It is pretty amazing that drop from just a meter can damage your phone significantly.
This is a practical reality. When you take the phone from your pocket, then if slips then there is a good chance of damaging it depending on the floor and the angle.
Another thing......If you try to call in a bus stand where light raining is outside and windy, your phone can be damaged due to water drops carried from the wind, since it is not waterproof. This is again a practical reality.
I think this is common to many smartphone today whoever the manufacturer. So from customer point of view, what they need is the
(1) reasonably solid phone resistance to dropping (I think already some screens are developed)
(2) I think,it is ok even if the phone is made of plastic, There are extreme tough plastic materials available, where such drops (few meters) can be handled. What is the meaning of having AL cover, if such simple drops can not be handled?
(3)with waterproof or water resistant phones
(4) battery life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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