Apple iPhone 12 Drop Test Proves If Screens Are As Accident-Proof As Advertised
Image via Mr.Mikla / Shutterstock.com
Hands up if you’re one of the many who have repeatedly dropped and damaged their iPhones, and yet cave whenever Apple releases new smartphones. If this is you, the iPhone 12 series might just be your most long-standing phone yet.
With the iPhone 12 lineup comes the new Ceramic Shield screen, which is infused with nano-ceramic crystals to “dramatically” rev up the iPhone’s durability. Thanks to this technology, Apple says the new iPhone display material is “tougher than any smartphone glass” and boasts four times better drop performance than 2019’s iPhone 11 range.
That’s a lofty claim, so how true is it? To find out, tech YouTuber EverythingApplePro took one for the team and deliberately dropped the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro at different heights.
This year’s drop tests would be especially interesting, since the new iPhones sport a slightly different design than those from the years before. The iPhone 12 models now come with flat iPhone 5-like frames—aluminum for the mid-tier iPhone 12 and stainless steel for the Pro versions. They also have flat backs, which are expected to change the way the iPhones would fall to the floor.
EverythingApplePro discovered that the Ceramic Shield glass is indeed as sturdy as promised, but while the iPhone 12 models appeared as good as new after rigorous testing, their sides and interiors seemed to suffer some damage.
From the waist
When dropped from waist height, both Ceramic Shield screens—faced down—did not crack, and none of the iPhones took in damage when dropped rear-down.
However, the YouTuber noticed that the aluminum sides of the mid-tier iPhone 12 had started to dent.
At six feet
At six feet, the Ceramic Shield glass on both phones still showed no wear and tear. Unfortunately, broken pixels started appearing on the iPhone 12 Pro’s display beneath the glass.
The iPhone 12’s frame became even more deformed, and the iPhone 12 Pro’s stainless steel sides started to scratch.
Impressively, none of the iPhones’ backs took in damage when dropped rear-side-down.
At 10 feet
The Ceramic Shield finally relented—just a little—at 10 feet for the iPhone 12 Pro, which developed some cracks. The basic iPhone 12, on the other hand, surprisingly survived the crash.
At 10 feet, both rears were broken, given that the iPhone 12 range’s backing is built with the same glass as that of the iPhone 11 lineup. Also, the frames were bent. Worth noting is that the iPhone 12’s camera had stopped working at this point.
Conclusion
Overall, the tech expert said he was thoroughly “impressed” by the results and how “very durable” the iPhones have turned out to be.
“I am believing these claims [of Ceramic Shield],” he said. “These are not marketing, the glass IS better.”
Nevertheless, those who wish to flaunt their iPhones naked might still need to err on the side of caution. While the Ceramic Shield glass is as hardy as Apple advertises it to be, the iPhones’ frames might bend after repeated drops. The internal wares could also be impaired if they take on too much impact.
[via BGR, cover image via Mr.Mikla / Shutterstock.com]
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