Shattering Samsung Note 8 Showers Girl with Glass

[FrgMstr]

Long time HardOCP reader, Eric Crowley of Stockton, California, had a dangerous moment with his Samsung Note 8 this morning. His daughter has been making good grades at school so she was awarded with a new pair of earrings. Eric was taking a couple of pictures with his Samsung Note 8 so he could show his daughter how those looked on her. On snapping his third picture, he heard pop similar to what popping shipping bubble sheet sounds like. As you can see below, the glass cover over the Note 8's rear facing cameras "exploded" outward onto this daughter. The explosion was akin to an old fashioned flash bulb! Eric explained she had glass residue on her that was of a "dusty shiny particle" consistency from her cheek back to her ear. Thankfully none of the glass particles got into her eyes, but to be on the safe side due to the size of the tiny fragments he had her eyes irrigated just in case. He said she is fine and not injured, thankfully. Erik has been using his Note 8 for about 7 months, was at 98% charge, and previously undamaged.

Image of the glass on the news page.

Looking around the net, it does not seem to be terribly common, but some other instances of "self breaking glass" on the Note 8 are out there. Something to keep in mind before you go stuffing your camera in someone's face. Thanks for sharing Erik, and we are glad you daughter is OK. We are happy about her grades as well. And having a good dad supporting that achievement. Just don't try to blind her with your camera next time!

 

[Chris_B]

Strange, almost as if the glass was bowed outwards due to some kind of pressure before it finally popped.

 

[heatlesssun]

I'm glad no one was injured. Has he reached out to Samsung? Got my Note 8 on Black Friday and love it overall. I'd love to hear what Samsung said could cause this.

 

[BloodyIron]

What a very peculiar thing. Especially since it's low frequency of occurrence. How do you even explain that to Samsung in a way they'll believe???

 

[valkrien]

I agree, totally random. I have the phone in a case always, with a screen protector, etc to keep it safe. It was just one of those things I guess. Samsung is, from what I can tell, taking it serious as they have a call set up for tomorrow at 11:30 with me to discuss what happened, injuries, etc. I'm just thankful that I wasn't pointing it directly at her eyes at a close distance. We have a follow up appt. with an ophthalmologist tomorrow just to be on the safe side that none of the glass particles scratched her cornea. I'm curious as to how Samsung will make this right. At the very least a new phone would be a nice start.

 

[Nobu]

Does it have mechanical zoom/focus? Maybe the camera went out too far when trying to focus, pressed against the glass causing it to break?

 

[heatlesssun]

I agree, totally random. I have the phone in a case always, with a screen protector, etc to keep it safe. It was just one of those things I guess. Samsung is, from what I can tell, taking it serious as they have a call set up for tomorrow at 11:30 with me to discuss what happened, injuries, etc. I'm just thankful that I wasn't pointing it directly at her eyes at a close distance. We have a follow up appt. with an ophthalmologist tomorrow just to be on the safe side that none of the glass particles scratched her cornea. I'm curious as to how Samsung will make this right. At the very least a new phone would be a nice start.

Good luck at the doctors tomorrow and please update us if you can on Samsung's response.

 

[heatlesssun]

Does it have mechanical zoom/focus? Maybe the camera went out too far when trying to focus, pressed against the glass causing it to break?

I thought the mechanical shutter was new to the S9.

 

[Nobu]

I thought the mechanical shutter was new to the S9.

Dunno about the shutter, but specs show 2x optical (aka mechanical) zoom, 10x digital zoom on the note8's camera.

 

[dvsman]

The front bottom right corner of my Note 8 cracked for no reason a while back. It was in a case since new and maybe due to temp changes or something just started a crack. I'm a long time Samsung user and this is the first time it's happened so, maybe the new glass formulation or something?

I don't mind cracks if I cause them myself but yeah ...

 

[bman212121]

Does it have mechanical zoom/focus? Maybe the camera went out too far when trying to focus, pressed against the glass causing it to break?

At first I was thinking rear camera, so that wouldn't make much sense, but I do suppose if someone put the front glass over the front element of the lens, there is a chance what you're saying could happen. My take is that it's a Samsung so maybe the battery expanded slightly...

 

[valkrien]

I think it does have 2x mechanical zoom. I was in 1x mode when I shot the pics though. Now that bman212121 brought it up, I took the phone to Tmobile 2 months back because I felt it was operating too hot. They updated the software and said that should fix it. I don't think it overheated when it popped. I only used it for maybe 2 minutes. It was freshly charged so I suppose it's possible.

 

[FadedSpark]

Did the earings come in contact with the lens at any point in time? Do they have stones?

Cause diamond and most gemstones/semiprecious stones will scratch that deeply almost instantly, and it is under some pressure for sure, so if it had a scratch or gouge of any real severity, there's the fault and root cause most likely.

 

[Azphira]

I'm sure Samsung will take care of him with new phone with an agreement if he keeps the phone not to talk about it or send them the medical bill and then DMCA any parodies about it.

 

[Chimpee]

Glad the girl is fine.

I had a S8, didn't like it, I broke it really bad way too easily, shattered front and rear. My wife insisted on a Note 8, she hasn't broke it yet, but she does everything I tell her not too so if she breaks it someday I'm going to laugh at her so hard.

Still, sounds like it shattered from stress, maybe it was poorly fit, one side out of tolerance or something. Anyway, I got rid of mine and been very happy for it but to each his own.

He might want to invest in a case unless of course, he had a case and it was just the glass around the camera area that dusted her.

Looking at the picture, it looks like it already has a case though case or no case, I doubt it will prevent the glass dusting since areas around the camera lenses are usually exposed anyway.

 

[dpoverlord]

Samsung should be liable for giving him a new phone

 

[thesmokingman]

I've read of this happening previously with other sammy phones, well not the shattering and spewing of glass but the camera glass breaking spontaneously. It's pretty rare though.

 

[Chimpee]

I've read of this happening previously with other sammy phones, well not the shattering and spewing of glass but the camera glass breaking spontaneously. It's pretty rare though.

If true, I wonder if the phone casing is causing stress on the glass to shatter.

 

[thesmokingman]

If true, I wonder if the phone casing is causing stress on the glass to shatter.

I came across it while researching how to replace the glass on a gear s2 and came across incidents of this. There are reports of other phones camera glass breaking too so its not necessarily Samsung only.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-s7-shattered-camera-glass/

 

[Chimpee]

I came across it while researching how to replace the glass on a gear s2 and came across incidents of this. There are reports of other phones camera glass breaking too so its not necessarily Samsung only.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-s7-shattered-camera-glass/

Interesting, now I am curious the tensile strength of those camera glass use on these phones.

 

[Mut1ny]

He might want to invest in a case unless of course, he had a case and it was just the glass around the camera area that dusted her.

Did you even look at the picture?

Sounds like tolerance issues at most. Wasn't the zoom lens zooming too far out was it?

 

[WhoMe]

I knew there must be some use for those acrylic lenses, now they'll be in all the new phones. Seriously though I'm inclined towards the stress theories. If the phone was a little warped to begin with it might not take much extra pressure in just the right spot. I think Samsung should buy you and your daughter a couple of iPhones or some other brand or at least a different model without this history.

 

[oldmanbal]

It's almost impossible to know what type of damage a phone sustains by the user over its lifetime, however, a situation like the phone exploding outward during what would appear to be a normal use scenario is quite alarming. Fortunately there was no long term damage caused and just a loss of faith in that phone series. Regardless, there are faulty devices in every level of consumer spending so out of a million people you're bound to have some quirks (typically we don't approve of the life threatening variety).

 

[Todd Walter]

Considering the size of the phone and the likelihood it has been in a pocket at some point it could get a slight curve to it. After that, it's under tension and just waiting to pop. What're the manufacturing tolerances for when they glue these things together?

 

[danc3]

Good to hear of no injuries. Still, an unlucky incident. Seems they may have to improve the design of the structuring/glass, accounting for environmental issues such as pressure and heat.

 

[N4CR]

Glass can have incredible internal pressure differential as it cools during formation and the surface acts a little like a skin. This is why it's so easy to crack if it's lightly scored or similar.
Perhaps a glass defect, combined with slightly too much pressure (e.g. hot/cold) and or a slight manufacturing snafu, caused this freak accident. Very unusual!

The misfit strains developed during the cooling of glass in the manufacturing process generate residual stresses. As it is known, the effect of residual stresses can be significant in the strength prediction of materials and thus negligence of this can lead to premature failures of the structures. Glass, in particular, is susceptible to brittle fracture failures due to the presence of inevitable surface defects.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/engin...on_of_residual_stress_in_structual_glass.page

 

[Todd Walter]

Glass can have incredible internal pressure differential as it cools during formation and the surface acts a little like a skin. This is why it's so easy to crack if it's lightly scored or similar.
Perhaps a glass defect, combined with slightly too much pressure (e.g. hot/cold) and or a slight manufacturing snafu, caused this freak accident. Very unusual!

View attachment 60928
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https://www.southampton.ac.uk/engin...on_of_residual_stress_in_structual_glass.page

Similar to the cars that used to pop their rear window when the deicer was used. We know these CPUs in phones can really get cooking!

 

[N4CR]

Similar to the cars that used to pop their rear window when the deicer was used. We know these CPUs in phones can really get cooking!

Never heard of that before but makes total sense. Little like the 'don't pour boiling water on your windscreen' haha!

 

[Comixbooks]

Made in China

 

[daphatgrant]

Crazy... I'll keep a, distant eye, on mine.

 

[blkt]

I agree, totally random. I have the phone in a case always, with a screen protector, etc to keep it safe. It was just one of those things I guess. Samsung is, from what I can tell, taking it serious as they have a call set up for tomorrow at 11:30 with me to discuss what happened, injuries, etc. I'm just thankful that I wasn't pointing it directly at her eyes at a close distance. We have a follow up appt. with an ophthalmologist tomorrow just to be on the safe side that none of the glass particles scratched her cornea. I'm curious as to how Samsung will make this right. At the very least a new phone would be a nice start.

I am sure you are already on it, but just in case have the ear checked out and carefully cleaned too (as not to push anything further inside).

 

[blkt]

Made in China

By "China" do you mean South Korea or Vietnam? Maybe you sourced the manufacturing location of the cameras or glass cover?

 

[Drakeniir]

IIRC - the idea behind Gorilla Glass, and other durable glasses is very similar to the prince rupert's drop - if you damage it in a certain way, the internal stresses will cause a chain reaction and turn it to basically powder.

 

[valkrien]

Did the earings come in contact with the lens at any point in time? Do they have stones?

Cause diamond and most gemstones/semiprecious stones will scratch that deeply almost instantly, and it is under some pressure for sure, so if it had a scratch or gouge of any real severity, there's the fault and root cause most likely.

No, I was roughly 8 inches from the ear/cheek

 

[valkrien]

Had follow up appt. this morning. All appears to be okay. Maybe some redness to what ever was in the 'dust' but no particulates in the eye. I had the call with Samsung. They are offering compensation to cover the MD visits and shipped some kind of special box that I will have to mail the phone back, that will preserve the damage (their words). I asked if they could at least cross ship a new phone...and they said no, go to a local Tmobile and appeal to them? I did that this afternoon and they did not want to exchange or even touch the phone.

 

[thesmokingman]

Had follow up appt. this morning. All appears to be okay. Maybe some redness to what ever was in the 'dust' but no particulates in the eye. I had the call with Samsung. They are offering compensation to cover the MD visits and shipped some kind of special box that I will have to mail the phone back, that will preserve the damage (their words). I asked if they could at least cross ship a new phone...and they said no, go to a local Tmobile and appeal to them? I did that this afternoon and they did not want to exchange or even touch the phone.

Well that's good that the eye if fine. I'd document everything, leaving your options open. I'm surprised they did not bend over backwards for you considering they offered to pay medical bills related to this.

 

[lcpiper]

Did you even look at the picture?

Sounds like tolerance issues at most. Wasn't the zoom lens zooming too far out was it?

No, I didn't look at the picture ... which is why I said;

He might want to invest in a case unless of course, he had a case and it was just the glass around the camera area that dusted her.

And of course I also said;

Still, sounds like it shattered from stress, maybe it was poorly fit, one side out of tolerance or something. Anyway, I got rid of mine and been very happy for it but to each his own.

So I suppose, you said what I already said, sort of

It's not that hard to figure out when there are really only two possibilities

 

[Macblastr]

I have seen this issue... not as rare as you might thnk...

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5...-rear-camera-glass-cracked/td-p/287558/page/3
.
Full disclosure... i have a note 8 and its broken front, back... all glass... what could possibly go wrong?

 

[valkrien]

Wo

I have seen this issue... not as rare as you might thnk...

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5...-rear-camera-glass-cracked/td-p/287558/page/3
.
Full disclosure... i have a note 8 and its broken front, back... all glass... what could possibly go wrong?

Wow! Thank you for the link. So this is a known issue for sure. Perhaps now that someone potentially got hurt they will address and or recall the Note 8's.

 

[valkrien]

I find it interesting that the "moderator" of the samsung site closed the thread down.

AntS

Moderator

a month ago
Hi all.



Closing this thread, as the best thing to do in this instance is to have your phone physically inspected by one of our engineers in your area. Each case is treat as an individual, but any trends or concerns are always fed back from the Service/Support Centres to the relevant people at our end for you guys.

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