iPhone XS and XS Max Survive Liquid Dunk, but Shatter Immediately in Drop Test

[zombiecoops]

AppleCare+ is a very expensive type of insurance. The cost of AppleCare for a few generations of iPhones will easily get you a new iPhone.

I agree. most carriers offer something similar or square trade does for quite a bit less. I use a mous case or rhinosheild and a screen protector. probably going with R version so if it does take a destructive drop it won't be the OLED screen to replace it will be LCD and a little more affordable. I might just cover the whole thing in bubble wrap to be safe!

 

[NetMage]

No, but most people are holding them at their ears. So an average height would probably be 5’10”ish. 6 feet is just as easier height to talk about.

That would be above the average height world-wide - still don't think the average drop is going to be above people's heads.
Also doubt most drops occur when talking on the phone.

 

[curtvaughan]

I never did and never needed it so far...
I saved so much money by NOT buying AppleCare, that i can easily pay the full price if any device should ever need repairing.

That is true for anyone willing to accept the risks of going without insurance, whether it be for health, your life, your car or your house, or anything else subject to catastrophic costs in the case of unanticipated accidents, disease, or other costly damages. In some cases, insurance is required when accident or failure can cause injury or damage to the environment or other people - hence, liability insurance requirements for cars. I would imagine that insurance companies, including the backers of Apple Care, have done actuarial studies of the likelihood of damages incurred by accidents or product failure of Apple's computers and mobile gadgetry, and price the insurance accordingly. It would be interesting to see those probability figures. When the likelihood of failure is unacceptably high, insurance companies won't insure the product or person. I'd guess that the infamous Note 7 fell into that category; hence, it was banned from airlines and the product was eventually discontinued and recalled.

 

[manu chao]

But from their KeyNote it came over as it was going to be a durable device. Also whilst it’s not an option to have another material for the screen, it’s not essential to have a glass back, especially one that is ridiculously expensive to replace.

Sure, plastic would do as well. But we know how well plastic phones sell at the iPhone price level. Glass happens to be a material with a premium feel and look that is transparent to electro-magnetic radiation (needed for example for wireless charging).

 

[and 4096 others like this]

You guys are lucky. In my country there is no Apple Care Plus for iPhone, for some reason... I just can't get that. You can buy AC+ for Mac, but not for most recognizable product of Apple...

So every time I buy iPhone, I buy screen protector and case that is drop proof. That's all about that new great looking colors...

 

[Jimmy James]

Shatter resistance is inversely proportionate to scratch resistance. Make glass harder and it won’t scratch as easily but....

 

[Greenmeenie]

If you upgrade your iphone every year, all that stuff is covered under warranty, so theres no need to buy applecare.
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Slippery and breakable.
I wish the next few years will go fast, because then we will have unbreakable phones made of liquid metal and new synth materials and it will be a standard.
Everybody will remember all this Apple care+ stuff as a dark medieval age of first smartphones.

Yes! Liquidmetal amorphous alloy! Come on Apple, use the damn stuff already! Not only do i want an unbreakable iphone...I am sitting on 100,000 shares of LQMT stock! Heh heh heh

 

[curtvaughan]

If you upgrade your iphone every year, all that stuff is covered under warranty, so theres no need to buy applecare.

There is that - if you have the means, just buy a new one frequently or be willing to buy a new one if/when the product fails or is stolen. Too bad you can't do that for health or life insurance

 

[Xenomorph]

I've had the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6S, iPhone 8, and now an iPhone XS.

My iPhone 3GS's display somehow got a scratch. I've been using screen protectors ever since (anti-glare/matte, which not only protect the screen, they improves visibility and how it feels to touch).

My iPhone 3GS also had a crack in its body. I've been using a case, ever since.

That's about it. With a case (even basic or cheap ones) and a cheap screen protector (about $2 each), I've (almost) NEVER had to worry about an ugly or damaged phone. No cracked or shattered glass. No scuffs or scratches on the body.

If you're worried about damaging your $650-$1550 iPhone, then an investment of just $10-$60 for a screen protector and case can prevent it from breaking and improve its usability.

Besides the issues I had in 2009 with my naked iPhone 3GS, I actually had a boo-boo with my iPhone 8 just a week ago. I dropped it and it got a small ding in its metal at the bottom. I was using the official Apple Leather case. While they can keep the phone safe in many drops, the bottom of the phone is exposed, and the "open" case won't help at all if something hits just right at the bottom. My iPhone 8 is the black one, so a hit against its metal gave it a shiny dent. A minor issue, but it will still cost $99+tax to fix.

(Despite always using a case & screen protector, I still get AppleCare+. I've mostly used it in the past to cover liquid damage.)

 

[violetdudley]

So if you have Apple Care what are the prices? Or are they covered?

I Also have to mention that most people will be casing up their phones and these bare naked test seem mostly redundant. The only ones I'm interested in are water resistance and bend tests. The glass can only be harder and more brittle or softer and more break resistant. If apple is "making them stronger" I suspect they're also increasing brittleness or fail catastrophically like a Prince Ruperts Drop.

Yes, but where is there a decent battery case? This is totally a game stopper for some of us.

 

[edenwaith]

Was one of the requirements for testing: "Get the iPhone drunk on Pabst beer and see how it holds up"?

 

[Smith288]

Well, I guess im selling my 60 second phone tumbler device. Thought this was the year I could use it for my phone.

 

[craigh1976]

I think six feet is an odd height to use for testing a phone drop. Very few people hold their phones over their head before they drop them.

What about a six foot person who drops it while talking on it? Although, I agree, most drops I've had come from taking it out of my pocket, or from about 3-1/2 feet.

 

[DiamonDecoden]

not surprised here. my Note 8 even with curve screen can withstand falls better than my iPhone... IDK how but the iPhone screen is very fragile... prob to push their apple care.

 

[pgiannini1784]

About 5 minutes after watching this I dropped and shattered the back on my iPhone X which was in a case. My XS Max is due to be delivered tomorrow. Wonderful.

 

[votdfak]

CNET literally did tests From 3,4,5 feet and not once did the phone break. This reeks of insurance selling techniques, not saying the phone is unbreakable by any means but one test from 6 feet and they shatter it? Maybe, but I’d like to see the 10 foot ladder they climbed off of in a photo as well.
[doublepost=1537799781][/doublepost]https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/iphone-xs-drop-test-no-crack/
Weird three tests from three heights and not much more than a small scratch here and there, one is testing the phone and one is selling insurance.

How many times phone landed on screen or back glass?

 

[neomorpheus]

Came in to see the Apple white knights rushing to poor Apple defense and will say, leaving satisfied.

 

[Rocko99991]

I've owned 7 iPhones to date and never so much as scratched a single one. All were resold in pristine condition.
.
.
.
I've probably jinxed myself now.

They had scratches, you need glasses.

 

[justperry]

I think this test is flawed, the bigger the phone the easier the glass chatters, that's a given fact.

A 1 square meter windowpane breaks easier than one that only a quarter square meter, fact.

Don't think SquareTrade did a good job here.

 

[skinned66]

AppleCare revenue: ⇧
out of warranty repair revenue: ⇧

Come get some of this oracle of Delphi.

 

[guerro]

Wow, you mean to tell me that something with an exterior made almost entirely of glass will shatter upon impact when dropped to the floor or ground? Astounding.

 

[spinedoc77]

Anyone use Squaretrade these days? I used to use them a lot a couple of years ago, but lately I've read a lot of bad reviews as a company that tries to weasel out of claims and provides replacements that are subpar. But they still have a ton of good reviews as well. They are now owned by Allstate who is reputable.

Just curious as their plans are much much less than applecare, and they provide reimbursement if you bring the phone to Apple and have them perform the services. They are only missing the theft/loss, but I've gone without that prior to this. It's not that I'm cheap, it's just that the AppleCare prices seem like such gouging, they are even more expensive than the carrier insurance plans.

 

[GoodWheaties]

That is the biggest concern for me. I buy an $1099 phone and I am expected to paid $549 when the back glasses broke? I mean the TCO ( Total cost of ownership ) has literally double or more from the iPhone 7 Plus era two years ago. You can buy an $199 Apple Care+ which pushes the phone to $1298, and for $256GB that is $1448.

I often wonder, at what sort of salary range are Apple targeting for iPhone Xs?

I would say current iPhone are being designed for mostly white collar workers that are high earners. It kinda sucks for people with outside jobs or with less income.

 

[skinned66]

Wow, you mean to tell me that something with an exterior made almost entirely of glass will shatter upon impact when dropped to the floor or ground? Astounding.

It’s the iPhone 4 vs Galaxy S2/3 all over again.
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I would say current iPhone are being designed for mostly white collar workers that are high earners. It kinda sucks for people with outside jobs or with less income.

For those whom can not afford brioche there are yester and yester-yesteryear’s models for them to eat.

 

[JedWare]

Anyone use Squaretrade these days? I used to use them a lot a couple of years ago, but lately I've read a lot of bad reviews as a company that tries to weasel out of claims and provides replacements that are subpar. But they still have a ton of good reviews as well. They are now owned by Allstate who is reputable.

Just curious as their plans are much much less than applecare, and they provide reimbursement if you bring the phone to Apple and have them perform the services. They are only missing the theft/loss, but I've gone without that prior to this. It's not that I'm cheap, it's just that the AppleCare prices seem like such gouging, they are even more expensive than the carrier insurance plans.

Avoid SquareTrade. They replace iphones with fake iphones that the Apple store will identify and not support. Just google Squaretrade and fake iphones.