Develop Bugs

[Q] I broke my GSM Galaxy Nexus screen already

I have had vertical banding issues since day 1 with the LCD, and I contemplated returning the phone (to China) because of it. Instead, the seller notified me he'd pay to have the LCD replaced, either in the US at my choice of phone repair stores, or send it back to China and he'd send to a shop to do it. I'd do it myself if I could find a supplier for the LCD/glass digitizer (I have done it on multiple Nokia phones, including a 5800XM). Alas, while finding a suitable repair shop, I cracked the glass.
Am I the first one to drop the Galaxy Nexus? It fell about a foot onto bricks, and now I have a crack in the glass extending from the earpiece to the power button. I called around and I am the first in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area to break their Galaxy Nexus.. great. My case and screen protector haven't even come yet.
Does anybody have any advice on where to go from here? Do I ship the phone back to China (expensive, and I'll be without a phone for 3-4 weeks)? I can't believe I had my Nexus One for two years, dropping it all over the place, and it's still in beautiful shape, while this one has LCD issues from day one, and now cracked glass after a single small fall (that the Nexus has taken many times.. I need to stop driving with the phone in my lap).

done it many times (phone on lap when driving) then forget when i get out and it gets thrown out of the car onto the ground.
many places dont have nexus accessories yet ... ghost armour needs 10 days to even get a screen protector in (they put on a htc sensation cover for now - doesnt even cover the screen itself, let alone the entire from !)

I took a look at the Galaxy Nexus teardown on ifixit. Link HERE.
If you look at steps 6-8 you'll see that popping the screen/digitizer out really isn't too bad at all. The real issue will be finding the screen/digitizer in one piece for a decent price. I looked around on Amazon and EBay and failed at finding any for sale.
However, if you can find a screen/digitizer for under $200 somewhere I would follow the ifixit instructions and change it yourself.

I browsed through the teardown and it doesn't seem like that'd be an issue at all. I have done a fair amount of phone repairs previously, including lcd replacement and smt soldering on the phone's main PCB. The problem is that I can't find anywhere that sells the digitizer/LCD. Looks like it's back to china for this guy.
Yeah I've thrown the N1 out of my lap probably twenty times in the past two years. It's always taken it like a champ. I wish they had used gorilla glass on this phone.

I've dropped my GN twice already, once onto a concrete floor. So far, I've been lucky. Can't find any damage. It's not too reassuring to hear that it will crack so easily, though.
FYI, even Gorilla Glass isn't shatter-proof. Highly scratch resistant, but not shatter-proof. Give it the right point-load, and it will also shatter.

I know that Gorilla Glass isn't shatterproof, but I have seen unspeakable things done to my N1 and nothing has ever come of it. I'm still putting off sending this back to China.. I have a feeling it'll be gone for a month or more.

Ouch Sorry To Here Better Send Back 2 Repair

Mine's fallen from my lap onto pavement twice, getting out of the car of course, but so far my Otterbox Commuter has saved it.

My GN screen hair line cracked mysteriously.
My GN screen hair line cracked mysteriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rkz36Q-xZY
Galaxy nexus screen cracks far too easily. - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rkz36Q-xZY
Others have no idea how it’s happened to their phones as well!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21535889
Maybe it’s the new fortified glass design that’s flawed?
Maybe it’s weather related, from indoor to cold outdoors?
Maybe it’s just a bad design overall?
I just want to warn others of it’s extreme fragility.

Maybe it's you, bumping into something hard and pointy?

I've dropped mine twice on ceramic tile from waist height and had no damage other than a couple of scratches on the screen. Maybe it was just a particularly unlucky drop?

lol yeah phone on lap while driving is death for phones.... done that many many many times with too many phones.

update
BestBuy Canada's mobile communications manager Danielle has worked out a 50% off new phone option for me, as their policy they say is no "physically" damaged phones can be returned.
I have asked for an Iphone 4s 64gb in order to resell it and recoup my loss with via the accelerated deprecation screen defect of this galaxy nexus.
maybememe said:
My GN screen hair line cracked mysteriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rkz36Q-xZY
Galaxy nexus screen cracks far too easily. - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rkz36Q-xZY
Others have no idea how it’s happened to their phones as well!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21535889
Maybe it’s the new fortified glass design that’s flawed?
Maybe it’s weather related, from indoor to cold outdoors?
Maybe it’s just a bad design overall?
I just want to warn others of it’s extreme fragility.
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Click to collapse

I've had my phone for about 2 months or so. Found out the hard way how fragile the glass was when my keys left a few minor scratches on it the second day of use. Well yesterday the hairline crack appeared between the power button and the volume rocker. Samsung says its physical damage caused by dropping the phone or having it in my pocket. What... I can't put my phone in my pocket anymore. Well the long and short of it is I have to send the phone back to the country of origin England in this case and I have to pay for the repair. I'm trying to find the glass assembly so I can replace it my self. So far no luck on Google. I agree with all the comments about the glass being too weak on this phone. Long live the Nexus one which I've switched back to till I figure out how to get this galaxy broken glass fixed.

I've got a broken line on Glass of my Gnex, I hate, very hate, this at only 4 month of usage.
Can i send my Gnex to Samsung and use a Warranty to change it?

This is a genuine question so I'm not trying to get anyone's back up, but is mobile insurance not that popular outside the UK? You can barely leave the stores here without being sold it!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

I'm pretty sure phone insurance is popular in a lot of places. Asurion here in the US is only like $2 or $5 a month, with a $100 deductible for any smartphone that has been lost, damaged, etc...

anton2009 said:
I'm pretty sure phone insurance is popular in a lot of places. Asurion here in the US is only like $2 or $5 a month, with a $100 deductible for any smartphone that has been lost, damaged, etc...
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I assumed so, but tend to see a lot of similar posts of damaged or defective phones and no mention of insurance. Always seems to focus on returns or DIY repairs. Just wondered if insurance was particularly costly overseas. Seems not.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

killyouridols said:
I assumed so, but tend to see a lot of similar posts of damaged or defective phones and no mention of insurance. Always seems to focus on returns or DIY repairs. Just wondered if insurance was particularly costly overseas. Seems not.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
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I called asurion and was told that my nexus was covered. What I wonder is if I break, lose it or whatever will they be replacing with another nexus or give me a substitute. Anyone have more info on that?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

evohog said:
I called asurion and was told that my nexus was covered. What I wonder is if I break, lose it or whatever will they be replacing with another nexus or give me a substitute. Anyone have more info on that?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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In the UK you get either a cash value or a replacement nexus. You would only get a substitute if the goods are no longer on general sale. Usually electronic goods I have claimed on have been cash (minus the excess) to the phones purchase price. Make sure you have advised them and can prove the cost or you may end up with a settlement below the phones true value.
For example, my laptop was worth £500 when new, but I have only insured it for £300 as I know I can get a decent replacement and keep my premiums down. I have my nexus insured for £400 as I know this will buy most new phones outright should I lose it
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Screen detaching/popping out

Has anyone ever had an issue with their Note 3 where the screen has started to 'pop out' from the bezel, specifically on one of the sides (mine is on left side)? It almost seems like the glue (or whatever holds it in place) has loosened and the screen is detaching. I thought about trying to contact Samsung because of the 1 year hardware warranty, but I really doubt this is something that would be covered...

That by definition is a manufacture defect and would be covered by the warranty. I would deal with tmobile instead of Samsung directly though.

Same Problem
I have the same exact problem. I have to say I am very disappointed in this. I have had many phones and Never had this happen to any phone before. I always use otterbox cases for my phones and it still happened. Very poor craftsmanship

Repairing a Razr 5G

My screen started to delaminate from the protective layer in the hinge area. Literally while I was talking to Motorola, I dropped the damn thing and shattered the back glass, which pretty much eliminated the possibility of getting the screen fixed under warranty as I'd already been having to argue with them about whether the screen issue was caused by "physical damage" (I'm not terribly impressed with the warranty support for such an expensive phone, fwiw).
Anyway, since they wanted 900 to repair it, and I only paid 800 on sale, I just ordered a screen and new back glass from Mobile Defenders.
Unfortunately, while taking it apart, I moved a little too fast and managed to crack the front glass pretty good too, and that doesn't seem to be available from Mobile Defenders, but you can get the glass on eBay for about $50.
In looking at the front glass, it isn't obvious how I'd remove the exterior screen from it in order to move it to a new piece of glass - has anyone performed this repair?

My first incident, I broke the rear "glass" battery door housing (yeah, real smart, make a phone out of ceramic like glass) and managed to find an OEM replacement. It was super easy to change, and I had some mobile phone adhesive glue (for repairing LED screens on handsets) because the seller forgot to include the adhesive stickers.
I mailed my phone to Motorola, and they received it Monday May 2nd for two issues... I had two pixels go bad (they stay lit white all the time) and making calls, the person (hence, the TX from my Razr) could not hear me (I sounded like the first gen digital phones with bad reception, robotic aqua underwater warble) rendering the phone useless to use.
Motorola states 5 to 7 day turnaround. They received my phone and have not even started to work on it.

Motorola screwed me...
I love how technical services can void themselves of all obligations and use the "liquid damage" card.
I live in the North, it's cold. Everybody should be made aware that if you live in a cold environment and you go from a warm environment (using your phone indoors, or charging your phone while driving) and going outside, you are exposing your handset to cold. If condensation is liquid damage, then I do not know of any electronic device that you can use in the winter that would be exempt from possible condensation.
I had this discussion with Apple in the past, and they overturned there decision on a laptop and repaired it under warranty being aware that this is a possibility and that it may trigger the water stickers that phone manufactures place inside handsets.
I understood when I purchased my device that the Razr 5g is on the forefront of design and technology. I get it that the rear housing that is made of ceramic can crack if dropped. I know that the foldable screen is subject to many problems, like delamination, pixels going bad etc.. But considering all this, the service offered by Motorola and there lack of customer service (I have called many times, getting line disconnections (their phone system sucks), speaking with third party call center representatives who are clueless, being "not listened too" and replied with generic off topic replies... I don't see how they can offer flagship devices and expect the Diehards (when Motorola was an American Cell Phone Company and Communications Powerhouse) to buy in to the next generation flip.
Incredibly disappointed. I'm going with my plan B. Screw U Moto!

I did manage to figure out the disassembly process, but the replacement interior screen I received ended up being defective - the image worked, but it did not detect touch. I reinstalled the old messed up screen, and although it was half whited out from the damage by this point, it could detect touch, so I know the issue was the replacement screen.
Mobile Defenders were kind enough to fully refund me on the price of the replacement screen, at which point I noticed that complete, working Razr 5G phones could be had used for $200 - half what I paid for the replacement screen. Between that and Moto's crummy support and warranty policies, the garbage camera on the phone, and the fact that I hadn't had a security patch or software update since getting the phone and was still stuck on Android 11, I just gave up and got a Pixel 6 Pro.
It's huge, and I hate how huge it is, but it works, it gets updated, and it can stand up to daily use.
I will very likely never buy another Moto device - even trying this one was an experiment.

Question If you're noticing loosening of the screen protector internal screen...

Get that screen protector replaced in an authorized repair center whether or not you have an active warranty.
Don't do any of the following:
don't attempt to replace it yourself no matter how simple it might seem to you
(The repair centers have a rig to assist them in doing this. And if you screw up, you could end up with a more serious problem.)
don't ignore it because it seems trivial or small
don't wait for the problem to "ripen" before acting
if your warranty has expired: don't decide that this doesn't warrant action
Why?
Over the past week or so, the protector started slowly separating down the crease area of the screen. So I brought it in to a local Samsung-authorized UbreakitIFixit by Asurion. The technician said he's seen a flow of these cases. I went a step further and said that I'm hearing that there are a number of people reporting cracked screens. He nodded and said that-- once the protector starts separating like mine was doing-- this starts to create a degree of pressure on the folding area of the screen. Basically he was telling me that what seems like a trivial cosmetic problem could turn into something far more serious. And expensive.
In my case, I bought my Z Fold 3 shortly before it was replaced by the Z Fold 4-- and I am still covered by the warranty. If you are in the same position, Samsung has what I would call a "silent recall" where they will cover a one-time screen protector replacement. Go to the Samsung service area on their website and avail yourself of this!
And if you are past the warranty, I'd urge you to take the precaution and pay to have the protector replaced-- you sure don't want to face a complete screen replacement-- you might not even consider the cost justifiable.

Apparently this is true; if cracked it will eventually take out the display. I was reading a review and that Australian reviewer didn't have kind things to say about this. He gives the protector a 4-6 month lifespan, if you make a year you're lucky.
He further said this has been a persistent issue; don't expect the next generation to be more durable.

Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.

xnappo said:
Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.
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Thanks for letting us know that you feel confident doing this yourself. I also see a YouTube demonstration video from the company. I'm not sure that I'd do a neat job but it's good to know that it's possible.
You also opened my eyes to the frequency of replacement that made sense to both of you,

The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
My OEM protector lasted over a year. It did separate along the crease at the top and it kept getting longer and longer, so I finally replaced it after months of the separated area. The replacement brought back the anti-fingerprint feature which had worn off the original one, so I was happy about that for sure. Doing it once now, I'll probably replace it next once that anti-fingerprint feature has worn off again since it wasn't as bad/hard as I thought it would be. No need to be intimidated by it after all!

ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
...
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ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
No need to be intimidated by it after all!
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I have learned so much on xda-developers.com over the years. The two previous posts are really helpful. I found the Whitestone installation YouTube video and now I see how the jig works. I hope I won't have to replace the screen protector but now I realize a couple things:
It's wise to replace the inner screen protector once separation starts appearing
It's entirely possible to do the job myself if / when the warranty no longer applies.

General Samsung Customer Service in US

I have a Fold 4 that had some bad pixels on the inside screen. I called Samsung support and got told to go to a UbreakIfit store.
They took a day and when they handed me the device at 6 pm yesterday, the front screen was separating from the device. I showed them this and they took it back saying they forgot to heat up the glue that sticks the front screen.
They gave it back to me at almost 7 pm and it looked fine. When I got home the store was closed already and the phone was working really slow. Then I noticed that the front camera looked like it had condensation.
Now my phone is super slow, my front screen camera is not working and the front screen is again coming apart.
I called Samsung again 5 times. 3 times the people that answered didn't even listen to me. Didn't care what I had to say. One time I was directed to Care+ to spend 100$ to get my phone replaced. For a 1800$ phone this is really bad customer service.
Making me pay 100$ so I can still have a phone for the 7-12 business days that it takes to fix this is horrible customer service.
The last call I asked for a manager and got a lady which almost was laughing in my face and my wife's right next to me. I have been a Samsung buyer since the 1st galaxy, however I never had to deal with Samsung support before.
Samsung support is so bad it's like an ad for Apple.

Samsung support sucks elephant balls bad. The Fold displays are born to crack. Mostly the protective inner display cover but when it cracks it needs to be replaced or it will destroy the display. So expect that in 6-12 months. As you witnessed repairs aren't easy.
Last great flagship Sammy made in my opinion was the N10+. It's been downhill since then.
This N10+ will be 4yo in October, the only repair has been a replacement battery. It looks, feels and runs like new with well over 8k SOT hours on it... the display remains perfect. It's the only Samsung flagship I would reccomend even today.

I replace the inner protective layer with this, just install is carefully and it'll work better than the OEM.
DOME GLASS Whitestone GEN Film Screen Protector for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (2022) Anti-Bubble HD Clear Hard Coated PET Film Screen Guard https://a.co/d/i9r4Fij
I also used the chat feature to have mine initially replaced on my fold 3 a couple years ago. So yeah, they don't want to replacr it, but they will if you prrss and point out itls a known issue thats ALL OVER the internet.
Thr authorized repair is not fully Sammy's fault. Demand a different store, or they need to replace the device.