I have seen some terrible things happening to mobile phones, including one getting run over by a bus. That particular piece was an early clamshell model (one of the earliest with a colour screen), which was popular soon after Reliance began its `500 phone scheme. The screen was badly cracked, but the phone still worked! One of my own phones, an Xperia Mini Pro, once took the full force of a car door being closed on it, and survived with only a small dent on the side.
The most common cause of accidents happening to mobile phones is negligence of users, suggests popular experience. That means, you are often the biggest enemy of your mobile phone! But then, sometimes no matter how well you look after your phone, something may happen to it when you least expect it. Common causes of damage include liquid spills, falls from great heights, getting run over by vehicles, getting stepped on, and general negligent use. In recent times, my Lumia has been tested to its limits by my nine month old daughter, who has a habit of throwing it in random directions and almost always managing to hit a hard surface. Yes, children continue to be the most effective testers for the durability of any gadget.
The extent, and kind of damage which your phone can survive depends a lot on the build quality associated with the brand, the kind of accident it is involved in, and the design (form) of the phone. While a simple drop from an average person’s height can cause some phones to stop working altogether, some others can take a lot more shock and still continue to work at least partially even after more violent incidents.
Some early models of Nokia were known for their extreme robustness. In fact, it was rumoured that the Nokia 3310 was discontinued because it was so robust that there was no demand for spare parts or even other phones of the same range. Most of the other popular phones of those days weren’t known to be able to take nearly as much shock - and I am thinking of the early Sony Ericssons, Motorolas, Samsungs, Alcatels and the like, which appeared before the dawn of smartphones. The design of the phone was also an important factor because compactly shaped candy bar phones tend to be more robust, in keeping with the laws of simple physics. Clamshells and sliding models are not as rugged, and may have weaker joints connecting its various parts. However, these offered more protection to the screen from scratches and breakage. Keep in mind, however, that those were the days were mobile phones with cracks across the screen were considered perfectly usable, since the keypad was more important.
Nowadays, since most of the smartphones depend on their touchscreens to gather user input, the amount of damage you can tolerate on the screen has also decreased a lot. But since there appears to be no respite to the accidents happening to mobile phones, the only option is to get them adequate protective gear.
Also, damage isn’t restricted to what is visible on the outside. After a great fall, your phone may not have even a scratch on the outside, but some of the internal parts may have sustained damage. You never know until you use it for a while after the accident.
How much protection is adequate? That varies with the kind of phone you use. Personally, I would recommend that as soon as you get a phone, you should also purchase a good quality screen guard for it. Do not put it off for another day. The rest of the body is easier and usually much cheaper to replace even if it gets badly damaged. The screen tends to be very expensive to replace and also susceptible to daily wear and tear if not protected. Lamination, which was once a common option for many phones, does not seem to be as popular these days. But a good quality cover or case would protect your phone as well as make it look good.
Tabs, which are common these days, generally tend to be unwieldy, and are in danger of being dropped more often. Invest in some good protective gear for these. I say ‘good quality’ because some protective cases are made in a very stupid manner, without leaving adequate gaps for accessories like headsets and chargers - rare, but true. Also make sure that the protective gear you buy is made for the specific model you use and not just the brand. Similar looking phones may have slight differences in placement of slots and other points.
Also remember that ‘damage’ isn’t always due to a fall. A chemical spill can cause serious physical scars on your phone, as can exposure to extreme heat. Try to get protective gear which protects your phone from all these. Since there are tons of brands available, I am not venturing an opinion on which brand is the best.
Prevention is better than cure, to cite a cliche. But in a mobile phone, you might want to ensure that the prevention doesn’t spoil the beauty of a device which, in all likelihood, may ultimately be seen as an extension of your personality.
(aravind.r@newindianexpress.com)