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I think we can all agree at this point that the iPhone 4 launch is not going well for Apple or its customers. In just two days since its release, iPhone 4 owners have found a plethora of potential and real-world problems, from a faulty antennas and Bluetooth headset connectivity issues to screen discolorations and scratches.
Then there’s the phone’s glass. Why oh why did Apple decide to use glass for the back of the iPhone 4? As Ryan Salerno, a Gizmodo writer, discovered this morning, glass is breakable.
The good news, if you can call it that, is that glass is replaceable. If you’re handy with a screwdriver and don’t mind performing surgery on your iPhone, you can tear it down far enough to replace even the LCD screen.
This video from parts supplier DirectFix.com shows you step-by-step how to disassemble an iPhone 4. You will, of course, need replacement parts for either the front or rear glass, but they’re not readily available yet. (Note to suppliers: You could make a mint by manufacturing a plastic replacement backing for the iPhone 4. The glass is just plain silly.)
The really interesting part of this video happens about the 1 minute, 40 second mark, when the repair guy plucks out the battery after removing only a couple screws and the back plate. That’s all it takes?
I know it’s a little early to start talking about battery replacement, but it’s nice to know how relatively painless it’ll be when the time comes. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the iPhone 4 has a user-replaceable battery.
What are your thoughts on the whole iPhone 4…should we just come out and call it a debacle?
