Community

mybrownpolarbea

I have an issue with the z3 which I believe is a design flaw.

The glass back, while very nice, is so smooth that it just won't stay on many surfaces. I've put it on a book on a table, and it falls off within a minute. I have it plugged in overnight on a wooden bedside table, and it slowly slides off onto the floor. I even put it on a cushion on the sofa and it slides off that as well.

I've compared each scenario with a Samsung Galaxy S3, with a smooth plastic back, and an iPhone 5s with a smooth metal back, and neither of them slide at all.

If I was doing anything odd like tilting the surface or putting it on an already sloping table, I wouldn't complain. But I think this is going to happen to many people. I've seen comments about this on reddit, xda-developers, gsm arena and on a review on The Register website. The ease at which the phone slides and falls is, In my opinion, totally unreasonable, and ought to be addressed by Sony because their design has caused a problem which could so easily lead to the phone smashing, simply because it's been plugged it in to charge - a problem which doesn't happen with two other phones I've tried, and I doubt happens with most others.

Yes it's easy to buy a case but I don't see why I should have to spend more, simply to stop my phone falling on the floor, and which would hide the design of what is otherwise a beautiful phone.

Does anyone else have this problem? Ideally I'd like Sony to provide, free of charge, some kind of case (or other creative design) to fix this, because the ease at which is slips is pretty ridiculous! If any Sony designers read this I'd love to know your thoughts. And if anyone else recognises this problem please make yourselves known.

Uliwooly

I haven't experienced that with my Z or Z1, but you should contact Sony directly, perhaps your phone's back is deffective

http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/support/contact-us/

mybrownpolarbea

I have contacted them and, despite the people on the phone sympathising, they say there's nothing they can do about it and that I should buy a case. A more cynical person might say it's their way of selling more products...!! (I don't think that myself, but if I did it would be understandable)
That's why I want to see if anyone else has the problem.

Uliwooly

I do recommend that you apply a scratch resistant film on both panels.

Bellxeria

Hi,

Got a copper Z3, great phone and fantastic looks.

i have a serious problem with the phones back surface, its glass and not sure why but it keeps sliding off flat surface (even after turning off all vibrations). i leave it on the table, kitchen work top or any flat surface in 3minutes its on the floor. i called up the support team and she indirectly told me im lier and go buy a sony case. sony case looks good but i wouldnt have bought this phone if i have to put a case to use it safely, it destroys the look.

first of all do anyone else have this problem or noticed it ans thought it should have been the vibration, and second is there a transparent sticker (similar to the screen protector) which prevents this from happening.

appreciate your help

RexingtonSteele

I've just ordered the body protection from http://www.ultimateshield.co.uk/ and hopefully this will stop it sliding everywhere. It's like a fish!

I'll let you know.

mybrownpolarbea

I've also bought a case from eBay, and it has a clear back. Hopefully it won't spoil the look of the phone too much.

But as Bellxeria says, we shouldn't have to buy something extra, simply to stop the phone falling off a flat surface.

I'm disappointed with the customer service for this problem, especially if the staff are implying that the customer is lying. A screen protector cut specifically for the back would probably solve this problem, since the sliding doesn't happen on the front with the screen protector they provided. I still think Sony should provide that at least, because it's the phone's design that causes it, not people expecting unreasonable things.

mybrownpolarbea

I should add that a manager of the support team (Jamie) recommended buying a case from eBay because that's what he did. He told me he bought it for £5.

I'm thinking of videoing the sliding so that Sony can see how much of an issue it is.

malt1977

I wouldn't say it's a defect, it's just extremely smooth glass. However, I fitted a protective film from a company called ultimate shield, in addition to stopping scratches it also has a higher tack so the handset won't slip around so much.

mybrownpolarbea

But if the smoothness prevents it from sitting on a relatively smooth and flat surface without falling off, surely that's a flaw?

If Sony tried to sell the phone and said that they had specifically designed it to not rest on a table/kitchen worktop/book/cushion etc then that would sound rather stupid. But that's exactly what they've done, and they're expecting us to buy more of their products if we want it to stop sliding off a table.

Is that really reasonable?