You may not think much about a crack in the screen or a bend in the chassis, but a lot goes on under your phone’s hood, and a lot of it can go wrong.
A Redditor recently posted about a cracked iPad, and that post inspired me to write this piece. I personally know people who are using phones with cracked displays. And while it may not look like much, I did my fair share of research and found it can be gravely damaging in more than one way.
While the case of bent phones is relatively rare, you can spot people using phones with cracked screens every now and then. Here are five things that can go wrong if you’re using a phone with a cracked screen or bent body.
Perils of a cracked-screen phone
1. Cut fingers and a hurting head
My opening arguments should convince you to share this article with your loved ones who keep using a phone with a cracked screen. Cracked screens can cut your fingers when using them, and these can be deep, painful cuts depending on how badly your finger gets stuck in the cracks.
But if you think the worst it can do is make you put some bandages on your fingers, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Cracked screens demand you to put more strain on your eyes and mind to put together the picture.
For proof’s sake, there’s a case on Practo where someone with a cracked phone screen got glass in their eye. You surely don’t want to be in this person’s shoes. Smartphones are straining enough to be changing the shape of our eyes, and a cracked display adds to that.
So the few dollars you’re saving by not getting that cracked screen replaced could cost you a lot in the long run.
2. Charging = Russian roulette
Will the gun go off, or do you get to live another round? Let’s move from cracked screens to bent bodies for a minute here. Your phone is made of hundreds of intricate components, some of them highly flammable. One such component is the battery, which cost Samsung its entire Note 7 lineup.
If your phone took a bend and its integrity is compromised, you’re playing Russian roulette every time you’re charging it. Such damage gets worse if you keep using the device, so a misfire is only a matter of time.
While that’s really the worst-case scenario, you should get your phone repaired if you bent its chassis. However, let’s move back to cracked screens for now.
3. The elements come after you!
Modern smartphones come with an IP rating. This IP rating, also known as the Ingress Protection rating, is there to protect your phone from dust and water damage. A good-condition phone is able to keep the dust away from sensitive components.
However, damage to the screen and that seal is compromised. A cracked screen means liquid and dust particles can easily enter your phone and cause further damage. This not only ruins the user experience but also makes it dangerous to keep using the device. But if you think screen damage is limited to the screen, the next point might surprise you.
4. Display damage > screen damage
Another reason to get your damaged screen repaired is to save your display. People often confuse a screen and a display with being the same thing. However, the screen is the surface that you touch, and the display panel sits below it.
In most cases, when your smartphone screen gets cracked, you can get it replaced at a lower cost. But if you don’t get the screen repaired, the damage will eventually start killing the display. You may end up with flickering, dead pixels, or discoloration of the display.
Remember the health hazards I talked about in the first point? A bad display is the start of all that. Again, one of the many things that can go wrong if you’re using a phone with a cracked or broken screen.
5. All of the above and more!
A cracked phone screen can cause everything, from severely damaging your phone to irreparably damaging your eyes and hands. A bend in the phone chassis may not seem like much but might do enough damage to cause a misfire.
Your phone is your portal to the world, and we know it isn’t easy to always keep it in mint condition. However, certain things shouldn’t be ignored, and a broken screen or damaged chassis are among those things. Now, if you don’t have a damaged screen or a flexing phone body, here are a couple of things you can do to keep it that way.
What to do to keep your phone as good as new?
- Apple Care, Samsung Care+, or any other insurance when you buy a new phone. An insured phone will cost you less if you break it.
- Put a screen guard on it, and not the cheap plastic film. Go for a proper tempered glass that can offer impact as well as scratch resistance.
- Slap on a case. It need not be an expensive one, and cheap cases work just as well. But if you want to keep your phone squeaky new, invest in a good protective case.
- Clean the openings. Your phone has several openings that attract dust. These include the speaker, earpiece, and charging port. Clean them from time to time, and you’ll feel the quality difference.
- Get your phone checked if you drop it. It is okay to use a slightly damaged phone, but do get it checked for any operational hazards. You never know how deep the damage may go, and getting your phone looked at is the safe choice.
Everything considered, if your phone is too damaged to be repaired, you can always trade it in. And if you’re on a budget, consider buying a refurbished or used phone. If you are doing that, here are things you need to consider when buying a used phone, or any other gadget for that matter.
Until self-repairing displays become a reality, take care of these things. I believe this article has added some value to your day. If you feel the same, do share this with your friends and family, and spread the word on no more broken screens.
