Two weeks ago the whole family was on a big outing to Target, or as I like to call it, The Happiest Place on Earth. It was the perfect trip: We got everything on the list, both kids were content, and I even got a coffee at the Starbucks counter (aka Starget). When we got back to the car, I started loading in the kids and Mike started loading in the groceries. Everything was going great until Mike, being helpful, grabbed James’ stroller and folded it up…except he didn’t realize my phone was still in the cup holder until it landed with a loud crack in the parking lot. When Mike handed the shattered phone to me…well, I didn’t say anything because Annabel was right there, and she was yelling, “Mama! Your phone bounced! Mama, is it broken? Mama, oh noooooooooooo!”
The good news is that it still works…kind of. The bad news is that it looks like this:
There are chunks of glass missing from it, and even today, two weeks later, small slivers of glass shake out of the screen.
It was an accident so I told myself to not be mad, but it’s been hard. Especially because every time I look at Mike I feel like he is rejoicing in his non-broken phone.
He thinks he’s so great with his non-broken phone.
I spent the first few hours AD (After Drop) obsessively googling “New iPhone 2013” and “Next iPhone” and “Steal husband’s iPhone while he sleeps” and discovered that the next iPhone will be released mid-September. When that happens, all the current phones will drop in price. I decided I could wait that long to get a new phone, as long as my shattered phone could just hang on.
The phone wasn’t in the greatest shape to begin with, but it’s even worse now. It only rings about 80% of the time. Texts don’t make a sound at all. The touch screen works but has patches where it doesn’t always pick up my finger swipes.
Related, my fingers now look like this:
The sad thing is that the first cut didn’t stop me. No, it took two cuts on two different fingers for me to finally say, “Hmm, maybe I should figure out another solution.” Presenting my other solution:
iPhone in a bag actually works! It protects my fingers while still letting me use my phone. And, it has the added bonus of collecting all those tiny shards of glass! I should market this idea.
The problem with iPhone In A Bag is that everyone has an opinion on it, and none of those opinions are good. Most people say things like, “You know you can get that fixed,” or “Your phone will overheat in there,” or “The humidity inside the bag will ruin your phone.” It’s already ruined, guys! Where was all of your helpful advice before Mike dropped it?!
I refuse to spend any money fixing or replacing this phone since the cheaper phones come out in less than a month. HANG IN THERE LITTLE SHATTERED PHONE, you miserable son of a gun.
Three days before my iPhone shattered, my mom cracked her screen. When she told me about it I said, “Wow, I’ve dropped my phone so many times and it’s never broken!”
Damn it.
CanuckMomDownUnder says:
This JUST happened to me. I dropped it on our driveway (having like you, dropped it many times before…even into water twice…) but this time, the glass shattered. I’m in Australia, but I’m sure they have it in the US and probably cheaper…I got my glass replaced for $50 at a little counter at the local mall. My iphone is older, but I won’t be getting a new one super soon and this was a good solution for me. They said it would be more if the actual LCD screen itself had shattered, but for me it was just the glass…
Good luck with whatever you do!
Annabel Vita says:
If you’re just looking for something to tide you over till you buy a new one, you can whack one of those sticky screen protectors over the top. It’ll hold all the glass together and protect your fingers. You can buy them from cheap phone shops or search on Amazon…
Becca Masters says:
Or cellophane wrap that you use for covering food!
Becca Masters says:
I’m saying nothing!!! Just in case!!! (Dear iPhone I love you please don’t break)
Lanie says:
What came up when you googled “steal husband’s iPhone while he sleeps”? :-). Hope that you and the phone hang in there – September will be here soon!
Greta says:
Check out SAMs club, our local one has the iphone5 for $128. They also ran that special in December, we got 3 with free activation!
Heather says:
Alternatively, going to find some clear mactac contact paper will work. It’s a little thicker so it’s more likely to last until phone replacement.
Also, you should google ‘how to swap my SIM card with my iphone bustin’ husbands beautiful intact iphone SIM card’
Jen says:
Not sure if you want to bother to try to fix it yourself since you came up with a solution, but here is a step by step for her to do it, if you are. I pinned it a while ago for all my iPhone having friends.
http://www.littlebitfunky.com/2012/09/how-to-replace-your-iphone-4-screen.html
aubrey says:
Gorilla glue has a new clear tape marketed for broken phone glass. I need to get some too. My screen shattered a couple weeks ago. I’m waiting for it to start cutting my face. Which will be super awesome. maybe I’ll try phone I’m a bag.
Laura says:
Oh shoot. The dreaded spider app. Only one of its kind that comes free but is very expensive to get rid of. I’d also go for a screen guard to tide you over. It won’t really protect the phone from scratches, but it will probably protect your fingers from further cuts.
Maris says:
I can relate. I dropped my phone while carrying my wiggly puppy down the stairs over a year ago. The screen is cracked but whats worse is its 90% black. So I can’t see pics and my texts make me look extremelyyyyy illiterate. The people I know, know I can spell but my new tenant and new neighbor, not so much. I tried explaining its my phone but they both kind of have me a “oh you poor dear” kind of look. Somedays my husband calls to say I can’t even guess at what you were trying to say in your texts. I don’t even have an iPhone. I have a Samsung but it was $300 and I just don’t want to spend the $ right now. I’m saving up for a purse. also, I keep my camera in a ziplock bag in my purse and I have people tell me it’s not good to keep it in there but I tell them, it’s safer than if my Purell leaks on it!
Becca says:
I hear you – I bought my partner a new Itouch for her birthday about a month after they were released and then promptly dropped it in the driveway *the next day*. I actually cried.
Susan says:
OMG you are Bill Hadar in the t-mobile ad.
Amy says:
The second I read that your phone broke I thought about the Tmobile commercial!
Nicole says:
THIS!!!!
TamaraL says:
Why didn’t you have that thing in a case? Or a whats-it-called? Life-somthing? Lifeproof? My daughter has always kept her phone in a case (and now a lifeproof) and it has never been broken or cracked. I recommend you get one for your next phone!
Carrie says:
Same thing literally just happened to me too. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later with all the times I’ve dropped it. The little shards of glass are horrible. I went and bought a plastic screen protector from Five Below. Not sure you have them where you are, but it’s like a dollar store but way better. Because of the crackers the screen protector doesn’t lay flat against the screen but I have saved my fingers from glass splinters. I am also waiting until September for a new phone to come out.
Alice says:
Not sure if you can do the same thing in the US, but here in Australia small retail phone shops will fix your broken screen for around $30 and voila! good as new! Much cheaper than having to buy a whole new phone.
Julie says:
If you were a teenager, your cracked phone would give you “street cred”, or so I hear!
Cory says:
I was feeling bad for you until I read Julie’s comment about “street cred”…now I’m off to throw my phone on the ground. I currently have zero street cred.
Catie says:
Same thing happened to me the night of our rehearsal dinner. Sooooo frustrating! I wrapped it up with some clear packing tape and that contained the glass and kept me from cutting up my bridal-manicured digits until I had a chance to get it fixed. And actually, when I did go to get it fixed at the apple store, they gave me a “one time pass” and replaced it for free! If you don’t need to upgrade and you have time to get to an Apple store, it might be worth a try. Good luck!
REK981 says:
Get a good case, maybe a LifeProof when you get your new phone. Otterbox are good but bulky and heavy. I always get my cases on eBay so I can lots of them and change them. But I get full cases that surround the whole thing. Good luck – you only have a few weeks!
Cheryl says:
The have slim not as bulky or heavy otterbox cases that I have and love….when I have dropped,my phone no damage at all.
Jenn says:
Use a lifeproof case or an Otter case.
Here’s a point of view from the opposite side; I dropped my husband iPad mini in the inlaws driveway. I was taking it out of the car so it didn’t get too hot and it slipped right out of my hand. I was trying to do something good, and screwed that up. …and it wasn’t even MINE! I felt TERRIBLE. It landed on dead on the corner and the glass shattered. I tried to go to the apple store and cry my way to a new one (with baby in hand) but that didn’t work. $220 to “fix it” (really just get handed a new or refurbished one since they didn’t replace the glass) and we had to wait a couple of months till we had the extra money. I always felt guilty using mine because I knew he didn’t have his, and it was MY fault. So, I let him use mine anytime he needed or wanted to.
At least it’ll only be a few more weeks until the new ones are released.
Megan says:
I’m amazed this didn’t happen to you sooner. Pretty much every person I know who doesn’t have their phone in a super protective case has done this.
Not all Otterboxes are bulky. I have a Lifeproof case now and liked my Otterbox better. They come in cool color combos, too.
Jill says:
You can get the front glass replaced for about $20 at an iphone repair store! Google iPhone repair in your neighborhood! A quick fix to get rid of the bag and the bloody fingers.
Jessica says:
I rarely comment, but I am a loyal reader. I recently got the Samsung Galaxy S4, which I think is fabulous! Also, the pushy-as-all-heck Verizon guy convinved me to get an “otterbox defender” case (which I imagine they have for many devices, not just samsung). It is the most secure case I have ever come across. Its so secure it took my husband 20 minutes to teach me how to remove it!
Laida says:
I did this and mine was a lot worse. Regular ole clear packaging tape did the trick. Worked just fine until I was able to get a new one.
Hayley says:
I’ve had my iPhone for 3 years and dropped it so many times but then a few weeks ago, came the fatal drop! Luckily mine only smashed the back glass not the front so I’ve just put a cover over it to stop the cut hands! I can’t afford a new one so this is a good solution for me!
My best friends iPhone 5 has a smashed front screen, it makes me sad to look at!
Cheryl says:
This might have already been in a comment, didn’t have time to read them but I was dropping my slippery iphone all the time till I got a Seidio case for it. They’re more expensive than some of the cheaper cases around but well worth it. I’ve still dropped it now and then but it hasn’t cracked (Now that I’ve said that is my iphone going to fall and have the screen crack?? Please, noooooo)
PattyB says:
I have a similar problem. My ipod was mysteriously broken one day (a/k/a the 9 year old dropped it when she wasn’t supposed to be playing with it), and I recently dropped my cell phone in a port-a-potty while tailgating at a Chicago White Sox game. Needless to say, the phone remained in the port-a-potty. I am using our “extra” phone which is code for piece of crap that no one wanted. My cell phone account is due for an upgrade in November, which is when I will get a swanky new iphone so I can get rid of both useless devices. UGH! Feeling your pain, Heather!
Marjorie says:
I highly recommend the Otterbox Defender as well. It is virtually indestructible. A little bulky but worth it. I have dropped my Iphone many times and it still looks like new! Good thinking with the zip lock bag though!
Brenda says:
My daughter dropped her I-pod over the weekend which also ended in a cracked screen. Our solution was a piece of clear packing tape to hold the glass shards in place. So far it has worked really well. Though my other daughter has now decided she is getting a LifeProof case for hers immediately.
Natasha says:
I also recommend an Otterbox! My iPhone is almost three years old and has survived countless drops (probably one a week on average) as well as a jump into a swimming pool due to that case. It’s bulky but it still fits into my purse or pocket easily. My phone itself is in perfect condition, not a single scratch on it. I’ll never own a phone without one.
Rebecca says:
I’ve yet to….(insert the never statement)
My phone hasn’t broken YET when I drop it so far…..
I think adding those words shows the spirits around you that you know it could happen and they might leave you alone.
Ashley says:
Definitely invest in an Otterbox case! I drop mine all the time and have never had any problems. It just bounces (safely). With kids, it’s most definitely the way to go!! My son has an iPad, and we got him an Otterbox case for that too. They’re about $50 for the phone case, but it’s totally worth it.
Chris says:
My grandson has dropped his and broken the glass a few times. We put clear tape on it and that helped until he could get a new one. It kept the little shards of glass from falling out and actually worked. My daughter always has a screen protector and rubber/vinyl case on hers. She has dropped it a million times and its been fine. You should try this on your new one. It’s like the commercial out now. OOPS I dropped my phone, oh now I’ll have to get a new one. LOL
mommabird2345 says:
Here’s what you need to do: if you and Mike have the same model phone, you take your SIM card out of yours & put it in Mike’s phone & vice versa. Like magic, it’s fixed!
Annalisa says:
I had my iPhone break more than once. Funnily enough, I’ve had an iPhone for as long as they’ve been around, and only recently had problems with their sturdiness. There’s a reason to that, I think (more on that below).
The first time, I was pregnant and fell on my iPhone2 with my knees in a parking lot. Not surprisingly, it was the last of my worries for a day or two. Apple replaced the glass for free.
The following year, I had something very similar happen, except that it was in our garage, the phone tumbled out, and somebody didn’t notice, so they ran over it twice with our car (two years later, we still argue who’s more at fault, me for not knowing that my phone was left behind in the car, or hubby for just NOT noticing my freaking phone on the ground!). Apple let me upgrade to a new model for a fee, and called it a day.
Cue to a year later: my toddler dropped my iPhone4 on the marble floor at SeaTac, and that puny fall shattered the back glass. Replaced it for a $200 maintenance fee from Apple, whose genius informed me this was a one time only indulgence, and next time I’d have to buy a new phone instead.
At some point, I think Apple has figured out there’s money to be made from making their phones more flimsy yet pretty. So I slapped on a very ugly yet sturdy case on my newly repaired iPhone, and said “This is it, Apple”.
My case is now cracking. When it disintegrates, I’m probably switching to a Windows Phone. My husband has had his for a year, and it has nary a scratch in spite of being my daughter’s new ‘it’ phone. Apple is not getting any more money from me until they stop making the world’s most delicate phones.
Kate says:
Hilarious. Thanks for the laughs.
Becky Campbell says:
Don’t they make those clear plastic covers you could put on it? Your idea is genius…except for the whole overheating/sweating thing. I would’ve covered it in clear packing tape!
Jenn says:
They make those screen protectors that are basically an iPhone shaped piece of tape that you could use. They are like $2 and probably less bulky than the bag
Shanan says:
I did this to my phone. I successfully used it for another 6 months afterward. One strip of packing tape did the job. Remove the part around the bottom button, poke a whole in it so you can hear your calls and boom, works like a charm and free! Good look!
Susanmig says:
My phone dropped in the pedicure tub. Totally my fault. Upside: my feet looked amazing!
Mike: paybacks….be aware. ????
Stephanie says:
I dropped my phone in early April – shattered the screen completely. I wasn’t eligible for a new phone until August, so I ordered a replacement screen and my computer engineer husband fixed it in his lab at work. Then, I dropped it again when I was out running and slipped and fell on some gravel. Cracked, but the screen protector film over it at least keeps my fingers safe. Still works fine, but I’m counting down the days until the new iPhone comes out!
Katherine says:
Ah, my 12 month old did same to my iPad. It was new, so I’m not even planning on buying a new one any time soon. But regular old packing tape has worked just fine — might be a little better than a zip lock bag!
Meg says:
My iPhone 4 hasn’t shattered, but the camera stopped focusing about a year ago and then the home button became less responsive and then the touch screen didn’t accept about half of the input . . . I am waiting for the new iPhone next month, since my electronics strategy is to get the best new one I can (preferably refurbished) and make it last through several upgrade cycles. My PowerBook G4 12.1″ lasted from 2005 to 2011, with several hard drive replacements.
Lorraine says:
Once you get a new phone, purchase a LifeProof case. It is great! And I drop my phone all the time and no damage.
Kylene says:
We were out to eat a few weeks ago and I saw a waitress in the back of the restaurant eating her lunch. She was eating some kind of messy finger food and she was texting/working/playing on her phone (what do we call all of the activity we do on our phones?!) which was in a baggy. I had never seen that before! I think it’s a brilliant idea (no idea what reaction it has on the phone) and sounds like a great fix for the next few weeks! I’ve also been waiting for the new iPhone to come out to take advantage of the upgrade. iPhone 5S/6/?? here we come…
Sara says:
On a completely unrelated note – is that Beaker on your band-aid?? Where can I find that awesomeness?
Lisa says:
They have Muppets band-aids at The Happiest Place On Earth–AKA Target :).
Heather says:
yep, Beaker! Isn’t that the most awesome band-aid ever? I got the box of Muppet band-aids at Target!
Sara says:
Now I have to get some. If only I could go there without spending a minimum of $200…. Thus my love/hate relationship with the happiest place on earth!
Sarah says:
That stinks! Hopefully it holds out until prices drop. If I didn’t have an Otterbox on my iPhone I would have broken it a long time ago with how many times I’ve dropped it!
Paula says:
Zag Shield. Seriously. If you get another IPhone invest in the Zag. I’ve dropped my phone probably 20 times in the last year and never has it broken. I dropped mine the other day at work on the sidewalk and someone said “Oh man! There’s goes your phone. Now you’ll have to get the screen fixed!” I picked it up and nothing wrong. I swear by Zag’s and all my kids’ phones have them too. They’re worth the price!
Gretta says:
Clear packing tape.
Jackie says:
I’m with Laida! I cracked my screen and immediately put a strip of clear packaging tape on it so the screen shards wouldn’t fall out. It might be a little late for you now but you have nothing to lose, right? My taped screen lasted from july-december until I decided to buy a new phone.
ciji says:
OMG when i saw your fingers i just died. this reminds me of those commercials playing with the guy who have slow/old/broken phones and how he should switch to X company. My iphone never leaves its otterbox. i have cracked the bottom of it just above the port for the charger and the silicone fell off in that area but the iphone is still in mint condition. i need new backup otterboxes. genious use of plastic bag btw.
Paula says:
A couple of weeks ago I had my iPhone 4 in my jeans pocket. Went to the toilet and splash! Immersed in rice for two days and managed to get all my data off. Loving my new iPhone 5 and even better – my hubby mr geek is still on an old phone! Ha!
Becca says:
1) Invest in applecare for your next phone, only $50 to replace a phone (twice).
2) OTTERBOX. It always amazes me that people don’t have protective covers on their expensive phones. My otterbox worked great, protected it from probably 10+ drops, and it wasn’t gaudy or too big to hold. I loved it.
Stacy G. says:
I agree with everyone else. Get a better case next time. I will not even leave the store with a new iPhone without a good case and a Zagg shield for the screen because I drop my phone ALL THE TIME. I prefer Speck Candyshell and iSkin silicone ones. My phone just bounces when dropped. I’ve even dropped my phone down the stairs and there was no damage. We have an iPad in a Gumdrop case and Zagg screen shield and and iPad mini in an Otterbox and Zagg screen shield. Our 4 kids handle them daily and they are still like new. They’ve been stepped on, dropped, had food all over them, etc. Half the fun for me of getting a new device is picking out a case to put it in. LOL
Jordan says:
My Dad knew from the second he agreed to let me get an iphone an Otterbox was our next purchase! I’m a “bull in a china shop” according to my Mama, and that is exceptionally true w electronics!!
Saying that, I have been through two-TWO-otterboxes. They just completely wore out from my over-excessive dropping. (thankfully it kept my phone safe every 100 times I dropped it!) Otterboxes are awesome but if you’re prone to dropping things they do have a tendency to wear out over time.
I recently got a Balistic case instead of opting for another otterbox. I love it. It’s still super protective but doesn’t come with the extra bulk/multiple pieces an otter does.
I’ve had some minor issues with it (mainly convenience/ annoyance but nothing crazy) but overall it’s a great case.
Hold on lil til September lil iphone!
Jordan says:
**Ballistic – I knew I spelled it wrong, darnit!
Melissa says:
Sorry about your phone, SO frustrating. In the interim, get a Zagg shield. I have them on all my iDevices and they help keep them from shattering – and if they have already shattered, they’ll save your fingers and keep the shards in place. Zagg.com
Jordan says:
heather, I had to come back to this post today and laugh, because, MY iphone bit the dust Friday. dropped it on tile floor, with no case. Completely shattered like yours. UGH.
I thought of you and your phone dropping drama, and immediately put my phone in a plastic bag. Mainly because I didn’t want to scratch my fingers, AND also because I work at a daycare, where half of my time is spent keeping sticky 4 y.o fingers off my phone! Lord knows I need a kid cutting a finger open on my phone.
Thankfully, Friday was also my payday AND I was due an upgrade, so now I have my crack-free coral/pink iphone 5C, with a 90 dollar lifeproof case on its way in the mail. Ah, the joys of being an adult!