Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
SquareTrade Says iPhone X is 'Most Breakable iPhone Ever' as Glass Shatters in Series of Drop Tests
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
WTF does the lack of a home button have to do with the propensity for breakage?
Apple says the iPhone X has the most durable glass ever used in a smartphone, with a strengthening layer that is 50 percent deeper, but a series of drop tests show that glass and concrete still don't play well together.
SquareTrade, a company that provides extended warranties for electronic devices, conducted several breakability tests on the iPhone X, and found that its glass back and lack of a home button make it "the most breakable iPhone ever."
Not only did the iPhone X's glass shatter when dropped on its front and back from a height of six feet, but the display also malfunctioned. Keep in mind that pocket height for most people is about three feet.
SquareTrade is naturally using the opportunity to push its two-year smartphone protection plan, which was recently reduced to $129 plus a $99 deductible for most claims, in the United States.
The plan covers cracked screens, liquid damage, battery failure, Lightning connector failure, and speaker failure. It doesn't cover loss or theft.
SquareTrade customers now have an in-home repair option with a lower $25 deductible to fix cracked screens. The service is currently available in more than 700 cities across the United States, with new cities added monthly.
A few YouTube channels also tested the iPhone X in extreme conditions to determine how durable and water resistant the device is.
EverythingApplePro placed the iPhone X in a 20-foot tube of water for 35 minutes without any signs of liquid damage occurring. He also put the iPhone X into a running washing machine, and the device still remained functional.
TechRax subjected the iPhone X to a completely unrealistic sledgehammer and knife scratch test to see what it would take to damage and break the front and back glass. The outcome is what you would expect.
While breakability tests are generally unscientific, the videos reveal that even the most durable glass in a smartphone isn't shatterproof.
Apple recently confirmed it will charge out-of-warranty rates of $279 for iPhone X screen repairs, and $549 for any other damage to the device, unless it is a manufacturing defect covered by Apple's standard one-year limited warranty.
There's also AppleCare+, an optional, premium warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage.
With AppleCare+ for iPhone X, the price of a repair would be the $199 upfront cost of the plan plus a $29 or $99 incidental fee.
If you shatter your iPhone X's screen once, for example, you would pay $279 out of warranty. With the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with the screen repair incidental fee, you would pay $228.
If you shatter your iPhone X's back glass, having AppleCare+ is even more worthwhile. Apple's flat rate is $549 for this type of damage, while the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with a $99 incidental fee totals $298.
All prices above are listed in U.S. dollars. AppleCare+ and Apple's out-of-warranty repair fees vary in other countries.
SquareTrade conducted breakability tests for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus a few months ago with similar results. Both of the glass-bodied models shattered on all sides in every single drop test, including front and back drops at a distance of six feet, a 22-foot shot drop test, and a tumble test.
Article Link: iPhone X Named 'Most Breakable iPhone Ever' as Glass Shatters in Series of Drop Tests
God forbid no one uses a case and screen protector to baby their new device. This is more of an ad to sell insurance. Everythingapplepro has a video of the x being very hard to break. unless you are intentionally trying to break the device, These videos mean nothing in real work conditions. And while we are on this topic, I really haven’t had a screen shatter since iPhone 4s tbh. I’ve owned every iPhone since with cases and glass screen protectors and nothing (I’m the most clumsy guy this side of the Mississippi) . Apples build quality has improved over the years.
This article smells like the articles about OSX Security that are written by companies that peddle suspect Security Software.
In other news the sky is blue and water is wet. More on this at 10.
Because Apple said "hardest, most durable glass ever" and it turns out to be worth zero because it breaks alot easier than any iphone before it?
Actually there are plenty of other drop tests on youtube that apparently show iPhone X is more resistant than iPhone 8 
dude the note8 is a way bigger phone and it doesn’t break easily
Last edited by a moderator:
Breaking News!!! Dropping a glass phone from 6 feet will probably break it.
In other news, water is wet.
In other news, water is wet.
You know what is much cheaper than an insurance plan?
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/C121108D-C29E-4084-8875-0A9499CB037F
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/C121108D-C29E-4084-8875-0A9499CB037F
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
It's not more likely to smash, but it's less likely to function if it's partially damaged. If you smash the glass front of a phone with a physical home button, the home button still works. If the home button function becomes "soft", when the screen breaks, you may not be able to access it. There are people walking around with smashed screens on phones that otherwise function ok.
Is it an overpriced toy with little marginal utility designed primarily to serve ads and squeeze repair/replacement dollars?
Nah, that's just cynical, right?
Nah, that's just cynical, right?
Dunno I dropped my iphone 4 a few times and it never broke, you would think that all these years later and with so many claims about Gorilla glass blah blah....things would have improved....seems not.
Look if you buy this phone, get Applecare. You will drop it, and even in a case, good chance the very expensive glass will break. Just sucks AppleCare is £200.....I think Apple is very aware
Look if you buy this phone, get Applecare. You will drop it, and even in a case, good chance the very expensive glass will break. Just sucks AppleCare is £200.....I think Apple is very aware
All the iPhone X used for drop, scratch, bend, water, ... tests in videos, what a waste.
Damn, i am still waiting for mine just for normal use and not trying to destroy it.
Dropping 6 ft the iPhone X.. actually it looked like that the machine smashed it to the ground.
Damn, i am still waiting for mine just for normal use and not trying to destroy it.
Dropping 6 ft the iPhone X.. actually it looked like that the machine smashed it to the ground.