Apple has claimed once again that they have the most durable glass on a smartphone put on their latest iPhone XS. As durable as glass can get, it’s still glass. All sorts of tests – but most importantly common sense – indicate that glass is still going to break. The goal for smartphone makers is to extend that point as far as they can. And although we’ve seen some plausible technological advancements in this particular field, it’s still safe to bet that no phone’s glass is unbreakable. And to be honest, that works pretty well for all companies but especially for Apple, who charges $280 to replace the front panel and $550 for the back one. For the record the latter price is approximately equal to Xiaomi’s brand new Pocophone or the notorious OnePlus 6!
Even with such a high price, some customers are willing to go the extra mile in order to ensure that they have the best phone in their hands. After all, giving the sense of VIP customer service is one of Apple’s most selling points. But what would happen if those customers found out that the prices they’re paying for don’t actually correspond to the best glass quality? That’s not a definite statement, but we do certainly want to stress out that the glass we were promised – although surprisingly durable – might not be the best after all.
The first drop tests by users, and most importantly YouTubers who do this for a living bring some conflicting results. JerryRigEverything, one of said YouTubers tested 2 iPhone XSs, one with no protection and one with the cheapest cover he could find on Amazon, which he bought for $5,01.
Long story short, both devices were dropped a total of 7 times from 3 different heights: knee-height, waist-height and ear-height. Although all drops were realistic, JerryRigEverything clarifies that they were not 100% indicative of drops that other users may have. Still, both phones survived the entire test with zero damage and full functionality.
Another video posted on YouTube by SquareTrade Labs however doesn’t seem to have found the same results. The video consists of numerous iPhone XS pictures that were dropped by 6 feet height and they were all practically shuttered. Whether or not part of their functionality was affected is unknown. Still, 6 feet is pretty close to ear-height.
What are we to believe then? Well, to answer that question, one must understand first that every drop has a plethora of contributory factors, to the point where it’s independent by other test drops. A rough or sharp surface with corners, for instance, will do much more damage to any device that your bed’s mattress or your carpet.
Those tests are not supposed to dictate whether it’s safe to drop your phone or not. Smartphones are not made to be dropped. The manufacturers are just trying to boost the device just in case it gets dropped. So should you trust that an iPhone XS is freakingly durable – as Apple’s presentation implies? No. It’s surprisingly durable, but don’t over extend. As we said at the beginning, no glass is unbreakable. Should you get a case? Probably yes.
