Study Reveals Smartphone Accidents Cost Brits £1.2bn

Study Reveals Smartphone Accidents Cost Brits £1.2bn PR Newswire LONDON, December 17, 2012 LONDON, December 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As Christmas shoppers prepare to buy smartphones, SquareTrade research shows high cost of repairs and replacements Lifestyle choices like tattoos, pets and even which newspaper you read linked to higher risk of accidents SquareTrade, the top rated warranty provider, today releases a new study showing that damage from iPhone® and Android™ devices has cost UK smartphone owners a staggering £1.2bn since 2007. The research also reveals that 23% of users have accidently damaged their handset in the last 12 months. If repeated in 2013, it could leave some Christmas shoppers facing hefty repair bills in the New Year. Based on a study of more than 2,500 smartphone users, the results combined the cost of repairs, replacements and insurance excess for accidentally damaged Android and iPhone devices. http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121217/582813 SquareTrade's study shows that smartphone owners were nearly 10 times more likely to suffer from accidental damage than loss or theft. Some consumers were forced into "desperate" measures if they couldn't afford to pay for repairs with 8% of owners admitting using phones with cracked screens and 4% resorting to taping up their phone. Your lifestyle may increase your risk The study also highlighted how lifestyle choices and habits make smartphone owners more likely to have had an accident: 1.