[rareohs]

Got my 920 at Best Buy on release day, and have loved it. A few nitpicks here and there, mostly on needing the usual apps that aren't available, and the disappointing daytime camera results. All in all totally stoked about it. Built like a tank, or so I thought, and so didn't get a case.

Dropped it the other morning onto my bamboo floor, from about waist high. My arm was moving forward at the time so the phone hit and bounced forward. Didn't think anything of it, such a minor drop, so I was shocked to pick it up and see that the screen had completely shattered. For cryin' out loud it looks like I took a sledgehammer to it!! Unbelievable.

Thankfully, I had purchased the full insurance option from Best Buy so replacing it won't cost me a penny. BUT it's backordered and it might be a month (!!) before I'm in business again.

Needless to say I'm hugely disappointed. Hopefully it was a lemon, because I seriously couldn't believe that much damage could ever have occurred from a relatively minor drop like that... but damn, it did.

[alvarezjpr]

Ouch! That's why mine will be in a case.

[Coffee]

Hopefully this will get more people to buy cases - the Lumias are tough but not unbreakable. Yes, a lot of WP8 phones are pretty, but they're still fragile. At least get a clear gel case or something.

[swanlee]

It seems they are picky about the exact spot when they are dropped. Otherwise they are built like tanks. You tube videos show a guy using it as a hammer, doing drop tests from knee's, waist and head. Letting a baby throw it from head level etc.

[aubreyq]

Will a screen protector help minimize/avoid this or do you need a combination of case + screen protector?

[rareohs]

the case thing is a bummer. I *hate* cases. Hate hate hate them. Obviously I recognize their value, but christ almighty the phone is already on the big and heavy side, the thought of adding something protective to it is not appealing in the least.

i guess i'll have to look at the options, though. Wonder how massive it would become with the smaller otterbox (commuter?)... and yeah, maybe even just a gel case might be enough.

of course as luck would have it, 3 days after taking it in to best buy and being told it could be a month before the new one is in, the wireless charging pad I ordered 3 weeks ago finally is shipping. D'oh!!!

[ljkelley]

Will a screen protector help minimize/avoid this or do you need a combination of case + screen protector?

The screen protector will definitely help. However a case will help more, as a case will remove the biggest factor for screen shattering in a 920/800, curved glass.

[karmamule]

It's always a risk to "go naked" with your phone, but knock-on-wood I've had luck through the years cuz I hate hate hate cases, just like rareohs. I've also had some spectacular drops with other phones in the past, and it really is all about where they strike, because I've dropped onto cement from several feet up and never worse than a nick (and that's NOT on phones like the 920 with any reputation for durability).

I'm probably going to keep using the 920 "naked" because it is a low replacement cost for a flagship phone. The worst part would be the wait, and I have my old 900 (which I may not even bother selling in the near future) if that should happen. So, I'm crossing my fingers that my good luck holds if/when I ever drop my 920.

[aubreyq]

I hate cases as well, but I plan to get my 920 at a subsidized price and I don't like paying for insurance so I might get a clear case like the S-type they posted here on the main site. So torn about it, though.

[a5cent]

Any idea how the 920 hit the floor? It looks almost as if the bottom edge of the glass screen absorbed the full impact force (based on the fracturing pattern and the damage on the bottom of the screen).

[soloist_huaxin]

I dropped my yellow 920 right out of box(still feeling the pain after 2 days) from about waist high to wood floor, and not seeing even a scratch anywhere. Sorry to hear that OP. It's 100% the spot where it makes the contact, I guess I got lucky.

[rareohs]

I didn't see it hit the floor but yeah, I guess it hit in that one perfect, tiny achilles heel spot. I'm still flabbergasted by it.

sigh.

[based_graham]

Hey man

I feel your pain I e-mailed Stephen Elop explaining my situation. A Nokia Lumia 920 screen shouldn't break after a modest drop I literally dropped mine 3 feet right on its back and the screen shattered. Now Nokia is replacing it.

[wamsille]

Drop a phone, expect damage. Many phones are constructed well enough that they can survive a bump or two before you actually need to take it in for repair/replacement. That being said, even a minor drop can cause considerable damage to a device if the conditions prove favorable. The right kind of case could soften the impact. A screen protector won't prevent deep scratches from ruining the screen. Unless you don't use your phone at all you stand a significantly smaller chance of keeping the phone in pristine condition once you remove the device from the box.

If you bought a protection plan or insurance through AT&T, this is what it is there for.

[socialcarpet]

Kind of makes me long for the days when phones had plastic screens and this was a non-issue.

[cameradork]

Every one of these posts is making me happier that I got the Assure plan. Hope your phone is replaced quickly, OP.

[v10type-r]

wow, that sucks. I've dropped mine a dozen times now and I don't even have a scuff.. I just put a zagg full body kit on it a couple days ago for extra grip, but it won't do much to take any impact away if dropped.

[willied]

Don't drop it and you won't be bummed. :P

[kcovert]

Yea just must be some vulnerable spot as we have been seeing from other post where this happened after minor drops. My son has dropped his 3 times from waist high onto a marble floor and so far not even a ding. Yea he does drop it a bit too often, we’ll keep you posted.

[Slai]

kcovert: i hope you have it insured :) . I wouldnt even give my 920 to my girlfriend, let alone a toddler. Mad cojones, bro.

[Joseph Noble]

Yours is not a lemon. I dropped my phone from about 1 1/2 ft and the screen shattered. I have since heard that many people are having the same problem. I live in Thailandmwhere the phone costs $700 and there is no insurance and getting service is almost impossible so I would not recommend any of my friends to buy this phone. It also seems that a lot of the folks,replying on this forum are either Nokia employees or Nokia apologists. If they sound too sympathetic to Nokia on this issue, just ask them if the work or consult for Nokia.

[Joseph Noble]

Everyone drops their phone, unless they are working in a Nokia office!

[gilesjuk]

If you are the sort of person to drop phones, insure them. Simple as that.

I've never broken a phone screen ever. It may be called Gorilla glass but it's still just glass. Glass is very hard and anything that is hard is also brittle and will shatter.

[wilsey]

I'm really sorry for what happened to your phone. Hope the replacement will arrive soon.
Out of 100 maybe there are 10 that will break/shattered if dropped from a waist height. I guess it might be due to some impurities on the glass. I don't think they are able to produce all Gorilla glass with the same strength. There must be a range. Maybe in this case, it hit perfectly at its weakest point.
Now it makes me think again to put my phone on a case.

[HIllste1]

Hate to say I just joined the Club. Phone fell from my lap while getting out of the car. Our screens could be twins.