IPod Nano Screens Scratch/Crack

[projal147]

The new IPod Nano screens crack or scratch easily. Apply reports that the problem is limited and will replace any broken screens.

Apple's tiny iPod Nano, expected to be the company's big hit this fall, has unleashed a firestorm on the Internet from customers complaining that their new units scratch too easily.

Additionally, Apple acknowledges that the screens on some Nanos have cracked and has agreed to replace the models with new units. The company says it hasn't received many complaints about scratches. "We do not believe it's a widespread issue," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said Wednesday.

But on Internet discussion boards and blogs, iPod fans — who usually enthuse about the elegant design of the trendy digital music devices — are griping about a beautiful product they say doesn't look as good after it leaves the box. They talk of scratches on the screen and the body.

"I got my Nano a week and a half ago, and it was scratched within 30 minutes," says Tyler Hall, a Chattanooga, Tenn., Web designer who this week put up a site called nanoscratch.com. "I have three other iPods, and none have scratched like this."

Dowling says the plastic shell of the Nano is made from the same material used on other recent iPods. He suggests that if users are concerned about scratching, they should buy one of the many Nano cases that will soon be available.

"I don't want to spend $30 for a case. That's an outrageous amount of money to spend," says Mark Rickert, a Tampa wedding videographer, who says his Nano screen became scratched within days of purchase. "I love Apple, but they dropped the ball on this one."

Apple attributes the cracked-screen problem to a vendor defect affecting "less than one-tenth of 1%" of Nano shipments.

Dowling declined to say how many Nanos have been sold since their debut this month. Securities analyst Charles Wolf of Needham & Co. estimates sales at about 1 million units.

Wolf had projected that Apple would sell 5 million Nanos in the fourth quarter but says the controversy could end up costing the company some sales in the short term if Apple isn't more proactive.

"Clearly, Apple has to deal with the perception that is out there," he says. "This will clearly impact sales in a negative way, at least in the short run, until they address the issue."

However, Wolf notes that Apple has had problems with previous iPods — including shorter-than-expected battery life and units that jammed — that had little impact on sales. "A dead battery is much worse than a scratch, so I think they'll be able to ride this out," he says.

Wolf, who says he has a Nano that isn't scratched, thinks part of the problem is consumer expectations.

With the Nano, Apple introduced one of the coolest-looking products of the year, and "People want it to look as nice as it did when they first took it out of the box. That's not realistic."

I'll was skeptical of the new Nano's anyway.

[DEATH2000]

stupid ipod's. that is all

[komodo]

Hum, when they guy said it was scratched within 30 minutes of taking it out of the box... he had to do something to scratch it. They don't scratch themselves... he had to drop it or something. I don't know how I feel about this.... I think people are overreacting.

[projal147]

^^ yea agreed. I mean they are being marketed for being able to be put in your pocket or anywhere. They will get scratched. Period. Deal with it. Get a sleeve for it if you dont want it too.

[RealBmw 02]

^^^seriously, who really cares if it gets a few scratches on it. The thing that matters is that they still play music properly

[DEATH2000]

ive dropped my phone like 8 times and i havent complained about the 3 or 4 scratches on it. the only scratch i was remotly pissed about was the one on the outer display cause at certain angles u can and cant see it

[voca]

my ipod's all scratched to hell.

[Spieluhr]

Yes scratches are obviously going to happen.

I also don't think the Nano is a good buy for someone like myself, who tends to drop, scratch, and break his electronics. I would put that thing in my pocket, sit down wrong, and snap the thing in half.

[voca]

speaking of which, this is an interesting read: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3

ipod nano doesn't have enough space for me.

[Numark318i]

Originally Posted by Spieluhr

Yes scratches are obviously going to happen.

I also don't think the Nano is a good buy for someone like myself, who tends to drop, scratch, and break his electronics. I would put that thing in my pocket, sit down wrong, and snap the thing in half.

heh sounds like me.
my ipod is scratched all over the place...who fucking cares..get a case and ont bitch as long as it plays music(like someone said earlier)
as for the screen snapping in half..i would be pissed if i paid that much for an mp3 player and it broke.

[Dudesky]

Anything new by Apple always gets hard criticism . . that's the price of innovative design Remember they were ridiculed for adopting & developing the mouse, laughed at for introducing GUI for the consumer public, and the Newton technology (which led to the PDA) was thought to be a dumb idea.

I'm still buying the Nano . . my trusty first gen iPod just finally bit the dust. I had many good years with it, but I think it was time

[komodo]

^^ Ahh, the Apple Newton...

[Longhairedhippy]

my friend's dad collects old mac stuff, and he has three of those, including one of the prototypes. it's a very impressive collection. i'll try to get pics sometime if anyone is interested.