A gorgeous screen is a big selling point for a new phone. Often literally big. Screens on new phones now go from edge to edge. Massive OLED displays have high levels of detail and colour depth, but size can lead to weakness.
Tech companies have massive labs set up to destroy phones, finding out what levels of stress the device can take before it can break. They use the toughest glass you can create and attach it to precision engineered metal, all to lessen the chance of a breakage while still looking good.
But accidents happen, so what do you do when your screen breaks?
- Check the brand: some brands offer longer warranties than others, but most don’t cover broken screens. Huawei offers a screen replacement guarantee. Purchase an eligible Huawei phone and receive a free screen replacement if you break your screen within 3 months of purchase. It'll even pick it up from you and return it in a door-to-door service, no matter where you live in New Zealand.
- Find a repair shop: depending on the brand’s warranty, you may need to take the phone to an authorised repairer. This will certainly cost a lot more but gives you piece of mind. This is especially the case if you have a waterproof phone and want that to continue. A repair shop might also be a tough find if you don’t live in a city.
- Check your insurance: you might not want to ruin your no-claims bonus but a big phone can be expensive enough that you need to put a broken screen on your insurance. It can also take a long time to sort out, depending on your insurer. You’ll also have to go to an authorised repairer.
- DIY: if you’re feeling techy, you can buy a replacement screen online from a few places and fix your own phone. One of our graphic designers is doing that right now. The issue here is that you need the right tools and some expertise (or a total trust in YouTube instructions) and you’ll be voiding your warranty.
But the best plan is to keep your phone intact, so how do you avoid getting it broken in the first place?
- Get a case: it’s an extra expense and it’s going to take a while to find one you like but it’s worth it. Cases do two things, they absorb impacts and they add grip. The downside of glass and metal is that it’s very smooth, so taking your phone out can sometimes lead to your phone flying across the room. (The Huawei Mate 10 comes with a case in the box).
- Avoid extra glass: it’s easier to break glass on your phone if it’s on the front and the back. No matter which side you drop it on, there’s glass to break. So if you are prone to drops, get a phone with more metal than glass.
- Slow down, Tiger: when you drop it the first time you suddenly become very careful with your phone. Instead of waiting for an accident, slow down now. So just take your time, because speed kills… screens.
Like big, beautiful screens? This story was created by Newshub for Huawei to help you check out the new Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro.
With almost bezel-less displays, AI processsors and Leica dual-lens cameras these are phones you won't want to break.
