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iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus survive* their first brutal drop test

Published Sep 16th, 2016 12:52PM EDT
iPhone 7 vs. iPhone 7 Plus Drop Test
Image: Apple Inc.

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The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are finally out, which means early adopters have already started putting them through various tests. We’ve seen teardowns, durability tests, speed tests and water damage tests, but we’re not done yet. Next up is the first drop test for the two new iPhones. Unsurprisingly, both devices will survive most drops. But there is one thing you should know about such accidents: The camera might not make it out alive.

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YouTube channel TabTimes put both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus through the same brutal drop tests. As with previous iPhones, the conclusion is pretty simple. The iPhone 7 will survive most drops on hard surfaces, from heights of more than 7 feet — that’s the highest TabTimes went.

TabTimes dropped each phone repeatedly, recording footage of the drop test with the phones’ camera. The iPhones continue to record during and after the drop, and the phones were fully functional. The metal scratched depending on where it hit the concrete, so expect plenty of scuffs if you drop your phone. But the screen survived each time, and that’s certainly impressive, considering that the screen isn’t protected by any extra layer of glass.

What may crack on the first drop — and you might not like that — is the glass cover on the rear camera. That’s certainly something you don’t want to see happen.

If you plan on using protective cases and screens with the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, your device might withstand drops even better than the units in this video. That said, there’s nothing to guarantee that your phone’s screen won’t crack, so keep paying attention to how you handle it.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.