It’s bad news for iPhone enthusiasts and fans. Just when they thought that the whole “Glassgate” issue had died, another scandal raises its ugly head. News is floating around hat Apple has suspended sales of slider cases at its retail store.

Why? If rumors are to be believed then dirt and debris are causing scratches and cracks to the glass backing on the iPhone.

According to sources both inside and outside of Apple, after Antennagate, the iPhone engineering team identified another potential design flaw. This time it has to do with the cases themselves, and their effect on the iPhone.

Apple has apparently found that non-bumper style cases, particularly those that slide onto the iPhone 4, are prone to particles getting caught between the rear of the phone and the case. This can cause scratching that could actually develop into a full cracking, or a fracture of the entire rear glass.

Essentially, Apple is worried that you when buy a standard slide-on case, put it on, and then soon after discover that your iPhone is shattered.

But many experts believe that the Glassgate issue might not be even a real problem. According to Tim Hickman, an iPod and iPhone accessory veteran and CEO of Hard Candy Cases, there is no issue with trapped dirt. “Glassgate is a perception problem, not a real problem”.

He continued, “I’ve shipped 22,000 units and not heard a single complaint,” he said. “If there was a problem, we would have heard about it by now. I suspect that there’s a real issue there.”

Apple is yet to comment on the situation.