yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[HTC One S] PulpzillA:
sent my black one back and awaiting a new grey version!
[HTC One S] ptr_hamilton:
Just to make that clear, the "scratches" are very small, for now. I hope they stay like this but am afraid they won't.

This is how they actually look like without microscope
[HTC One S] lm85:
this is my thinking too, i'm waiting on a replacement black one because my first one had a smudge under the right touch button which was annoying me

i could call and get a grey one sent instead but if the MAO works as it should i will be happy, i just don't want to have to replace it several times because it happens over and over, hopefully they fix the problem and in a few months if mine starts to chip away i can swap it for a fixed one

i do like the black better than the grey now i've had one in my hand and i do like the idea of being able to swap it for a new one using this problem as an excuse
[HTC One S] barryb20:
Underlying metal

Hi guys,

Felt compelled to chime in, I had a Nokia N8 which was anodised and even though it wasnt MAO it got scratches around the USB port with normal use.

Just so people are aware regardless of process you may eventually see the raw aluminium, no matter how careful you are, so ppl jumping to the anodised version this is no guarantee.

Thanks

Barry
[HTC One S] St4hli:
Haha I guess some dumbass employees at HTC, who are responsible for this massive MAO epic fail, are gonna get kicked in the ass :D
[HTC One S] mr_stoosh:
I bought the black HTC One S today from CPW within 2 hours of owning the phone I noticed a very small area where the paint had peeled away.

I had the phone sitting on the table so it wasn't as if it was in my pocket with keys or coins :mad:

I phoned HTC customer services and they've given me a ticket number and told me to take the phone back to CPW for an exchange. What's the point when no doubt all of us who chose to return our phones will no doubt get another phone that will fail!

I'm going to ask for a refund...I hope CPW give me the money back. I can't buy the grey as Phones4U are the only ones that have the sim free version but they're asking £479.99 for it :eek:

I so wanted to keep the One S, after my One X suffered with multiple issues and has gone back. I'm back to using an old Nokia for the time being....not cool!
[HTC One S] Tecardo:
It is really such a huge problem for you? and i think, that htc is changing to working models. Don't think that everyone cheats you. That's not good for you ;)

---------- Post added at 09:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------

Made some testing and it is scratch resistent to a knife ;)

I will post a video later... I think next week. My upload isn't impressiv.
[HTC One S] jigr69:
Getting black One S tomorrow

I will be picking up my black HTC One S tomorrow and hope to god that I don't suffer from the same quality issues. Love the look of the black phone, having had a black HTC Desire for over 2 years now and it still looks like new (in a case though).

Not happy if it turns out that after a week or so my new phone looks older than my old phone....
[HTC One S] QuintusDias:
Don't let HTC read that...:p
[HTC One S] Gaba90:
i got the black one for 3 days now and nothing so far.. but the sim cover is a little bit loose
[HTC One S] l3ft3r1s:
same here with the grey one...
[HTC One S] thekitkatshuffler:
Ditto with the black one. Unless I'm imagining it, it doesn't fit as snug to the edge as I would like.
[HTC One S] Zkyfer:
o.o guys I herd that it will take a while after the grey release of HTC one s for HTC to release the black one in USA you guys know anything of this? It would really suck if I had to wait 2 months before I will be able to switch to it...
[HTC One S] wardfan220:
Since there's a 2nd thread about this, let's continue the discussion there. I know it's a poll thread, but we don't need duplicates.

Thanks,

wardfan220
[HTC One S] wardfan220:
OK, let's try this again, sorry guys, I'm reopening this one and closing the duplicate with the poll. If you want to restart the poll on this thread feel free.
[HTC One S] robban87:
Opportunist bastard ;P
[HTC One S] zeroprobe:
I've got two scratches that have appeared very very easily on my phone. I've had a Desire and Sensation and not managed to scratch them ever. I'm very careful and ensure only the phone is in my pocket.

Would I be entitled to a fix?
[HTC One S] Untouchab1e:
If you study the scratches closely, are they actual deep scratches or is it just the top ceramic layer that has fallen off? Is it along the edges?
[HTC One S] NexusC:
Hello,

I was going to buy the One S at the end of the month but now hearing about those cover-failures, i'm doubting.

Do the problems occur with the grey model?
[HTC One S] xLaurel:
It seems that it´s just the top layer.

Detailed Photos were posted here:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=24758394&postcount=228
[HTC One S] masterkui:
I received my One S gel case today, but i am thinking, should i actually use it, or leave it exposed so i can see if the chipping happens? This is my second HTC One S.

what do you guys think?
[HTC One S] SpotZup:
I think you should start using it without your case to see if it is still impacted. If not, then you may use it as you wish to prevent it from normal usage. Because knowing that mainly people who have an affected phone are likely to post here or vote the poll, it appears that less than a phone of two is faulty. I got mine yesterday and first things I did was testing its surface by impacting it with my nails and everytime I was able to remove any white trace by a simple pat, and it seems that a very few people (if not any) here in France are affected by this (still I can't be sure as mine is pretty new). I recommend you test it before it's too late to have a proper one because you'll eventually feel the need to use it without any case as its design is so pleasing to the sight and touch. Hope my opinion could help you, sorry for bad English and so on !
[HTC One S] masterkui:
I always use cases on phones to be honest, i feel more comfortable when i do, but in this instance i think you are right about leaving it out for a while to see how it is. Thanks
[HTC One S] lm85:
will hopefully receive mine back tomorrow, i have a case coming but like someone else said i'll leave it off and see if it chips

i was quite shocked how easily the screen scratched though, the day i got it i noticed the mark under the touch button so i didn't even put my sim in it, i stuck a couple of apps on it and games to test but it didn't even leave my room and ended up with quite a bad scratch on the screen

i always use screen protectors but wasn't expecting to need one before even touching the screen, after i charged it a few times i did notice marks around the micro usb port
[HTC One S] 18inch:
wow that really sucks, I have an htc legend which when the first time i held it, i felt the construction to be an amazing feeling, for about 2years now, dropped it SO many times, at least once every 2week, and still working except for the screen sensor which is pretty messed up now, but im sick of it, anyways, was hoping to upgrade to this HTC One S.

The fact that they claim it is amazingly strong and talk high about the cosmetic is what destroying HTC's name now, clearly they don't make any real-time testing with their product, prolly just make assumptions based on theoretical claim, instead of real life measurement/testing.

I hope they fix the problem and have a good explanation very soon.

BTW; would someone be willing to try a drop test, or scratch test? I'm curious to know if the problem is really just self-chipping or the problem is a weak coating?

Maybe they are still right about how strong it is in terms of "unbreakable", without considering cosmetics.

thx
[HTC One S] lm85:
i contacted HTC about getting it replaced in the next 12 months if it gets bad/if my new one starts to lose the black and i got the reply below, i know they've said they will replace under warranty but i wanted to get a reply direct from them to be sure before i accept another black rather than a grey

i wasn't aware of a 24 month warranty, i thought it was 12

Thank you for contacting HTC regarding your htc one s

I understand that you are concerned about the warranty cover of the device following the forums you have visited. Please rest assured that all htc devices go through multiple testing before they are out for public consumption. furthermore each HTC device benefit from a repair warranty of 24 months as long as the cause of the issue is not physical damage,wear and tear or illegal software.

I hope that this information meets with your requirements. Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me again.
[HTC One S] wayne850:
today i noticed a few scratches on the top of the device and it was realy annoying. i went to my local dealer and he changed it without asking to the grey one. he also told me that in one week he had over 50(!!!) plaints because of that. i doubt that htc will figure that in that short time
[HTC One S] ascot17:
What country are you in?
[HTC One S] Untouchab1e:
Yeaa, somehow I have a hard time believing that, unless these tests boil down to - "Does it turn on?" "does it turn off?" ok, good to go!
[HTC One S] lm85:
UK and i contacted them through the UK site and the reply is from eu-no-reply@htc.com
[HTC One S] marcogohi:
Has this happened to anyone from Spain?
[HTC One S] OldЕr:
Dear grey-model owners, can someone take a photo of the sim-cover issue, please?

Thanks, in advance.
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
sim-adapter issue? you mean the cover on top of the sim-port which isn't fitting well? Or did I miss something?
[HTC One S] l3ft3r1s:
Since such a problem can't be photographed, I think he's referring to this one instead.
[HTC One S] jaywhy13:
Any one purchased any devices from NegriElectronics?
[HTC One S] lm85:
i noticed this so called problem with my black one, but it just wasn't pushed on properly..perhaps these people having this problem just aren't putting it back on as it should, it did look to me as if it was faulty but after messing with it, it did click again after pushing harder
[HTC One S] OldЕr:
Yes, I`m sorry, was inattentive. I meant sim-cover issue. Fixed my previous post.
[HTC One S] avataranjie:
Won't happen to blue version. Blue one doesn't have micro arc oxidation
[HTC One S] kolyan:
You have to be really dumb to release phones like this. This is not the first time HTC has done this. QA obviously sucks at HTC
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
I think he meant the sim-cover-problem and this is an issue for both versions. But I've rwad so far, that it really is tricky to close it properly. On the other side I've played around with a device for quite a time and the cover wasn't sitting perfectly (maybe 0.1-0.2mm).
[HTC One S] QuintusDias:
He had 50 returned devices in 1 one week at just his shop because of the chipping? Now htc must surely take this very seriously
[HTC One S] kolyan:
Engadget:

The black HTC One S uses a process called micro arc oxidation (MAO) to harden its aluminum unibody and make it feel like ceramic. We've recently experienced some chipping on the finish of one of our review units, so we reached out to HTC to find out if this is a known problem. Turns out we're not the only ones to report the issue, and while rare, the company's gone ahead and tweaked its manufacturing process and is offering to swap affected phones for free for existing customers. Here's HTC's statement:

"HTC is committed to delivering a high quality product and great experience for all our customers. There have been a few, isolated reports of this issue. The finish on the One S was laboratory tested as being at a hardness similar to ceramic. While that's hard, it doesn't mean it's impossible to damage. Regardless, HTC takes quality very seriously and are providing all customers with an immediate fix and we are implementing some small changes to ensure customers do not experience this issue in the future."
[HTC One S] enserio:
"tweaked" their process? Just like that, they figured out what was wrong and fixed it? I'm normally pretty optimistic about things, but I'm willing to bet they make the rest of them out their usual materials. Not bad materials, mind you - just not all this fancy forged by lightning stuff.
[HTC One S] MemphisLeak:
My guess would be they just prolonged the micro arc oxidation process to thicken the coating enough that it would adhere to the aluminium properly. They probably reduced the time in the original process to be as cost efficient as possible. 10000 volts doesn't sound particularly cheap.

That's if they have tweaked it at all.
[HTC One S] Reviewers:
I hope they fix this problem.
[HTC One S] wayne850:
Yes i was really shocked to hear that. And my town is comparing to others small (250k people). I dont wanna know how this is in ny or anywhere else
[HTC One S] avataranjie:
So two problems MAO chipping and sim-cover not closing properly Agh... not sure if I'm getting it anymore. I'm OCD about "small stuff" like this. Hopefully they fix it in the second batch.
[HTC One S] Komadyret:
Bought the MOA yesterday. Inspected the unit well before leaving the store. Looks good. Now I just have to put it through a few days of my regular abuse to see if there are any chiping.

Already unlocked and rooted btw ;p
[HTC One S] avataranjie:
That won't make a difference. The oxidized layer will be thicker and will just fall again. These are two different materials I don't think they will stay together unless you paint something over it.
[HTC One S] Komadyret:
Or maybe more like increasing voltage to improve the bonding between the aluminum and the oxidized aluminum. Who knows, I'm not the metalurgic-geek here ;)
[HTC One S] Untouchab1e:
The store near where I live has halted sales of the black One S. At least they are advising customers not to get it until the issue is fixed.. Engadget states the issue is rare.. fail.

---------- Post added at 09:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------

I hope HTC will detail why the issue occured in the first place. My question is whether its due to the bonding between the aluminium and the oxidized layer, or if its simply due to contaminants affecting some of the devices manufactured..
[HTC One S] Sebastian768:
"Small affected number of phones"...right, well then...

Shops are not going to send them all in, soooo.... you would actually have to buy the One S to find out if yours is affected. I get it, I'm not buying it. The actual phone that is...not until I'm certain that the first batch is sold out and I'm getting a new one.

Would you buy a BMW, if you knew it might have to go back to Germany for refurbishment?
[HTC One S] ptr_hamilton:
I also had that coating problem.. Got it exchanged at mediamarkt. Because I don't think HTC will fix it soon and I don't like the blue one s I decided to get a one x instead. Damn the one s was so frickin fast :(
[HTC One S] mr_stoosh:
+1

I ended up doing the same as to me the grey One S doesn't look as good as the black. I'm going to monitor the situation and if HTC have sorted out the problem in the new batch then I'm definitely going to get one as the One S is an awesome phone.
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
The silver one is absolutely no option for you folks?
[HTC One S] MemphisLeak:
I think it looks kinda tacky.
[HTC One S] aza314:
As a potential HTC One S owner I'll just inject a few words into this thread.

Most of the people complaining and spouting their opinions on QA have no frigging clue about metallurgy or SCM.

I have consulted for companies that design & sell 100k-1M units. There are so many steps in the process until that phone gets to your hands (at a very low price, considering the complexity!), that the mind would boggle - and sometimes it's amazing that anything works at all, ever.

As for the coating process, I doubt that HTC mills the metal or has plasma baths in their offices. All this stuff is outsourced. And in China its hard to ensure that you get what you pay for (or specify) - Ive seen this happen with PCB laminates, components where the BOM says one thing, and a middleman will just ignore it and pocket the difference.

Maybe the base metal was a 3003 alloy instead of a 6100, maybe it was not degreased well enough, maybe some employees handled the edges, perhaps the plasma bath was too cold, or things not given enough time to warm up due to the units/hour presure from the line manager. Moreover, unless you destructively test the devices it's very hard to spot such failures unless you decided that's what you're going to look for.

Of course I would be disappointed when my One S has a chipping issue, but it seems like HTC is being responsible and has quickly acknowledged the issue, without telling the customers "you're holding it wrong"

FWIW I own a HTC Desire, a Nokia N79, SE K750 and lots of old Nokias.
[HTC One S] s8m:
I have to disagree. I prefer the look of the grey/blue version, and plan to pick one up later this month.

But it does seem that people like the "texture" of the black version, and apparently the grey is too "slippery" or something... I haven't either one up close, just basing my judgement on the HTC press shots. Has anyone seen close-ups or videos of the grey and black which shows the difference between the coating on both of them side by side?
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
Here are at least some few pictures, that in my opinion provide a good impression:

http://mobilesyrup.com/2012/02/28/hands-on-with-the-htc-one-s-video/

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/28/2830567/htc-dark-materials-photos-gray-one-s-black-one-x
[HTC One S] Untouchab1e:
Just got my One S. The store assured me that they are aware of the issue and if anything happens with the coating within 7 days, its an automatic DOA-case and I get a new phone on the spot! Now time to work on CM9 for it.
[HTC One S] s8m:
Kudos kyuubi_ac, excellent examples!

EDIT: And by the way, I do still prefer the grey! :D
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
;)

This should help even better, a direct comparison:

http://www.android-hilfe.de/htc-one...ne-s-euer-erster-eindruck-80.html#post3059889
[HTC One S] MemphisLeak:
that actually looks pretty good. still think the plastic covers look pretty dreadful
[HTC One S] samovog:
To share my experience:

I bought a black HTC One S last week by MediaMarkt in Austria. I was werry carefull with the phone ( I carried it from day one in a soft pouch, with werry minor usage ) but still it got damage to the Micro Arc Oxidation (minor but it was there!). It must be a failure in the process... Anyway, i got it exchanged for the grey model (no questions asked)...
[HTC One S] BeatsByMessi:
i really wanted the black one s aswell but after seeing this thread i now have my doubts on whether to get one (the grey/blue is completely out of the question, i just don,t like the look of it)

i,m due an upgrade next month so will continue to monitor this situation closely but if its not fixed i may have to get a one x :(
[HTC One S] kyuubi_ac:
It will be fixed in any way, but the questions are "how" and "when". I doubt that HTC is able to improve it just right away. This is only possible if they already know what went wrong (maybe too short oxidation, temperatures.. I dunno, haing my doubts about all this).
[HTC One S] boojay:
Great post! This deserves to be its own article!

Swyped from my iPhone killer/Android
[HTC One S] TurkzZ:
gt some tiny chips on the micro usb port, its the kinda thing i wouldn't worry about if it wasn't for the news as with most things there can be some small anomalies around ports etc, but now im wondering if i should get it replaced. Got the phone on Thursday, seems fine everywhere else.

Really want to see somebody but this though a durability test, surprised a vid hasn't been made yet lol
[HTC One S] lm85:
that was the only thing i noticed with the one i had but it happened very quickly after a couple of charges

my replacement still hasn't been mailed to me and i'm really considering telling them to send me a grey one instead, i did actually want the grey one when i first saw it but i liked the idea of the MAO and it does feel really nice when you hold it

decisions decisions
[HTC One S] mitchgixer6:
Just adding my experience with my One S for the record.

Got it delivered on Tuesday (10th April) and basically had it sitting in the house until my number ported across on Thursday (12th). Brought the phone into work on the Thursday night to get it set up. As always I was very careful with the phone. I only carry my handsets in a pocket with nothing else in it, and when not in my pocket it just sits on my desk.

So after less than 24 hours of light use, setting up contacts, apps etc etc, I have a chip just next to the power button on the sharp edge, as well as some metal showing around the USB port (only been charged 3 times). I have most definitely not dropped, scratched or banged the handset in any way. I was actually really surprised to see it there, and after I noticed it I then went online and realised it could be a manufacturing fault.

I contacted HTC through their web form and had a reply saying that if my handset is less than 28 days old (since delivery) then I should contact the selling agent. As I bought this phone online from mobiles.co.uk I'm waiting for an answer from them to see if I can exchange it at a Carphone Warehouse store (their parent company) instead of having to post it back to them. I'd imagine it'll be Monday before I hear anything.

So pretty annoyed that I may have to get a replacement, but hats off to HTC for holding their hands up and swapping the handsets no questions asked. just worried that I'll get another handset that has the same issue though, so i may just wait a few weeks to see what develops.

Must admit that the chip is really nothing major, any other time I would just live with it, but seeing as it will potentially get worse over time, I'd rather have a new handset and try again. Hopefully the replacement won't have the same problem.
[HTC One S] TurkzZ:
hmmm ill put the phone in pocket tomo without a case for a test ride (no keys or coins in der) something like this should not be so easy to chip.

Is the 28 days thing standard, i got it from a T-Mobile store UK
[HTC One S] mitchgixer6:
I think if you're within the 28 days it may be best to go back to the point of sale. Out with this I think HTC would replace directly. AFAIK the phones have a 2 year warranty anyway.
[HTC One S] TramainM:
I have a little spot where it looked like it was chipped. It might have been me but i will keep you guys posed. Its only a day old so yeah. I will wait for a month to replace it though, just to make sure it wont happen again
[HTC One S] AndroidBlizzard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NoP...DvjVQa1PpcFML3GDuBrrtoUgGnE8fB4K9ufct15PpFdM=
[HTC One S] mitchgixer6:
That noise when he is rubbing the phone on the stones is like finger nails down a blackboard to me! :eek:
[HTC One S] lm85:
no one is actually going to do that on purpose(except that clown) or by accident though

stupid test and a waste of a good phone imho
[HTC One S] raikesy:
That's not a durability test, more of an exhibition of his stupidity...
[HTC One S] psych0t1c:
That I find interesting. It is supposed to be Gorilla Glass and I have also always used scren protectors on all my phones in the past. The first phone I dodged those was my first Gorilla Glass phone: the Sensation (due to the fact that the display is not 100% even it is had to find a protector that would fit without bother and bubbles). The backside of my Sensation i beaten and battered, but you are hard pressed to find a scratch or mark on the display.

Maybe with the One S having a staight, flat display its time to go back to having a screen protector just in case... at least those do not harm aesthetics as much as a gel case does...
[HTC One S] samovog:
It seems to me that this process wasnt thoroughly tested on a phone... Almost all users with the black modell seem to have somekind of a chipping "paint" problem...

I am dissapointed because all in all it is a werry good phone...