nexus 4 back cracked - do they sell non-glass ones?

[Nvidiaguy07]

I always used a case, but since the N4 felt so good without it, I havent used one since I got this a few months ago. I barely dropped it, and the back just shattered.

I'm gonna throw a case on now since I dont want shards in my hands, but I eventually want to replace the back cover. The only thing that I dont get is why is glass the only option? If they offered a plastic back, or even better a tacky back like they have on the new nexus 7 id be all over it.

Anyone have any info on replacing the back of this phone?

EDIT: I know the glass might have something to do with NFC, but i dont use it so i dont really care if i lose it.

 

[jiffylube1024]

1. The glass had nothing to do with NFC. It's an aesthetic choice just like on the iPhone 4/4s.

2. If you want a replacement back that's genuine it has to be glass. That's all the nexus 4 comes in. The replacement for the nexus 4 is due out at the end of this month, and it's got a grippy plastic back like the new nexus 7 tablet and upgraded everything else in a thinner, lighter package. May be worthwhile to just upgrade soon.

 

[kyrax12]

I have to wonder if putting a glass uni body on a phone is such a great idea. What was LG thinking...

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

1. The glass had nothing to do with NFC. It's an aesthetic choice just like on the iPhone 4/4s.

2. If you want a replacement back that's genuine it has to be glass. That's all the nexus 4 comes in. The replacement for the nexus 4 is due out at the end of this month, and it's got a grippy plastic back like the new nexus 7 tablet and upgraded everything else in a thinner, lighter package. May be worthwhile to just upgrade soon.

Well i was thinking there are some backs that would be NFC incompatible.

I dont care about it being genuine, if i am able to buy another glass back and replace it, why has no one made just a shitty plastic back to use instead? (like the back on the Gnex).

I was actually waiting for the nexus 5, but I jumped on this since for $200 it was too good to pass up. The phone is so much better than my old phone that I probably dont see myself needing to upgrade to the nexus 5. Speed is great, battery life is OK, and form factor/size is perfect. The n5 looks like its going to be awesome, but unless my mom or sister end up needing another phone (pass my old phones on to them), then I may wait.

I have to wonder if putting a glass uni body on a phone is such a great idea. What was LG thinking...

Yea wtf, makes no sense. I dropped it from maybe 2 feet onto hard wood floor. The glass feels so thin and cheap too. I mean yea it looks nice at first, but ill take shitty plastic over broken glass any day.

 

[magomago]

I've probably dropped my phone a dozen times and I've had zero problems with the glass breaking despite not using a cover. Of course, there were enough users with this issue at launch that its got lots of publicity, so I'm not sure how you weren't aware of this risk.

You got three options:
(1) get a proper case to protect it if you are worried about a crack
(2) deal with the risk of a crack
(3) punish the design with your wallet and buy a different phone.



It sounds like you went with risking cracks because of the price of the phones. Plastic phones look nowhere near as nice as glass phones.

 

[Ksyder]

I use the dbrand carbon skin to cover up the glass. cheap and even if it was shattered it wouldn't show.

 

[magomago]

Yea wtf, makes no sense. I dropped it from maybe 2 feet onto hard wood floor. The glass feels so thin and cheap too. I mean yea it looks nice at first, but ill take shitty plastic over broken glass any day.

Your logic isn't complete - you got the nexus because of the price, and you clearly made the trade off on the glass. If you would have truly taken "shitty plastic over broken glass any day", then I would ask "At what cost, because you could have..."

 

[IeraseU]

I have to wonder if putting a glass uni body on a phone is such a great idea. What was LG thinking...

I don't think it was a good choice either. When I was considering buying one, I read a blog by someone who was using it as a GPS in his car, and dropped from his hand to the center console of the car and the glass cracked. It sounds pretty fragile.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I don't think it was a good choice either. When I was considering buying one, I read a blog by someone who was using it as a GPS in his car, and dropped from his hand to the center console of the car and the glass cracked. It sounds pretty fragile.

one website said that even temperature changes appeared to be making it vulnerable to cracking. you see so many cracked iphones, im surprised they didnt think of that before cumming out with that design

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Your logic isn't complete - you got the nexus because of the price, and you clearly made the trade off on the glass. If you would have truly taken "shitty plastic over broken glass any day", then I would ask "At what cost, because you could have..."

Doesn't make any sense. I got the nexus for the price, so im stuck with whatever they chose to make it with. Its still a deal no matter what the material they chose, but clearly it was a mistake. Im assuming that google and many others consider glass>plastic, which does look a lot better, but isnt very functional. I'm sure it would cost them less to use plastic instead of glass, but it might have made it uglier, and probably more like its predecessor. The nexus 4 for 200 was a steal even if it came with a pre-cracked back.

All im saying is that they sell replacement glass backs for it everywhere - why does no one just make a piece of plastic that would fit instead of the glass?

 

[QueBert]

The glass looks nice, it feels solid, I had multiple Nexus 4's and they overheat like no other. I couldn't use it for GPS in my car because So Cal sun would cause it to just shut down. Also when I'd charge the last one I got it would pop up battery temp warnings every 15 seconds.