Apple iPhone 4 back glass can be scratched?

iFixit claimed the front display on Apple's new iPhone 4 was protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass, but Engadget's review unit is already showing scratches on the back side. Was it an earlier test unit not up to release unit standards? Is the Gorilla Glass only on the front and not the back? Is Gorilla Glass not as scratch resistant as we thought? Is it not really Gorilla Glass at all?

Engadget did get a little rough with their iPhone 4 review unit, but no doubt so will users. And the front seems to be holding up fine.

Credit where it's due -- Georgia was worried about that glass Oreo design in general the moment she saw it. Apple's confident in their tech, especially if that rumor aboutremoving screen protectors from the Apple Store pans out. (The iMore Store will fully stock iPhone 4 versions of BodyGuardz and InvisibleSHIELD just as soon as possible -- no cheap plug intended, we just want our own screens defended!) And again, we don't know much yet. It's just the back, and just one review unit so far.

Let us know what you think.

[Engadget]

Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.