There’s nothing worse than the seemingly frozen moment after you’ve dropped your phone and have to gingerly pick it up off the floor, as you stare grimly at the face-down device and wonder whether or not your screen survived the landing this time.
That Schrödinger-esque moment is apparently going to be even more harrowing for Galaxy Note 7 users, with Samsung announcing that it will cost $270 to replace a shattered display. Apparently, huge 5.7-inch seamless curved Gorilla Glass 5 screens don’t come cheap.
This kind of cost isn’t unheard of, with new screens for the similarly curved Galaxy S7 Edge also going for $270, but it’s a hefty price to pay, especially when compared with Apple (where the most expensive iPhone screen, for the 6S Plus, goes for $150) or HTC’s Uh Oh program which offers free broken screen repairs in the first year after buying.
5.7-INCH SEAMLESS CURVED GORILLA GLASS 5 SCREENS DON’T COME CHEAP
It’s possible Samsung’s higher cost is just a natural by-product of the complexities of replacing the S7 Edge and Note 7’s curved screens, especially with the added complexity of keeping the waterproofing intact. On the other hand, it may be an effort by Samsung to entice more users into splurging on the $129 Protection Plus plan, which covers two cases of accidental damage within the two years of purchase for a $79 deductible (saving you $62 on your first broken screen, and $191 on a second replacement for that phone).
Whatever the reason for the cost, the best course of action here is simple. Because even with Gorilla Glass 5 specifically designed to survive falls, the easiest way to not have to worry about buying a new screen is to try not to drop your phone.
