Phone Repairs advice?

[Rollin]

I'm pretty sure a few guys on here fix phones, either for a living or for fun, I need some advice please

I broke the glass on my beautiful lovely Galaxy S4 today. Phone still works perfectly but the glass is a goner. Where is the best/cheapest please to get replacement glass from?

Same question for an iphone 4 as well - both front and back glass is cactus.

From what I remember reading, it's not rocket surgery to replace the glass on these phones? Any tips, hints or tricks?

Thanks muchly

[Dansedgli]

I've done an iphone 4.

Its not hard following youtube videos but ebay screens are shit. Mine broke around the button with no dropping. The back one is just a cover that takes 2 seconds.

The tiny screws are fiddly, lay a tarp over the carpet so you don't spend 6 hours looking for them. It took me a solid couple of hours fucking around with those screws to get it done. That was my first one though.

Proper magnetic screwdrivers would help.

I take extra special care of my S4. I'm not sure how bad they are to fix but I don't want to do it.

[needfordspeed]

My dad has just broken the outer screen on his S4 as well, he's looked up a few videos on youtube and is gonna try fix it him self. Will post in here if he's successful.

This is the video he watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BadHtLPbU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[krisisdog]

I do it as a side job.
You can replace just the glass on an S4, but, I'd recommend purchasing a full screen assembly with frame, then selling your old screen off on eBay.

S4 don't seem to respond as well as the s3 to glass only replacments, the glass is thinner, and as such it bows easier which leaves a watermark when it gets stuck on the LCD.
You can overcome this by spacing the glass up higher (another layer of adhesive) but the digitizer is part of the LCD, so the further away the glass is the less sensitive it becomes.

Sure it'll cost a lot more but it's the only way to do it properly with the S4, if it were a 3 then I'd be all for doing glass only.

Dan, iPhones are piss easy, I can do a 4/4S in about 15mins.

[krisisdog]

Also by side job I mean I'd do dozens a week, and I've been doing it for quite a while now.

[private9]

Just did the same on my S4. No time for diy so had to pay:( Cheapest I could find was $265.

[galapogos01]

I got my N4 done through LG when I dropped it. It was $165 and though theyre in Sydney had the phone back to me in 3 working days. It was only marginally more expensive than some cheapo-china copy screen on eBay and I got warranty as well.

I'd suggest ringing Samsung.

[krisisdog]

$265s a good price, a quality screen from an Aus supplier costs me that much at trade.

I've had a customer tell me Samsung offered to repair his phone for $260, but only if it were under warranty still.

[waghoonEF]

Also by side job I mean I'd do dozens a week, and I've been doing it for quite a while now.

How much to fix broken front glass on iPhone 5??

[nstg8a]

So many breaking s4s

Half the reason I got mine was how indestructible my s2 was... Might have to start being a bit more careful.

[krisisdog]

Waghoon, I charge $150. That's a screen made from the same glass apple uses. Can be had cheaper but I don't do enough 5's to buy in bulk. Seen it advertised for $100 before - either they're super cheap & nasty screens, or they've bought a shit ton.
Nstg8a, the thin bezel around the screen and thin(er than s2) glass don't make for much strength.

[Rollin]

I'm actually very impressed at how tough my S4 is/was. I've dropped it a couple of times and it hasn't sustained any damage. I busted it today because I put it on the roof of the work ute (VE S pack) and then drove off. Heard something hit the hard cover once we got to about 60km/h, checked my pockets and thought "****. Game Over".

Went back and picked up the rear cover, battery and phone from 3 different places on the road, put it back together and it works perfectly except for the smashed screen. I reckon I got off pretty lightly!!!!!

S4 glass replacement looks like a pain in the ass though

[krisisdog]

It's an epic pita, and if you stuff it you're up for a full replacement anyway.

[justa6]

Not quite relevant to your question Rollin, but. I broke the glass on my new HTC one(dropped out of a tractor onto a steel step), still worked perfect, so rang vodafone. They said between $2-300, So sent it back.

Got a phone call, said it couldn't be fixed. Thought, oh no , this is gunna be expensive. They replaced the phone for a new one for $230. I was stoked.

[falcon4life]

Did you get phone insurance? Cost me $50 to get the screen replaced on my Sony xperia S and I was told it was near a 300 replacement for the screen alone

[justa6]

I don't have insurance. Hadn't broke a phone in 10 years. Get new phone, smash it within the month.

[Rollin]

Same here - I've never busted a phone before either!!

[Bipolar]

If you don't wanna do it yourself, I'd take it to E&E. They're really fast, cheap as and in 7 years I've never seen them stuff a repair job.