You shouldn’t try to charge your iPhone 6 in a microwave but that doesn’t mean the device can’t take a beating. According to durability tests conducted by consumer electronics protection firm SquareTrade, the iPhone 6 might be the most durable smartphone on the market today.
RELATED: Try not to cringe at these brutal iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus drop test videos
Overall, SquareTrade conducts durability tests on several factors including “front and back panel design, edge construction and materials, size, weight, friction quotient, water resistance and grip-ability” to determine how well a device can hold up after succumbing to assorted everyday accidents.
In the video posted below, you can see that SquareTrade put the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus through water torture tests, drop tests and more while discovering that the iPhone 6 had top-notch durability.
While the iPhone 6 got glowing reviews from the team at SquareTrade, the iPhone 6 Plus didn’t fare quite so well. In fact, when SquareTrade gave the 6Plus its drop test, it found that the device’s front panel started to pop off and that its sound stopped working around 30 minutes after being picked up. Because of this, SquareTrade says that you’re taking a moderate risk when buying the 6 Plus.
SquareTrade’s full press release follows below.
New iPhones Come Up Big in SquareTrade Breakability Tests
iPhone 6 Earns Best Score Ever, iPhone 6 Plus Not Far Behind
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – September 22, 2014 – SquareTrade®, the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today announced the iPhone 6 and its larger sibling, iPhone 6 Plus, performed impressively in Breakability testing, and each carries the top Breakability Score™ in their respective category. The SquareTrade Breakability Score ranks today’s top devices based on how prone they are to break due to accidents. Evaluating key elements such as front and back panel design, edge construction and materials, size, weight, friction quotient, water resistance and grip-ability, SquareTrade’s Breakability Score fills in the missing gap left by traditional device reviews: it tests devices in everyday danger situations brought on by our lifestyles and habits.
See SquareTrade’s Breakability test video here.
The SquareTrade Breakability Score is based on a number of factors, from physical characteristics to the results of SquareTrade’s Drop, Dunk and Slide Tests. The higher a device scores on a scale from 1-10, the higher the risk of it breaking due to an accident.
The new series of iPhones performed above expectations, scoring higher than both previous iPhone models and popular Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S5. The iPhone 6’s Breakability Score of 4 sets a new high mark with a slightly better performance than even Google/Motorola’s Moto X and the HTC One. The much larger iPhone 6 Plus scored a 5, more than a full point better than the Samsung Galaxy S5, making it the most durable phone with a screen larger than five inches.
SquareTrade’s Breakability Score testing revealed the following:
– The iPhone 6 Plus is not only more durable than most large screen phones, but it also outscored last generation’s iPhone 5S
– Both new iPhones performed very well in most tests, but the iPhone 6 Plus lost some points because some users may have a hard time gripping the phone due to its large but slim form
– The screens on both new iPhones held up very well to Breakability testing, giving credence to Apple’s promise of ion-strengthened glass.
“Apple has done it again, with a pair of larger phones that are more durable than their smaller predecessors,” says Ty Shay, CMO of SquareTrade. “But as we saw with the ill-fated mishap of the first iPhone 6 buyer in Australia, accidents are still going to happen. Americans have spent over $10 Billion on iPhone repair and replacement since their release, and we expect that unfortunate trend to continue.”
