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Key Scratches, 7-foot Drops, Bends & Fires; iPhone 7 bears it all!
Are you wondering about iPhone 7 durability? Apple dubs its iPhone 7 as the best iPhone ever. To prove that contention, people are testing the sturdiness of this latest iPhone. They do things with their iPhones that seem like a nightmare for us regular phone users. Things like intentionally scratching or dropping from quite a height. Well…someone has to test it all so we really know if it lives up to the hype.
Without further ado, here we go…
What about scratches?
JerryRigEverything conducted a host of field tests on iPhone 7 durability, including scratching it with multiple objects. They performed the tests on all iPhone components, not just the screen but also the camera, the home button (the touch pad), virtually every side of the iPhone. The first test, the scratch exam, follows Moh’s scale of hardness from 2-9. Does the iPhone have a run of the mill glass screen or is its screen immune to hard and nasty scratches? On a scale of hardness of 2-9, most smartphone start scratching at level 6. And so did the new iPhone 7 which shows that it has the same screen as an average smart phone. If our iPhones came with sapphire screens then maybe it would scratch at level 8 or 9.
The tests used keys and even razor blades on the back. The jet black iPhone resisted the key scratches pretty well but not the sharp blade. So with keys or coins in your pocket with the iPhone, there are no worries about scratches. But don’t keep it too close to things as sharp as a metal blade…
The solid state home touch pad (formerly known as the home button) was tested for scratches. The touch pad is very sturdy and started getting scratches beyond level 6. But the iPhone’s screen is not yet made of sapphire. In contrast with other smart phones that use plastic buttons for their home buttons, this solid state home pad is going to last a lot longer. The ear piece is made of metal and consequently is considerably stronger. It even stays in place after scratching it with razor blade but it does get damaged.
The camera lens is quite strong and surprisingly is immune to a razor blade but it did get minor scratches…so still not sapphire made. Next to the camera, the Quad LED True Tone Flash has four LEDS which make the flash brighter. But it too gets scratches from the razor blade. Other parts of the iPhone including the buttons and antennas bands are also quite sturdy. Plastic buttons fall off or loose color quite easily but the iPhone 7 metal ones stay put. The antenna bands are plastic since the technology requires them to be but still they are resistant to scratches from less sharp objects.
Feel the Burn
The team at JerryRigEverything also tested iPhone 7 durability with the burn test. The LCD screen of the iPhone 7 lasted for about 10 seconds when it came in contact with the flame. Then the pixels turned off and the area in contact turned black. But sooner enough the screen went back to normal and worked just fine. On other smart phone models particularly Samsung the affected areas turn white and never recovers. So the iPhone 7 is much better at resisting burns from flames. But that does not mean that the iPhone will survive a bigger, stronger, and longer fire.
The Bend Test
The iPhone 7 is not very flexible when bending. The waterproofing adhesive between the frame and the screen breaks when under applied pressure. The phone itself is quite elastic and resists bending but it loses its water resistance. Prolonged sitting on your iPhone is not recommended since this reduces its resistance to water.
So pay attention iFolks who consistently carry your phones in your back pockets! Don’t forget to remove your iPhone before sitting.
The Drop Test
Dropping your iPhone from a height is not anywhere near ideal. Most iPhones tend to be pretty fragile. At TabTimes from Sydney, Australia, the team tested the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus for the ultimate drop test. They did 12 drops from two different heights (7 feet was the highest tried) and the result is pretty surprising: the iPhones survived! Yes, there were few scuffs and scratches. But the screen was totally fine and did not crack. In fact, phones were even dropped with screens facing down and it still survived with just a few scratches. So even if the iPhone 7’s screen isn’t sapphire it is still very strong.
Even after a dozen drops, the iPhone worked fine! As a result, we are comfortable with Apple’s claims that the iPhone 7 is really sturdy and immune to dropping. And we think that’s a very good thing. Because from time to time you just might drop your phone. And nothing is worse than dropping a phone by accident and kissing it goodbye forever.
The Final Verdict
Both videos showcase solid evidence that the new iPhone 7 is durable, sturdy, AND resistant to less sharp scratches and even flames. The iPhone remains one of the most expensive smart phones on the market. And it should be strong enough to bear scratches and drops because obviously no one wants to have to replace their iPhone every few months.
Rex is out and about testing his new iPhone 7 for the past three weeks. Check out Rex’s opinions and review here: – My First 2 Weeks with the iPhone 7
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