Home Android NewsSamsung Galaxy S3 Cracking Issues?
15
Jul

Samsung Galaxy S3 Cracking Issues?

Written by Jonathan Mallett. Posted in Android News

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been selling like hotcakes but is it developing cracking issues? This isn’t someone putting a the device in a microwave and saying it exploded, this is a phone that I have seen and handled and have it on good faith that it has not been dropped. A good friend of mine has owned a galaxy s3 for about a month and has had a case on it since purchase. He recently took the case off and realised that cracks were spontaneously appearing all over the sides and back cover of his Pebble Blue S3 (and they got much worse as you can see in the images below). I know for a fact that he takes very (VERY) good care of his phones (he has a 2-year-old HTC Desire with barley a scratch on it). He took it back to the shop and after much convincing (that he hadn’t dropped the phone), he is having his S3 repaired next week.

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to handle the cracked phone. They are clearly visible and that got me searching on-line for other Samsung Galaxy S3 that have the same issue. I only found two other SGS3 (both marble white) with the same issue but the cracks were nowhere near to the same extent. One of the other phones I found had been kept in a case since it was bought too so, could this be an issue with certain cases? The case on the phone I handled was snuggly but I wouldn’t consider it tight.

From what I’ve read/researched this isn’t a widespread issue and I doubt that it will affect the sales of what is, arguably, the best Android device out right now but has it maybe put you off buying the Samsung Galaxy S3? Have you experienced the same issue on your SGS3? Sound out in the comments below.

Link to other cases of cracked SGS3s

Jonathan Mallett

Jonathan(23) is a software development student and tech enthusiast. He is quite new to writing reviews and blogging about tech but he is keen on helping Android users decide which apps and accessories appeal to their wants and needs. His love for Android is fuelled by the openness of the OS. Jonathan is also passionate about his guitar and music.

Find me on Twitter (JonathanMallett) and Google+.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/paul.glastra Paul Glastra

    More and more s3′s in europe are starting to show the same cracks..mine is still okay :)

    • http://www.droid-den.com Rachid

      Mine too so far!

  • Anonymous

    I am having  the problem with the hairline crack on the side of the
    phone about center on power button side. There is a crack bottom corner
    of power button too. My phone has not been dropped. I received it from
    Verizon on July 9th and did not start using it till July 11th. My wife
    got the white one and no problems with it yet.

  • Anonymous

    I pulled my battery out and top part above battery and camera meet was pulling apart and cracking there. I went to Verizon and they replaced the phone with no problems. The rep said looks like an internal heat problem. You might have your friend pull his battery and see his looks. Hats off to Verizon customer service!

  • Jonathan Mallett

    My friend (and I tagged along) took it back to where he bought it and they are trying to blame some spilled ink from his pen as the cause for the cracks. The ink didn’t even get to the phone because it was in a case and it’s hard to believe that ink could cause such a drastic chemical reaction… Bad customer service. Their returns policy only covers 3 days for a straight swap. He will probably have to wait 3-4 weeks as it’s sent to Samsung.

  • Darkphoenix_ken

    just wanted to ask my smsung s3 have crack on the power button when i brought and it seal and cant check when purchase ,whether replaceble ?

  • Glen

    My screen has also cracked. Put it in case from hour 1! Crack not visible with case on-might have come that way. Crack is half oval from edge of glass case interface and back. NO trauma, case on at all times. Found when changing from Matt to clear screen protector. Matt scatters light enough to get rainbow effect from sub pixels. Verizon would not replace the phone that I had for 8 days. Asurion will charge about $100 for replacement–hopefully a new phone since they are so new. I reported to Samsung and had them issue repair ticket, but phone will be gone for at best 2 weeks. Also, if they determine their design or manufacturing are not to blame, they will charge me for the repair. They also will not be responsible for any damage that may occur while the device is being shipped to Texas. I wonder which of the two causes they would site when charging me for the repair. Hope this phone does not cost an average of $100 per week even when operating responsibly.

    • Edpeters

      Mine cracked on the first day, the Samsung tech said that this can happen if you recharge it will it is in a case.  He specifically mentioned this happens with the “otterbox”

    • Edpeters

      Mine cracked on the first day, the Samsung tech said that this can happen if you recharge it will it is in a case.  He specifically mentioned this happens with the “otterbox”

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=892645194 Stephen Atty

       I’ve got a curved crack too – looks like a very light scratch until you get the light at the right angle.

  • Ds185045

    I have my galaxy s3 for over one month with 3 Network. First the battery cover cracked on right side, may be 2 mm crack in length. this morning i found a hair line crack on silver coloured part near to volume control button. I called samsung UK and they have taken my complaint and sending me a post pack to send to repair center for fixing it. hope fully free. If it was Apple I wonldn’t have to worry as apple recognise the damage and replaces it free.
    Any suggestions..

    • Someone999

      My battery cover has missing chunks at the edges, the same as those shown in the pictures and after less than a month and it was never dropped.   I love the phone, but there does appear to be a problem with the plastic quality.  I didn’t report it because I figured they wouldn’t believe me that it wasn’t dropped, but now that I seeing this appears to be a more common problem I am going to report it.

  • Bob Holloway

    My SGS3 (white) has developed a small crack in the silver chassis that wraps arounf the phone.  This crach is on the left hand side near the volume button, and the phone has never been in a case.
     
    Samsung have said they will repair the phone/replace as it’s a “recognised” manufacturing problem, however they also said that the phone will be gone for at least 3-4 weeks.  WTF?!?!?
    I cannot do without my phone for that long and don’t have access to another one while the SGS3 is being repaired.
    I really wish I hadn’t have bothered with this phone now and should have waited of the iPhone 5.  At least you can take these to the shops and the staff are generally very helpful.

  • guest

    mine too cracks started appearing when it was 3 weeks old and have continued to appear

  • Anonymous

    My GS3 has two hairline cracks on the front bottom part of the of the phone.  I’ve had it for about 3 weeks.  Not sure how or why this happened.

    • http://www.droid-den.com Rachid

      Is it the blue or white one?

      • Anonymous

        It’s blue.  One crack hits the edge of the physical button on the screen.

  • Rwg5021

    I own the White Galaxy S3 and after 3-4 weeks I notice a few
    stress cracks that have a “spider” effect to them. When I take the case off and
    pin point the actual location it appears to propagate from the top corners of
    the battery….Meaning if you would flex the back of the phone and press your
    finger right at the two top corners of the battery that is where the cracks
    initiate.

    The main problem that I have with this is that I am a
    Plastics Materials Engineer and have been designing plastic parts for YEARS. If
    you look on the back of the phone it says it’s made out of PC (Polycarbonate).
    This is fine however PC is an amorphous polymer which means its Chemical
    resistance is HORRIBLE.

    You can tell the back of this phone was either “painted” in
    order to get chemical resistance OR it was molded with a hard coat over top of
    it thus presenting chemical resistance.

    I am not going to keep typing boring engineering stuff
    however they designed and molded this product HORRIBLY. They rushed to get this
    to market, did not do any mold flow studies and had no idea where their weld
    lines were at.

    With the amount of cracks occurring from these phones its
    ridiculous. They need to complete a design of experiments on their molding
    process to try and at least put a Band-Aid on the issue.  You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a
    pig. They need to recognize this problem and fix it.

    Pretty sad that the back cover cracked within months of
    ownership too and I am reading multiple cases of this online.

     I hope this message
    reaches the engineer that designed this part in Korea or wherever this was
    engineered because you need to turn your degree back in to the university. HIRE
    SOME NEW ENGINEERS SAMSUNG!!!! I hate Apple and you wonder why they won the
    lawsuit.

  • Danniel

    so far, been using my s3 for sometimes ord. bought it at first when it reach malaysia. i’ve been using Case Mate casing, double layer protection casing. dropping few times hard to the ground. so far still ok. no sign of cracking

  • Margaret Wardley

    “From what I’ve read/researched this isn’t a widespread issue and I doubt that it will affect the sales of what is, arguably, the best Android device out right now but has it maybe put you off buying the Samsung Galaxy S3? Have you experienced the same issue on your SGS3? Sound out in the comments below.”"

    you are joing saying i isnt a widespread problem ??? errr yes it is !! i know 3 people whos cases have cracked all in the same places and no they havent been miss handled its just the rubbish and inferior product they have used to make the cases !!

    • http://www.droid-den.com Rachid

      It depends what widespread means. I mean if there have been say 30million+ sales of the phone, we need to know the percentage of phones with issues first! I have had three of these myself, gf has one, 5 people at work I know have them and none of those have issues!

      Not denying this doesn’t exist, but we have no idea how widespread it is really!

      Having said that, it shouldn’t even be an issue no matter how many people experience it. Samsung let something drop I guess..

  • Nsb103

    Mine cracked right across the screen, literally in front of my eyes.  It was charging at the time and I was watching a video, I can’t think of any possible cause other than temperature related expansion of either the glass or battery.  I have submitted it for a warranty repair, but hold out little hope they will accept I didn’t drop it.  It will be a very expensive repair in that case, so I would not recommend this phone to anyone who is not feeling lucky.  It may be rare, but it could happen to you.

    • http://www.droid-den.com Rachid

      Thats terrible!! I can only guess it was heat related too, was it hot to touch?

  • http://www.facebook.com/WooddieBone Vid Vrbanović

    This S3 was obviously dropped a dozen times or so. I’ve seen one get run over by a pick-up truck screen-down and not a scratch on it. It looked like you just taken it out of the box.

  • Margaret Wardley

     iv got 3 children and all have S3,S  and out of the 3,  two if them are showing stress cracks around the silver bevel !! in exactly the same places,

    its just the inferior materials that have been used !!  

  • Deeazee

    Hello. Yes had me s3 for just under 2 months now and noticed a small crack has appeared on one side going front to back and another has started on the opposite side. Mine has been in a case since new and I know for a fact I nave not dropped it. Seems strange. Mine is a white one and the cracks are on the silver band round the edge. Not happy with this as it has to last me 2 years. What do I do to get something done about this?

  • Margaret Wardley

    been in touch with samsung and they say there isnt a fault with these fones !!!  you cant all be wrong ????
    they are just passing the buck as per usual !!

  • Curtis Simms

    I have a white AT&T SG3 and under the volume rocker switch is a crack and paint defect – 2 months old! never dropped!!  I’m taking it to the ATT repair center in St. Louis to have them swap it out.  I will argue like crazy if they don’t do it.  I’m very dissapointed with this phone after being an iPhone person for years and never had an issue like this.  Plus I kept in an otter box and never seen an issue like this – I take great care of my electronics being in the IT field.  I will repost what happens from today when I take it in for AT&T to swap it out.  If they don’t, I’m done with AT&T after my contract is up.

  • Naval

    I have a white colour SGS3 with a marble blue flip cover and I am experiencing the same cracking problem. Linear Cracks are mysteriously prominent on the silver boundary of my phone just as in image 1

  • Dkp2003

    My s3 has a cracked glass right over where charge plugs in that happened over night..me sleeping while it charged. It looks like a small crushed spot under protective screen cover. No falls, drops..calls come in fine..lights at bottom and green or blue notification lights work but black screen. If i had dropped it wouldn’t it have broken where hit then it be unable to feel my touch to answer? I can’t pay for another when it looks just like thr charge blew a spot on bottom of thr screen. Help????

  • stepfordhsuband

    I have had my s3 for six months. I recently noticed that the bezel of my phone had split – right across the microphone hole on the upper edge of the bezel.
    I take particular care of my phone – it has never been dropped, and there is no other damage – cosmetic or otherwise – to my phone.
    I contacted Samsung about this,and had my phone sent to a service centre.  The conclusion they reached was the crack was due to “wear and tear”, and was therefore not covered by the warranty.
    Despite the evidence I have come across that there are many users experiencing similar problems, it seems that Samsung customer service here in the UK are unaware of the issue, and are denying all accountability for what is quite plainly a manufacturing fault.
    Does anyone have any idea about howe to get Samsung to accept responsibility for this?

  • Naval_shevade

    You can contact the CEOs office by mailing them through their online portal and attaching snaps of your phone and demanding a replacement… I have done the same. It has been 2 weeks I have raised a complaint myself and it does look like they are seriously looking into this as i do get updates every couple of days…. u can paste this link as well on their online portal so that they know users are facing similar issues due toanufacturing defects

  • Alex G

    White SIII also appeared to have the same issue, one day I picked the phone up an saw the crack on the side. At first I didn’t think it was a crack as it was vertical and looked like a joint. Upon further inspection I realised it was a crack and so have notified samsung who have taken out a service repair courier to pick up my phone and have it taken back to be inspected. From what I have read below I am not convinced about Samsung UK’s returns policy and so I might be refused a free repair. If so this would be a massive inconvenience as I would have a phone that has lost a lot of second hand retail value.

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