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Nexus One cracked screen: How did our Google phone break?
They say never to leave a candle or a baby unattended. In our case, that's just extended to one of our favourite smart phones.
We left our Google Nexus One charging on a desk during lunch today. When we returned the screen was rife with hairline cracks and a horrible purple bruise had spread across the gorgeous AMOLED touchscreen.
There was no evidence that the phone had been moved, and the screen doesn't have any scratches or marks on the surface. The thin cracks all appear to be under the glass -- as if the phone had been bent, but not broken.
It could be that some scurvy dog manhandled the phone while our backs were turned and then ran for it when they broke the screen. Or it could be a delayed reaction from spending the last few days travelling around in our pocket, leading the rough-and-tumble life of any mobile phone. It could even be that a tiny meteorite broke through the earth's magnetic shield and penetrated the Nexus One's defences. Or it could have happened entirely spontaneously.
We showed photos of our poor, disfigured Nexus One to Google, and it told us that this is the first time that it has heard of the phone committing hari kiri, and that it will investigate the problem. It recommended that we speak to the manufacturer of the phone, HTC, and we're waiting for a comment from its PR representatives.
The helpful support person staffing the HTC support hotline told us that it would send a courier to pick up the damaged phone. If HTC decides that the problem is our fault, we'll be charged for the repair, but it wasn't able to tell us how much that might cost. The support rep that we spoke to said that he fields about 40 support requests a day, and he had never heard of a screen giving up the ghost like ours did.
Have you traumatised your Google Nexus One? Let us know in the comments. Then click 'continue' to see what it looks like when love dies.
Update: HTC tells us that this is the first time it has heard of any issue with the screen cracking this way during charging. It has asked to collect our Nexus One to investigate fully, and we'll let you know the results.
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Ian Morris 5 February, 2010 17:26
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
anonymous 5 February, 2010 17:35
i like the google phone style
anonymous 5 February, 2010 17:48
My G1 did this, got slightly bent in my pocket when I sat down. Great phones but they need an alloy case.
anonymous 5 February, 2010 17:55
I have had my G1 freeze at various times. Usually it's caught by the OS and the phone reboots spontaneously. Sometimes though, it's not caught (e.g. sometimes when the phone starts to ring it freezes and just vibrates in pulses, and there's nothing I can do but pull the battery).
I believe that on several occasions this has happened during charging, which might prevent proper current tapering at the end of charge, if that is for some reason software controlled. Whether that is the cause or not, this is the first phone I have ever owned (since the first Ericsson phone I bought back in 1994) that has EVER swollen its battery, something that normally happens due to abusive charging or extremely high current flow.
If the design of this phone is rigid enough with respect to the battery holder, such a swollen battery could have caused the AMOLED array to warp and the screen to crack. On my G1 it just causes the rear cover to bulge out.
anonymous 5 February, 2010 19:42
Anyone consider this? A curious janitor/intern/printer reviewer picked it up, dropped/bent/broke it, and put it back, sneaking away and hoping that no-one was watching- I am not accusing anyone, but thats how things happen...
weetanhops 5 February, 2010 19:46
Taking it to HTC will result in you being charged for everything imaginable. They'll tell you they have to replace not only the screen, but the entire casing and the CPU. Then you'll call them back, and tell them that it's just the screen that's damaged, and after a week they'll tell you that it's been water damaged amongst other things, and will charge you £50 for them to return it, unfixed. After two weeks you still won't receive it.
This is what's happened to my friend and his HTC Hero. I don't know if it's just a p*** poor customer service rep handling his case, or if the fact he bought it SIM Free has any bearing on it.
anonymous 5 February, 2010 19:52
a quick google search will show you are not alone
anonymous 5 February, 2010 21:12
poor design, phone is made to thin and can flex causing the screen under the glass to crack,
anonymous 5 February, 2010 21:13
I have gone through 3 screens in my (HTC)Tmobile Dash... every time the screen cracked in the same spot and the lens on top was fine... my guess is a slight bend did it every time. I think it was common ion this phone too my guess since I replaced the screen my self every time and this seemed to be common on the dash is that HTC doesn't know how to properly hold or support the screen in the body.
anonymous 5 February, 2010 21:27
That particular spot could be under pressure if your battery expanded at all. There is a lip underneath the back cover holding that exact spot.
You should see if your battery swelled at all during the charging.
anonymous 5 February, 2010 23:26
Probably a ghost. I had this happen to a laptop once. I left it in a secure space on a Navy ship on a workbench next to a wall mounted phone. I went back a couple hours later to do some work and as it booted I found the whole screen cracked as if someone had dropped the phone handset on the closed laptop cover. But after talking to all the people with access to that space no one had touched it or dropped anything on it. So it had to be a ghost and it's probably the same ghost that cracked the Nexus One screen.
I hate that (dead) guy.
anonymous 6 February, 2010 04:46
A user on the Google support page had their screen crack leaving it in the car overnight though it snowed that night so it might be from the cold
anonymous 6 February, 2010 14:46
I had a Samsung U600 that did the same thing. Placed it to charge and in the morning the screen was cracked. Very Strange indeed.
anonymous 6 February, 2010 17:47
I had a similar problem with a Leveno Laptop. Opened it up one day, and there was a big crack across the screen. A call to Leveno basically resulted in no satisfaction. In short, as far as they are concerned, there is NO WAY for this to happen unless abused. I am sure that HTC will tell you the same thing. Imagine the liability problems opening up if they even admit that this can happen. One reason I am not interested in a Droid of iPhone.
anonymous 7 February, 2010 05:23
Sounds like nexus one has a fatal flaw...Many users are complaining about similar situations. To bad Google seemed like they were going to make something nice. Turns out its another big company that will put its name on sub par merchandise to make a sale.
anonymous 7 February, 2010 05:29
Someone handling it badly gets my vote.
anonymous 7 February, 2010 15:59
Check if the crack screen program is running in the background. I haven't installed it but that might be a possible explanation.
anonymous 7 February, 2010 19:06
it was a MAC fan twink. He did it when you were not looking...
G-phones are like Chuck Norris!! I-Phones are like PeeWee Herman!!
anonymous 7 February, 2010 19:59
Someone dropped it and put it back. Really, you're having them investigate how it might have happened by itself? Ooh, see if you can call GM and get them to investigate how my fender got dented!
anonymous 7 February, 2010 23:29
I've had this happen twice time with my iphone. I believe it's a demon punching it's way out. The third phone has been exorcised and is fine so far, so it must be true.
anonymous 8 February, 2010 00:51
Could it of got in direct sunlight? Could be a thermal expansion issue stressing the glass...
anonymous 8 February, 2010 05:35
I bought a Nexus one. One week later screen cracked. I bought another one, one week later the second screen cracked. I like the phone, but now I'm out $1200 and don't want to spend another $600.
If Sergi Brin and Larry Page are honest they will publicly apologize and recall all the phones. This is a total disaster. Just look at the design and compare it to the iPhone. iPhone has a thick solid steel bezel that protects the glass. The Nexus One has nothing, just .3mm of plastic.
anonymous 8 February, 2010 05:42
It may be delicate, but that's the price you pay for a thin and lightweight phone. Absolutely this is due to mechanical stress. If not you, then someone in your office has damaged it. Do you have any office enemies? Invest in a holster and don't leave it out in the open.
anonymous 8 February, 2010 13:37
Looking at the cracks etc, looks as though its either been dropped and landed on something, or possible been in a pocket with a set of keys and got crunched when the two came together under pressure. It seems a very strange shatter looking at the cracks but does seem to have a centre point from where something hard impacted against the screen under pressure.
anonymous 8 February, 2010 19:18
Steve Jobs did it.
Junel 8 February, 2010 21:27
Picture 3: Fingering Hoe?
anonymous 9 February, 2010 05:04
If you drop something like a Nexus One where one side is completely glass, it is likely to break
anonymous 9 February, 2010 15:58
My nexus one's screen worked for the first few days I had it then would not turn on. The phone was on and made noise and i could receive calls but no working screen. I had to send it in for repair and they ended up sending me a different unit. HTC support is horriable!!!!
anonymous 9 February, 2010 19:22
It seems starge when you look how they tested it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1sz5c-R9h0#t=3m0s
anonymous 12 February, 2010 10:01
Definetly Steve Jobs.
anonymous 21 February, 2010 08:19
just happened to mine...
anonymous 23 February, 2010 20:44
i just found a place in northern California that repairs the screen on the nexus...i called them (888-990-7555) they have repaired about 10 already and the cost is $169 they use original HTC parts..... i was hesitant at first to send my phone to them but they have repaired broken iphones since day 1 so i sent if off and they same day they recieved it i got a call and said they were taking my phone apart and it would be ready the next day.... i recieved it back today and was thrilled at the quick turn around time ..and my phone still looks new... not even a mark on it...
here is the email for them info@n1repair.com hope this helps
anonymous 26 February, 2010 20:22
ANY UPDATE? It has been almost a month.
anonymous 1 March, 2010 13:56
Yes, it would be good to have an update on this. I have now put of buying one until this has been solved.
anonymous 1 March, 2010 18:09
Ditto. Even if the update is that HTC is still evaluation, or HTC has not yet responded, it would be good to know.
Thank you.
anonymous 12 March, 2010 03:31
My HTC HD2 has done the same thing.... I just beleive steve jobs is on a sabbotage mission... but due to this fault he has won anothr customer i am now the proud owner of an iphone 3GS 32gb...
FC360 24 March, 2010 20:19
Don't HTC's come with warrenties so if your phone breaks in 12 months it gets repaired for free? This has kind of put me off buying this phone.
anonymous 26 March, 2010 22:27
This just happened to me as well. Had the phone in my back pocket (inside a case) and when I took the phone out the screen was dead. I saw barely visible fine color lines going across the screen. I rebooted the phone and the screen went dead. In the light you can see small hairline cracks below the glass.
Although the phone is still under warranty, HTC told me if it is not a manufacturing defect I would be charged for the repair should I agree to it. There is a $28 fee if they find the fix is under warranty and you fail to give them permission to fix it after they contact you. Oh and of course the cost to Fed Ex the package (as required).
anonymous 3 April, 2010 23:28
Same thing happened to the phone that we bought my son had it to days and the next day when we picked it up the screen was dead with fine color lines beneath the glass.....no cracks, no scratches.....Verizon said to call the insurance and it will cost $89 to replace. The phone was probably used a total of fifteen minutes. It was our third one in the family but nothing so strange has ever happened. Any advice? I think it is a clear defect.
anonymous 8 April, 2010 20:14
I am happy to report that I sent my phone in for repairs to HTC and they fixed the phone in about a week. It is working like brand new. I was not charged for shipping as I previously thought. The estimated repair for the cracked screen was $115; however, I have yet to be charged.
Note to self, make sure to keep the phone in a well-padded case.
anonymous 23 April, 2010 20:00
My phone just did this to me.... I had the god damn thing for 6 days..... Im pissed.... If i seriously have to pay another 100$ or more for them to just fix this piece of s***, I'll honestly be motivated to shoot up some HTC employees....
anonymous 6 May, 2010 12:25
I received my nexus one phone two days ago. I followed standard procedure in charging the battery fully before the initial boot. After the charging was done, I powered on the phone and the OTA Update installed automatically, started downloading Apps from the App store...etc; the overall experience of the phone was great after the 2 days of usage.
Later that on the second day, I placed the phone on the desktop dock to charge and went to bed. The next day I woke up and noticed there was a very tiny crack on the bottom left corner of the AMOLED screen. The crack was under the screen and the outside of the screen did not even have a single scratch. I thought my eyes was playing tricks on me since the crack was very very tiny. I placed it in its sleeve and went to work. When I sat on my desk, I took the phone out from its sleeve and the sight of the screen was truly shocking. The small crack had grown to a full circle and half of the screen was black.
My experience with the Google Nexus One was brought to a quick halt after only less than 72 hours of usage. There was definitely no mishandling of the phone or any possible physical drops/damage. I'm 100% sure of this. And the condition of the Body and the Screen exterior remains unscratched whatsoever and the condition can speak for itself.
anonymous 9 May, 2010 06:41
I am so glad to find that this has happened to others. I thought I was going crazy! The HTC representatives act as if this is the first time they have ever heard of this! bull!! I found dozens of others with the same problem here>> http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=60ce336af4f0ac6c&hl=en&fid=60ce336af4f0ac6c00048622a1ec5050
And you guys have obviously talked with them. They must not really give a crap, at least not enought o send a memo to their reps! I might just switch to the Iphone after I fix and sell my Failed Google Nexus One that can mysteriously crack at any time.
anonymous 9 May, 2010 06:47
My Nexus One did the same thing. It is not caused by blunt force, the screen is cracked underneath the glass, and I know I never mistreated my 600 dollar phone! I am religious about removing it from my pocket EVERY time I sit down. I never put it in a pocket with other things, and I always place it gently on a soft surface or the soft case that came with it! I noticed this color bleed of pink and purple after charging it on the dock all night.
HTC should own up and fix this problem, but I am sure I will end up paying the tab. I will be selling it after the screen is fixed. Iphone here I come.
anonymous 10 May, 2010 05:01
Has anyone had any luck with google or HTC actually manning up and refunding or repairing it for free? My phone is in perfect condition with the exception to the crack under the screen, Its obvious even to a blind man that my phone is in perfect condition, no mistreatment, yet over the phone HTC still insists that its my fault and i have to pay the 200+$ to repair it.... any help?
anonymous 14 June, 2010 09:37
the same thing happened to my nexus one. hell, it even looks exactly the same as in above picture. wondering what HTC will say....
anonymous 17 June, 2010 16:15
I experienced the same yesterday.
I come back home and check my G1 - it were fine.
After few hours I opened it and noticed slightly purple nuance.
Few hours later it were the same like in the picture - half of the screen were purple.
At next day it become worse and worse.
And finally nothing visible. I noticed the screen is broken at two places.
anonymous 30 June, 2010 14:05
mine has cracked in exactly the same way, I was charging it and returned and a crack had appeared across the screen. I am worried that they will charge me though because I have previously dropped it (about 6 weeks ago) and it has a couple of scratches on it.
anonymous 30 June, 2010 15:22
the exact same thing happened to me, but I am based in UK and HTC has said they will charge for it. I am seriously f**cked off with this as have has the phone for less than a month, have not dropped it, left it in it's cover the entire time and I now have to pay for manufacturers error. Should have never moved from the Iphone which has great customer support.
anonymous 12 August, 2010 08:14
This happened to me as well. TWICE. The 2nd time occuring within a month of getting it back from repairs the first time! HTC is completely sh*t! NEVER BUY THEIR PHONES!