New smartphones on the market come with new opportunities to see how quickly they can be destroyed; however, the iPhone 11 Pro may be able to survive clumsy users, according to recent SquareTrade durability tests.
The firm named the iPhone 11 Pro ” the most durable iPhone we’ve tested in generations,” after it fared well in the SquareTrade tumble test, which measures the damage caused when a device is tossed around in a rotating box. The iPhone 11 Pro suffered only minor scuffs on its edges and is the first device to survive a SquareTrade tumble test.
Additionally, the iPhone 11 Pro survived a dunk test entailing 30-minutes of submersion in five feet of water with no damage, showing that Apple has put in some effort to step up the durability of its devices. The smartphone maker has also marketed its new Pro line as its most durable devices. The iPhone 11 Pro is also rated IP68 for water resistance.
However, the iPhone 11 Pro does still have some vulnerabilities. Facedown and back down drop tests from six feet yielded spectacular cracks, and screen malfunction, and camera module damage. It also succumbed to 250lbs of pressure in a bend test. Luckily, it did not crack. Overall SquareTrade has rated the iPhone 11 Pro as a medium risk for damage.
Both the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max; however, have both proved much more fragile, with medium-high and high-risk ratings for damage respectively. Both devices suffered tracks in the tumble test and audio distortion in dunk tests, which continued after drying out. Front and back drop tests lead to shattering, and malfunctioning of the display for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, in particular. Bend test result for the iPhone 11 was similar to that of the iPhone 11 Pro; however, the iPhone 11 Pro Max cracked and was rendered unusable after just 230lbs of pressure.
Repairing these devices won’t be an easy task, with the iPhone 11 being the easiest of the bunch. It was rated as easy to fix as an iPhone 8. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max may need extra work, with added battery connections and other components. A teardown revealed an L-shaped battery and many glued in parts.
Even with a little added durability, it is safe to say users will want to outfit their iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max with protective cases and covers to try and mitigate such damage. While some of Square Trade’s tests lean on the extreme, front and back facing drop are quite common and can cause similar damage to what the firm as reported.
The iPhone 11 series went on sale globally last Friday.
