardless, thanks again for the update you posted, and good luck with your new Note 7. If my Note 7 ever suffers the slightest scratch, I will follow your example and post an update here too. So far, a month of heavy, unprotected use has not resulted in any visible imperfection.
I don't get why people are nitpicking this. I get this tone of "maybe you were careful but not careful enough". It sounds like we are discussing handling an egg.
The physics of it are simple and irrefutable, this thing will scratch, there is no way around it. And just because one hasn't scratched yet, or appears that way, doesn't mean it won't.
At this point, regardless of what anyone says or who wants to debate, it's safe to say yhe phone WILL scratch with normal, even careful use. I was one who thought "well the people with scratches must be abusing their phones" but as i type this on a scuffed, yet coddled Note7 I stand corrected. It doesn't affect my love for the phone but it should be noted that it WILL scratch easily regardless of how you treat it, i wish it didn't ... but it does. And I don't think it's batched based, pretty sure maybe even if you dont see any scratches there are probably some on your phone as I found by badically doing a microscopic forensic look at my phone the other day, the shinyness of thr glass seems to hide a lot of imperfections.

Barely 8 days old phone , and screen getting scratched already ,

My device is barely 8 days old , and the screen has some scratches already , minor ones , now I don't understand how can this be, have used the phone with utmost respect, is it due to the oleophobic coating coming off , any one else in the same boat
Scratches happen.. They just do no matter how careful you are. Treating a phone with utmost care and respect won't change that fact. If you've ever watched JerryRigEverything on Youtube you would notice he always comments that 'pocket sand' and the like will always cause scratches. You'd be surprised what's inside of our pockets... I slapped a case and screen protector on to avoid just that. I've had so many phones in my years and I would say 85% of them have some form of faint scratching and only one with severe scratches.. just the way she goes..
Mate scratches do happen , I get that, but I have used phones in the past , Moto x pure , note 2, oneplus 3t, and I didn't use a screen protector with them, and didn't handle them with kids gloves either , still not a scratch on the screen, getting screen scratches withing a short span of 8 days is heartbreaking, I love the device otherwise,
its really not something that time has anything to do with, its just bad luck that something hard scratched it (probably a piece of sand..which isnt just at the beach, but normal soil/dirt can have small pieces here or there. sorry bud. lots of people feel this way about sand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tLf1JO5bvE
mohit141785 said:
Mate scratches do happen , I get that, but I have used phones in the past , Moto x pure , note 2, oneplus 3t, and I didn't use a screen protector with them, and didn't handle them with kids gloves either , still not a scratch on the screen, getting screen scratches withing a short span of 8 days is heartbreaking, I love the device otherwise,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll have to excuse my bluntness but I'm not blaming Google for this.. It has Gorilla Glass 5 and there's nothing that I know of that would compromise the integrity of the glass that Google could have done. It's unfortunate.. But does happen to the best of us. /out
Happened to me too, its aggravating but im not shocked. Someday in the future ill be RMAing for my crackly speakers so maybe I'll use a screen protector the next go around
Clean your pockets, watch where you're placing it, and don't place it screen down. I had it 3 weeks before putting a case or screen protector on and had no scratches.
Mines is 2 weeks old, no scratches no screen protector ?
mohit141785 said:
Mate scratches do happen , I get that, but I have used phones in the past , Moto x pure , note 2, oneplus 3t, and I didn't use a screen protector with them, and didn't handle them with kids gloves either , still not a scratch on the screen, getting screen scratches withing a short span of 8 days is heartbreaking, I love the device otherwise,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel you. I'm convinced that not all Gorilla Glass 5 (or 4, or 3 or 2 etc.) are created equal. For instance, my OnePlus 3 was used for about 8 months with no screen protector and never developed a scratch. Meanwhile, my old Pixel XL showed signs of scratching within days of unboxing, under the exact same usage and care. And my wife's Galaxy S7, which she throws around like a brick, has been kicking for over 1.5 years without a screen protector and has no noticeable signs of scratches.
The reality is that you've gotta expect that these screens will scratch, no matter how much you baby them. Because of that I installed a full coverage screen protector on my 2 XL immediately after unboxing the phone.
As others said already, time really has nothing to do with the scratches, other than, of course, the increasing likelihood you will get them the longer you have the phone. And yes it does suck incredibly when you are still in the initial honeymoon phase and the product is damaged already.
I can only think of maybe once or twice I've ever scratched a display, and even then it was only when I went to sell that the store buying it pointed out the problem.
My solution: do not put the phone in a pocket. Ever. I will carry my phone 24-7 regardless of how unnatural it is, supply because putting it in a pocket results in incredibly risky exposure to particles other than just dust. In almost every case of scratching related to pockets, the individual claims there is nothing in the pocket, only the phone is kept in there, etc. The frank reality is that having ACTUAL objects like keys or even a box cutter is probably less likely to scratch the screen than a microscopic piece of sand.
Also when wiping off the screen, it might even be better to rinse the phone first just to get off the particles and ensure you're not digging them into the screen in the cleaning process.
Likewise, those flip cover cases are another thing to avoid. They will ensure that anything trapped gets sufficiently smushed and slid around the screen.

Categories

Resources