Glass being prone to crack? - Xperia Z5 Compact Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm thinking about buying a Z5 Compact, but when reading about all the cases, where the glass on the front or the rear have cracked, on the Z1 Compact and Z3 Compact, I'm not so sure anymore.
What is the situation like with the Z5C vs Z3C/Z1C regarding the glass being prone to crack?
Thanks in advance.
David

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I'm in the same situation myself.
However, I doubt we will be able to get feedback regarding this already. The "cracked glass" cases on the Z3C appeared IIRC only some time (months) after the release. Personally I plan to try to resist the urge to buy for 2-3 months and then check if there are any reports.

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Psykhe said:
I'm in the same situation myself.
However, I doubt we will be able to get feedback regarding this already. The "cracked glass" cases on the Z3C appeared IIRC only some time (months) after the release. Personally I plan to try to resist the urge to buy for 2-3 months and then check if there are any reports.
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Click to collapse
Just that. I'd wait a few months for a new batch, then you should be fine.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

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Never had any problem with my z3c's glass and everything on the z5c seems good.

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RiTCHiE007 said:
Never had any problem with my z3c's glass and everything on the z5c seems good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's exactly what I said about my z3 compact for 9 months, feeling smugly sorry for all the people reporting cracked glass, until it cracked in my hand. On the other hand, that was the best reason to buy a z5 compact. Silly me.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

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Does it have a gorilla glass? I have searched around but not being able to get confirmation.

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coleburns said:
Does it have a gorilla glass? I have searched around but not being able to get confirmation.
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Click to collapse
It's been discussed in many other places and the consensus is that it doesn't have gorilla. Apparently, the producer for Sony tempered glass panels is unknown.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

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tudork said:
It's been discussed in many other places and the consensus is that it doesn't have gorilla. Apparently, the producer for Sony tempered glass panels is unknown.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks

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Bumping this up a bit..
Didnt want to open a new thread seeing as how this one is still here.
I'm on the edge of purchasing this phone but the spontaneous cracking glass issue and low durability of its predecessor (Z3C) are bugging me..
Was wondering if there are perhaps some more updated impressions regarding this.
Thanks.

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I had z1c then z3c, my girlfriend, my sister and brother in law all still have the z3c.
All glass backs.
No cracks on any of these devices.
Other then when literally throwing the phone to ground by accident the front digitiser cracked (back was intact.)
Easy replacement as new chassis with inbuilt digi and screen was like £60 and very simple to replace the housing.
The spontaneous glass crack is hoopla if you take my consolidated multi user experience.
Don't let this phase your decision.
Also bear in mind the glass back plate believe it or not is the simplest thing to replace takes 2mins with a heatgun (again first hand experience.)

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dillalade said:
I had z1c then z3c, my girlfriend, my sister and brother in law all still have the z3c.
All glass backs.
No cracks on any of these devices.
Other then when literally throwing the phone to ground by accident the front digitiser cracked (back was intact.)
Easy replacement as new chassis with inbuilt digi and screen was like £60 and very simple to replace the housing.
The spontaneous glass crack is hoopla if you take my consolidated multi user experience.
Don't let this phase your decision.
Also bear in mind the glass back plate believe it or not is the simplest thing to replace takes 2mins with a heatgun (again first hand experience.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's hoopla until it happens to you.
Sent from my E5823 using XDA Free mobile app

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I'd be interested to hear more on the replacement procedure. Are there detailed instructions? If it isnt majorly expensive then it's not THAT big of a deal.
I see many cases on the market but no one ever actually tests the case to see how effective it is. Who is willing to drop their phone several times and see if their case works I remember seeing a review of iphone bumpers where they actually did drop several phones and only the really thick ones (like 0.5cm wide) actually protected the phone. Glass typically breaks from an edge hit. Does the glass go all the way to the edge, or is there a border around it? What is the boarder made of and how much energy can it really absorb. Now intuitively, I'd assume that the "compact" phone would be more resilient to cracks due to its size.
My last phone, I had a protector, but my current phone doesnt have one. I've never broken a screen, though I've cracked the casing. Both were gorilla glass. But I have no idea if that is just dumb luck.

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I had a Z3, in a high quality case, the back cracked by itself. I was having issues with the speaker being quiet but was told the warranty was void due to the hairline crack in the back. Then a while later I dropped it but I caught it on my foot before it hit the ground so it was a very minor fall, but it was enough to crack the screen, a very thin hairline crack but still a crack, this stopped the screen from working so I was stuck without a phone. I got it replaced, and the back while I was at it, cost me $300 (AUD) to fix. The day I got the phone back, I was sat down at a table, wrote a message to my wife put the phone back in my jacket pocket, she text back so I pulled the phone out to check the message and there was a big crack across the screen. I did not drop it at all! Again the screen would not work. I didnt want to pay another $300 to fix the phone as they said the crack was due to stress (bull), so I bought a s6 galaxy, even though my Z3 was only 4 months old! Because the screen would not work with the crack in it, I could not get any of my data off the phone, when I plugged it into the PC I needed to unlock the phone but couldn't because the screen did not work, was very frustrated! Never buying a Sony again until they can confirm they have fixed this issue. The phone was too thin and flexed easily, my galaxy is thin but feels much more solid.

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I have had a Z5C for a couple of months now. I spend a lot of time outdoors and am generally a bit rough with tech. I have dropped my phone from about a metre up a couple of times by accident already - knocked off tables etc. and have not suffered any ill effects yet.

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Have dropped my phone SEVERAL times but still, screen takes it like a champ. Really durable phone if you ask me

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I'm gentle with my phones, and even had a gel case on mine and yet the back seems to have cracked somehow without even a drop. The worst part is that I imported mine (don't sell them in Canada), so I can't get it fixed. I bought a skin from dbrand instead, and you can't even tell it's shattered any more.

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Another user of z3c here , i can also confirm the glass problem is definitely a problem with z3c , dropped from 2 feet and back glass shattered , then drop from car seat on to the drive and cracked front from corner to corner disabling digitizer so now im using my phone with an otg mouse.
Im in the market for a new phone, but there is nothing except the z5c with a top spec that isn't stupidly big 5" + , i just tried a 5" asus phone very nice but just far too big for a phone, its not meant to be a bloody computer , its a phone, cant wait until they start becoming a bit more realistic again.
So i have looked at z5 , but i see exactly the same thread on the sony forums that was going for months if not years regarding z3 screen , and sony are still not taking responsibility and it looks like the design is still the same for z5c , such a shame as the phone is perfect in every way other than this defect (and some of the crap software add ons, but that's manageable)
Any other recommendations ?, it seems like i will be forced to buy an older gen phone , or a low end thing like moto E , why the hell did they make motog screen bigger after the first edition , ruined it as that was almost perfect too. I am considering a wileyfox , im just hoping some of these 5" ers have a minimal bezzal around the screen , the asus had a pretty big one it looked a like a plate , and that was their smallest one - how things have changed since the 8210 - at least i will save money if i buy a lower spec phone, but i'm a tech enthusiast and i want the best always have, they are turning away my money , there is nothing usable worth buying .
Back to the original topic , z5c , i just cant risk the money on it if it has such a fundamental floor , its an expensive phone compared to most other 4.5,6,7,8" phones that are usually around 100-150 , money isnt really the object though for the right phone i would pay. I have never had a phone screen crack before , and my z3 sees less action than any of my others as i work from home now and spend a lot more time in the house with my baby daughter, the htc phones are good , i lost count of the amount of times i dropped my desire HD hard , and when it was replaced by moto g it go even more brutal treatment as a second phone i kicked it down the road pissed and threw it against the wall several times, dropped down stairs and out of my pocket while riding a bike quickly , marks to the metal body but the screen was indestructible , i managed to break the moto g screen but i had fixed as i convinced them it was ridiculous that it broke failing off a sofa onto carpet but my replacement was fine , i had a painful time trying to do the same with sony though and with the endless complaints online, its obviously an inherent fault , im just appalled the z5c hasn't changed this.
This maybe a slightly unfocused rant , but i'm sure there are others that share my view , big spenders in the mobile sector have just been abandoned , someone needs to fill the gap in the market.
My partner also has the same issue , but is currently using a one mini 2 , which is very nice , but now slightly dated and HTC only went and cancelled all the updates , it didn't even get lollipop , why , it was the best phone they did by miles, and on top of that , they cancelled the mini3 , ultimate face palm
Where do i go chinese market ?
the blackberry blackphone is 4.7" , but i fear this is **** as it uses blackbery os, and i believe it has the other showstopping problem that the asus has , in that the processors architecture makes it incompatible with many apps, such as the only that is critical to me , the banking app with barclays.
Such a struggle, am i off to the chinese market? , i have no ****ing clue.

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solowkey said:
Another user of z3c here , i can also confirm the glass problem is definitely a problem with z3c , dropped from 2 feet and back glass shattered , then drop from car seat on to the drive and cracked front from corner to corner disabling digitizer so now im using my phone with an otg mouse.
Im in the market for a new phone, but there is nothing except the z5c with a top spec that isn't stupidly big 5" + , i just tried a 5" asus phone very nice but just far too big for a phone, its not meant to be a bloody computer , its a phone, cant wait until they start becoming a bit more realistic again.
So i have looked at z5 , but i see exactly the same thread on the sony forums that was going for months if not years regarding z3 screen , and sony are still not taking responsibility and it looks like the design is still the same for z5c , such a shame as the phone is perfect in every way other than this defect (and some of the crap software add ons, but that's manageable)
Any other recommendations ?, it seems like i will be forced to buy an older gen phone , or a low end thing like moto E , why the hell did they make motog screen bigger after the first edition , ruined it as that was almost perfect too. I am considering a wileyfox , im just hoping some of these 5" ers have a minimal bezzal around the screen , the asus had a pretty big one it looked a like a plate , and that was their smallest one - how things have changed since the 8210 - at least i will save money if i buy a lower spec phone, but i'm a tech enthusiast and i want the best always have, they are turning away my money , there is nothing usable worth buying .
Back to the original topic , z5c , i just cant risk the money on it if it has such a fundamental floor , its an expensive phone compared to most other 4.5,6,7,8" phones that are usually around 100-150 , money isnt really the object though for the right phone i would pay. I have never had a phone screen crack before , and my z3 sees less action than any of my others as i work from home now and spend a lot more time in the house with my baby daughter, the htc phones are good , i lost count of the amount of times i dropped my desire HD hard , and when it was replaced by moto g it go even more brutal treatment as a second phone i kicked it down the road pissed and threw it against the wall several times, dropped down stairs and out of my pocket while riding a bike quickly , marks to the metal body but the screen was indestructible , i managed to break the moto g screen but i had fixed as i convinced them it was ridiculous that it broke failing off a sofa onto carpet but my replacement was fine , i had a painful time trying to do the same with sony though and with the endless complaints online, its obviously an inherent fault , im just appalled the z5c hasn't changed this.
This maybe a slightly unfocused rant , but i'm sure there are others that share my view , big spenders in the mobile sector have just been abandoned , someone needs to fill the gap in the market.
My partner also has the same issue , but is currently using a one mini 2 , which is very nice , but now slightly dated and HTC only went and cancelled all the updates , it didn't even get lollipop , why , it was the best phone they did by miles, and on top of that , they cancelled the mini3 , ultimate face palm
Where do i go chinese market ?
the blackberry blackphone is 4.7" , but i fear this is **** as it uses blackbery os, and i believe it has the other showstopping problem that the asus has , in that the processors architecture makes it incompatible with many apps, such as the only that is critical to me , the banking app with barclays.
Such a struggle, am i off to the chinese market? , i have no ****ing clue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you on the needing a small phone thing. I'd check out Samsung's lineup. a3, a5, s4 mini, alpha, s5 mini. There's something for almost everyone. I was curious if the z1c and z3c but they always had there drawbacks, z5c I took the shot and ain't liking it.
If you dot care about expandable memory or user replaceable batteries there's a few other options as well.

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Sadly , i ****ing hate the ugly samsung software, but i did seriously look at the a series, whilst thinking wtf , how am i being forced to consider a low end phone when tech is my number one interest and about the only thing i warrant spending lots of money on, i will end up saving money at this rate - i am looking at the oneplus x now, as it seems to have a bit smaller outer dimensions , and still a decent spec but of course it's 5" too
trouble is i ran into this page recently https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon/processors/820 , and now i need to have that processor in my next phone.
I think i will grab a wiley swift for now, only £130 to get me by , and even £20 cash back from manufacturer now , its not high spec i know , but im desperate for something now, and no way am i giving these 'leading' manufacturers money to encourage the ridiculous types of phones they are churning out by the bucket now, they are ****ing house phones not something to carry around with you, i could imagine them wall mounted , but Gzus i see some people carrying these things and it looks like they are going into battle with the 'visionaries' .....
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Id try a z5c if it was about 1/2 the price and i didnt have a z3c already, for now i might just fix myz3c and put it inside a cage , it will still be smaller than these 5" devices - what did you find wrong with it though ?

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I've owned a Z1C and now a Z5C and never had cracking issues on either. Don't drop your phone, it won't crack. If you're prone to dropping your phone, always get a case, because it's stupid to risk that much money on being clumsy.