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Imagine buying an expensive (or even a new) Samsung phone, only to realise that a while later, that much-coveted and sleek rear back starts falling off.
For the newer phone models launched by Samsung such as S9, 10, Note 10, Note 10+, S21 Ultra etc, a number of them feature rear glass backs that enhance the overall appearance of the phone. We noticed that most of the ‘rear glass coming off’ problems mostly stemmed in the newer models of Samsung phones.
So, what exactly causes the issue?
Reasons for Samsung Rear Glass Coming Off
Here are a few reasons why your Samsung Rear Glass could be coming off:
1. Usage of cheap adhesives
If you have a somewhat brand new Samsung phone and the rear glass is coming off, there are very high chances that the adhesive that sticks the rear glass to the phone is loosening up.
Ideally such adhesives that used to paste the rear glass to the phone should be made keeping temperate control and other factors in mind. However, a number of users report that Samsung has been using cheap adhesives to paste their rear glasses to the phone; more so in the newer models.
The major issue with the usage of cheap adhesives that start to loosen up is that dust and other fine particles start settling within the gap created. This could damage the camera or render it blurry while also causing problems for other components of the phone.
You could try contacting the customer service (not sure how much help that would be, especially if you have an expensive Samsung phone that is still under warranty) to try and get the problem fixed or the phone replaced.
2. Swelling of Battery
Again, if you have recently bought the phone, battery-swelling should be an unlikely cause. However, a handful of Samsung users reported battery swelling as the major cause of the Samsung rear glass coming off.
If you use an original Samsung charger, be it wired or wireless, this issue should not occur, especially for newer phones.
If you have an older Samsung phone, the swelling of the battery could much likely be an issue that caused the rear glass to start coming off. Since the battery pushes against the rear glass, it could loosen the adhesive over time (or quickly, if the adhesive used is cheap), and thus cause it to come off.
You should try looking inside from the gap to check if the battery is swollen. If it is, you will either have to get it replaced and if the phone is still under warranty, you may be able to get your phone replaced if the battery can not be changed.
3. Keeping the Phone at Spots with Higher Temperature
Did you repeatedly keep your phone at spots characterised by higher temperatures, such as outside in the sun or leave it in the car for extended periods?
If yes, then it is possible that the adhesive used loosened up over time and now, the rear glass is coming off. In case you started noticing this issue during sunny weather, this is much likely the cause.
The reason behind this is that the adhesive used to paste the rear back to the phone is heat activated. When heat is applied to the adhesive, it starts coming off.
Although the regular ‘high’ temperatures are not likely to activate the adhesive to start coming off, keeping the phone in higher temperatures for a long time over continued periods can cause the adhesive to start loosening up. As a result, the Samsung rear glass starts to fall off, gradually.
Personal Experience – Samsung Rear Glass Coming Off from my Samsung 21 Ultra
Just like a huge segment of people in awe of the Samsung and Samsung phones, I purchased a Samsung 21 Ultra three months back. The rear glass started coming off after a period of usage. Let me tell you that I always used the original Samsung charger to replenish the battery status for my Samsung 21 Ultra and the phone has been kept with utmost care. This gives no reason as to why the glass should be coming off, in fact, so soon.
As the rear glass started coming off (probably due to cheap adhesive usage, as in many other similar cases), dust went inside the phone.
Now ideally, a visit to the Samsung Service Centre should do the job and fix the issue, right? However, upon my visit, Samsung marked the device out of warranty by providing a blatantly vague reason that was “the water sticker is red”, even though the sticker is fully white (to this date).
Below I have attached an image that shows the current condition of the phone, as the adhesive loosened, and dust particles settled on the components of the phone:
Final Verdict
Samsung is a long-standing name in the vertical of electronics. However, with the recent rising complaints about quality and issues such as this (Samsung rear glass coming off), Samsung could lose a huge number of dedicated users, such as I.
When it comes to a phone as expensive as Samsung Ultra 21, or the most recent launches, it is justifiable for the buyer to NOT expect something as absurd as this from Samsung. The rear glass coming off of Samsung devices is a huge implication towards how Samsung has lowered its quality standards.
