iPhone 4 More Breakable Than iPhone 3GSiPhone 4 More Breakable Than iPhone 3GS

SquareTrade analyzed the data collected on its 20,000 customers and has provided a peek at the iPhone 4's durability compared to its predecessor. In short, the iPhone 4s covered by SquareTrade Care Plans are showing an 82% increase in reported broken screens compared to the iPhone 3GS.

In SquareTrade's report, it said, "Our data shows that iPhone 4 owners are reporting accidents 68% more frequently than iPhone 3gs owners. 4.7% of iPhone 4 owners reported an accident to SquareTrade in the first 4 months of ownership, almost 70% higher than iPhone 3GS owners, 2.8% of whom had an accident over the same time period."

"Of these iPhone 4 accidents, the vast majority involved a damaged screen. When we evaluated damaged screen reports, we found the iPhone 4 had 82% more broken screens than the iPhone 3GS reported in the first 4 months."

The iPhone 4 is made of two large glass surfaces, one on the front and one on the back. The iPhone 3GS has glass on the front only. With 100% more breakable glass surface than the iPhone 3GS, it stands to reason that there will be more cracked glass complaints about the iPhone 4.

In the report, SquareTrade made mention of the recently uncovered "Glassgate" iPhone issue, which suggests that dirt trapped between a case and the back glass surface can lead to scratches and even cracked glass. "While our data doesn't identify which broken screens resulted from dirt trapped behind a slide case, at least a quarter of the broken glass claims involved the back screen. With 82% more cracked screens reported, the evidence suggests that the iPhone 4 is more vulnerable to physical damage than its predecessor."

SquareTrade's data confirms what I suspect most already knew: The iPhone 4 is more breakable than the iPhone 3GS thanks to its two glass surfaces.

Here's the scary part. SquareTrade estimates that 15.5% of all iPhone 4s will suffer accidental damage in the first year. That means approximately one in six users will experience a cracked screen within a year of buying the iPhone 4.

[Via MacRumors]