I’ve been thinking about this since the launch of the iPhone 3G, and today’s announcements reinforce my feelings. Why does the iPod Touch, made from metal and glass feel so premium, yet the iPhone 3G (supposedly the superior device) feel cheap and plastic. Coming from an iPhone Classic to the iPhone 3G, i feel like I’ve bought a cheaper lower class device, purely because it doesn’t feel so well built. Initially I thought that perhaps Apple’s ‘new direction’ was to move all its devices to plastic, but after seeing the new iPod Nano (made from metal) and the iPod Touch (made from metal and glass), I’m starting to feel a little cheated.
Did Apple opt for plastic so they could make as much money as possible on the iPhone? Which device do you prefer the feel of?
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September 10th, 2008 at 11:01 am
totally agree… iphone 3g feels so cheap
September 10th, 2008 at 11:03 am
It’s a real shame that Apple have done this to be honest. I’ve got a 3G iphone and would now prefer an iPod touch…
September 10th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I own an iTouch, and apart from being severely disappointed with the actual product, i think while it does feel like a quality product it also feels very thin and fragile. I always felt like it was going to slip out of my hand at any moment. I now have a leather case for it however, so that is not an issue anymore. At least the iPhone 3G is thicker which i could imagine would feel a lot safer to use.
September 10th, 2008 at 11:09 am
hmm, but the plastic does make the iPhone a lot lighter…?
September 10th, 2008 at 11:15 am
I was under the impression that it needed to be plastic to allow the signal or a stronger signal (??), the iphone wasnt metal all the way down the back of the phone. I could be wrong though! My 3G feels alot more fragile … im scared ill break it!!!
September 10th, 2008 at 11:34 am
No matter how good it is
It still an iPod by the end of the day.
September 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am
the original iphone had a plastic ‘area’ on the back to get the signal out yes… however that plastic back has come right the way to the top now so its all plastic now.. and yeah… its FRAGILE!
September 10th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
this is just for the sake of saving some money for production cost, the same stuff happen with old generation and new generation ipod. I bet the new ipod touch will comes with plastic, not to worry.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:28 am
I’ve got an original and a 3G and I prefer the feel of the 3G. When I went back to the original to use it as a touch, it felt quite clunky in comparison. It’s also nicer not to have the cold metal feel.
October 20th, 2008 at 3:01 am
The plastic on the back is to allow the signal to get through..
Yes I to would have liked a metal or perhaps just alu on the back but given it’s components it would block the signal of the 3g as well as the wifi (although not very much)
And I to feel like i am afraid to break it but just feel the quality that is still in the product, they couldv’e just chosen to make it alu all the way but that would have eliminated the 3g capability
But as I said I would have liked something really solid to make it have that feeling of being robust
October 25th, 2008 at 9:33 am
the plastic on the iphone makes it feel very cheap, and fragile, but apple has taken this move to 1st make the iphone cheaper for us consumers and 2nd to allow beter signals although if u dont like the feeling there are metal backings on the market, tht u should consider of purchasing.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Let’s hope that Mac World reveals some nice new toys… preferably ones made of metal! I still love my old iPhone Classic. Feels so much more premium…
January 31st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
But Dousent the Plastic Make the Iphone Much lighter?
March 26th, 2009 at 6:55 am
The iphone was changed when 3g was introduced because it increased signal strength. I would rather have that than a metallic look.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Using plastic means better cell and WiFi reception. Metal blocks the signal, meaning more dead spots.
June 21st, 2009 at 9:06 am
“this is just for the sake of saving some money for production cost, the same stuff happen with old generation and new generation ipod. I bet the new ipod touch will comes with plastic, not to worry.”
Actually, using a polycarbonate (not plastic, like McDonalds happy-meal toys) backing on the 3G/3GS is a very legitimate move aimed at increasing signal strength and decreasing dropped calls. The iPhone classic and iPhone 3G both have excellent build quality; those that say it feels cheaper compared to the Touch are just responding to the fact that the Touch is slightly more dense, while the iPhone has less weight per unit of volume due to being quite a bit thicker.
There’s evidence that the polycarbonate backing is even stronger than the aluminum backing, see here: http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1495
“The iphone was changed when 3g was introduced because it increased signal strength. I would rather have that than a metallic look.”
True that! Also, if used without a case, the iPhone classic will get bent and dinged up from small falls, which the 3G survives. Only in dramatic falls does the 3G’s plastic actually crack, and I’ve only heard of such occurrences, never seen them. Either way, I wouldn’t use them without the case! I just paid $500 to upgrade and while it was worth it I definitely wouldn’t want to pay it again…