There’s a good chance you’re reading this on a damaged mobile device

Your smartphone probably isn’t bent, but it very well may be damaged in other ways. Join the club.

According to the 2014 ZAGG Device Damage Study (pdf download), 48% of smartphone users report that they are currently using a damaged device. Maybe we should stop dropping our phones.

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Here are some of the other highlights from the report:

• Scratches are clearly the most prevalent form of damage—54% of users have scratched the bodies of their smartphones at least once and 52% have scratched the screen.


• Scratches, however, are among the least concerning forms of damage. Smartphone users are most afraid of a lost or stolen phone (at 23%).


• Tablet users are much less concerned with damaging their devices—and for good reason. Only 27% of tablet users say they have damaged their device.


• An intrepid 49% of smartphone users have not repaired or replaced their damaged devices (among this group is the author of this story, who for two years has been using an iPhone 5 with a broken lock button—the result of numerous drops).


• 69% of tablet users have not repaired or replaced their damaged device.


• The average cost of repairing or replacing a smartphone is $143.81, while the cost of repairing or replacing a tablet is $117.78. That’s probably because more smartphone users are opting to just replace their devices, while tablet users prefer to get them repaired.

“Putting it in a blender” was not among the most common reasons for a damaged phone. But in case you’re ready to inflict some serious damage, here’s a how-to:

There’s a good chance you’re reading this on a damaged mobile device