The 5 Most Common Ways People Break Their Phones

Have you ever broken your phone? With Americans spending an estimated $1 billion fixing their smashed, broken phones every year, there’s a good chance you have. Maybe it slipped out of your hand when you were retrieving it from your pocket, or maybe you knocked it off the table.

The truth is that even the newest, highest quality phones are still quite fragile when you get down to it.

Remember, these are really tiny, highly powerful computers we’re using, and you have to treat them with great care. They are far from indestructible. Trust us, we spend every single day fixing broken iPhones and smart phones.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common ways people break their phones so you can hopefully prevent the same from happening to you.

1. The retrieval fumble—You go to dig your phone out of your pocket, purse, bag, or wherever, and as you’re pulling it out, the phone slips from your hand and goes crashing to the ground. It happens all of the time! Always use a protective case, and always make sure you have a firm grip on your phone when retrieving it.
2. The pocket smash—A lot of us keep our phones in our pockets. It seems like a safe place, right? Well, not always. When the phone is in your pocket, it can get bumped, scraped, scratched, and squashed as you move about throughout the day. If you’re going to keep your phone in your pocket, don’t jam it in there with your keys and other junk. And whatever you do, never keep your phone in your back pocket!
3. The walking dead—If you’re one of the zombies walking around looking down at your phone the whole time, listen up. That’s a great way to break your phone (it’s also a good way to get yourself hurt too by not paying attention to where you’re going). Any slight stumble, trip, or bump could cause you to drop your phone and break it. Keep your eyes where you’re going!
4. The bathroom bath—75% of Americans admit to using their phones in the bathroom. That’s fine and dandy, but when you take your phone into the bathroom, you risk accidentally dropping it into the commode, sink, or tub. Can you really not be separated from your phone for the short time you’re in the bathroom?
5. The tabletop tumble—Keeping your phone on a table seems safe enough. That is, until you realize how easily someone can accidentally bump into it and knock it to the ground. Whether you’re at home or out at the bar, try not to leave your phone on the table, because inevitably, it will get sent flying to a crash landing.