Ask HN: When did iPhones become so weak?

I had a bad motorcycle wreck a couple years ago. I was hit head-on and got to experience the joy of flight momentarily before landing on my back and ass in the road. At the time, my iPhone (4) was in my back left pocket, protected by a heavy duty Otterbox "Defender" protective case. While several of my bones were -- to borrow your term -- "shattered", the iPhone (and case) survived my landing on it (with some speed and force, I might add) just fine. A nurse in the E.R. used it to call my girlfriend and I continued to use it until I bought a 6s when they just recently came out.

On that note, the first thing I did with that 6s was to secure it inside a new Otterbox Defender. They're certainly not the cheapest cases you can buy but they're cheaper than a new iPhone and, to me at least, they're worth every penny.

If it's just the screen and the phone still actually functions, you can get it replaced. That won't be real cheap, either, but it'll be cheaper than a new phone.

I'm sorry that happened to you, it really does ruin your day when that happens.

Both Apple and third parties will replace your screen for $100ish. Get a case next time. It has nothing to do with it being "poorly built" - glass is breakable. It happens.

The 6S isn't likely to be weaker than a 5 (if anything, they improve the strength with pretty much every iteration). How it lands matters a lot more. Hell, I just broke my toe slipping on one step while some people fall down an entire mountainside and get a few scratches.

As anecdotal evidence, I have had an iPhone since the first model (then 3GS, then 4, then 5) and had never broken the screen (have had many decent drops too).

I have dropped my 6 a couple of times now and cracked the screen both times, from heights that my previous phones would sneeze at. This suggests to me that the current models are more susceptible to smashing.

Apart from a couple models of Android phones, one from Moto, one from LG IIRC, that claim to be especially rugged, all phones from top quality OEMs will be about the same. They use the same glass, touch sensors, and displays. iPhones have an advantage in the US because there are a limited number of models and they have a large market share, so repair services are widely available.

Apple almost went to sapphire crystal for screens. But it was unclear how much that would help, compared with the cost and complication of making that much sapphire.

The iPhone6 reportedly is more susceptible to bending. That indicates less rigidity and less rigidity would lead imply more susceptibility to screen breakage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_6#Technical_problems

Most accident prone people I know get heavy duty cases for their phones. Other then that read reviews online before making an investment on your next phone or you can try to mail in your phone to get it repaired via third party.