Apple’s latest flagship smartphones, the iPhone 14 series are now on the market and the different devices have been tested for durability by Allstate.
Allstate offers Protection Plans for many different products but is especially known for doing its Breakability Drop Tests on smartphones. All four iPhone 14 models, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max were dropped face-down, back-down, and down a flight of stairs to see how they would fare in common device-damaging situations.
The device insurance company wondered how the iPhone 14 series would fare in comparison to the heavier iPhones 12 and iPhone 13 series, which had their Pro models crack easily on the first drop for the front and back. Models in the iPhone 14 series are branded as having a Ceramic Shield front, glass back, flat edge sides, aluminum or stainless steel frames, and sapphire crystal lens covers to increase sturdiness.
Results of Allstate’s robotic drop tests similarly showed that the extent of drop damage was dependent on the model. The dropbot releases the devices from a height of six-feet in a single drop. The larger and heavier iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Plus suffered the most damage, with shattering on first drop attempts for face down and back down drops.
In particular, the iPhone 14 Pro Max experienced bullseye cracks from the facedown drop test. For the back down drop test, the iPhone 14 Pro Max saw glass shattering and glass loss around the camera housing, though the camera itself still worked. Finally, the staircase drop cracked its back panel, scuffed its corners, dented buttons, and added damage to the camera housing, though the camera continued working.
The iPhone 14 Plus was showcased as a model in the series that fared a lot better in the durability tests. Its fate against a flight of stairs left it virtually undamaged, according to Allstate Protection Plans. The iPhone 14 Plus did experience some bullseye cracks and loose glass due to its facedown drop, and similar damage for the back down drop, plus damage to its camera housing. However, the iPhone 14 Plus saw the least amount of damage during the staircase drop, with minor scuffing at the corners.
The smaller and lighter iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be much easier and less expensive to repair due to their removable back panels, meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is easily damaged when dropped and expensive to repair, according to Allstate Protection Plans vice president and global creative director, Jason Siciliano.
Repairs for the iPhone 14 Pro Max alone could cost owners between $1,177 and $1,876 to fix without Apple Care+, when adding up a number of different costs. Because of this, Siciliano recommends that device owners use a case and/or screen protector, and consider a protection plan.
The iPhone 14 series has been on sale since September 16.
