Going into the iPhone X launch, one of my most pressing concerns was how to protect it without ruining the gorgeous design, notch not included. The handset has front and back glass panels like the iPhone 8 models, and they’re likely to crack when dropped just right. Making things worse, Apple already revealed that it’ll cost you about an iPhone 7 to fix the iPhone X.
Fast forward to Monday after the iPhone X, and we have “pro” drop tests that prove that the iPhone X’s glass will break. And one of these drop tests indicates the iPhone X’s glass might be even more fragile than the iPhone 8 and devices from the competition.
The first iPhone X vs. iPhone 8 Plus drop test comes from PhoneBuff, and the results indicate the iPhone X should fare some drops a lot better than the iPhone 8 Plus. The camera bump on the back can save the rear panel from extensive damage, and the steel frame will withstand drops better than aluminum.
But dropping the iPhone X repeatedly will lead to unwanted side effects like not being able to unlock the phone.
PhoneBuff says the iPhone X does better than the iPhone 8 Plus in these tests, but the experts at SquareTrade have a different conclusion. After performing the same drop tests we saw before for the iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8, SquareTrade concluded that the iPhone X is “the most breakable” iPhone ever built.
Once the glass cracks, you may experience serious issues with the screen and Face ID functionality. If that happens, you’ll have to take the phone in for repairs. SquareTrade gave the iPhone X a breakability score of 90. The iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Galaxy Note 8 got 67, 74, and 80 in similar tests (lower is better).
SquareTrade’s business is, of course, to sell you phone insurance. And assigning breakability scores to phones seems just as misleading as using numerical scores for a camera. But that doesn’t mean the iPhone X’s glass can’t break. And these videos show that you might really need protection for your iPhone X. Better get your case on!
