Durability can be tough to measure in a whole product. There are so many factors that could go into the outcome that it can be hard to isolate them. A smartphone, for example, could be tougher because it’s better water proofed. Perhaps it’s stronger because it’s using stronger glass. Or perhaps it’s just the difference between steel and other construction materials. Weight, mass distribution, the height and angle of the drop, and how the phone lands also factor into whether or not a phone survives the fall. Really, drop tests are incredibly unscientific.
There are some companies, like SquareTrade, that do more scientific drop tests. These will drop a phone using a frame so the phone always hits where we want to test from. Whether or not a phone lands on the corner or face down can spell the difference between no damage and catastrophic damage. Unfortunately, SquareTrade hasn’t had the time to do such a test on the new iPhones. However, we do have a few tests from Cnet, TechSmartt, and EverythingApplePro. These might give us an idea about the durability of the iPhone XS, even if they’re not perfect. So let’s check them out.
Ten-S for the Ten-S Court!
I won’t lie, I know that the iPhone XS is supposed to be pronounced “Ten-S,” but I still never “say” that in my head when I read it. Sorry, Apple, no one uses Roman numerals anymore. Perhaps it’s because of this that I didn’t realize until this video that “Ten-S” sounds a lot like “tennis.” That’s something you can think of every time you think about your new iPhone now.
Just don’t hit it with a racket. If you do hit your iPhone with a racket, you’ll be happy to know that it’s surprisingly durable. Watching it survive drops from 3 and 6 foot heights (that’s about 91cm and 182cm, for those of you outside of the U.S.) is really surprising. According to this video, the iPhone XS is definitely more durable than you’d expect.
Lone Survivor
Cnet took the iPhone XS out to the street to see if it could hold up to Apple’s claims. How did it fair in the drop test? Vanessa Hand Orellana, the Cnet editor performing the drop test (and write-up) says the iPhone XS is the only one thus far to survive their “real world” tests. Last year’s iPhone X shattered on both sides. These two videos show that the iPhone XS appears to be tougher than the iPhone X that came before it.
Not so Lucky a Third Time
Of course, with any test, there are always outliers. This one is ours. So, of these three drop tests, this one left the reviewer scratching his head. It apparently broke earlier than the iPhone X had in a previous test. However, you can see from the drop angle, it’s an exceptionally bad fall. Sometimes, you’re just unlucky. Great glass can’t survive a harsh drop.
Most Durable Ever?
So is the iPhone XS the most durable iPhone ever? It should be! It’s been engineered with stronger materials and better waterproofing. The iPhone XS can stay underwater at a depth of 2 meters for 30 minutes, vs 1 meter at 30 minutes for the iPhone X. In every way, Apple’s steel and glass iPhone XS should be its most durable yet. These tests suggest that’s true, despite one bad test. We won’t know for sure until someone performs a more methodological test, but we can assume it’s a stronger phone.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to use a case anyway. Maybe a really slim one for once though.