We saw a kid in Australia perform the first unofficial drop test earlier today, but for those wanting to see the limits of iPhone 6 truly tested, the first scientific tests are in.
Blogger Dave Rahimi — who was the first person in the world to buy the iPhone 6 — performed a slightly more precise drop test on both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and if you were hoping the new ion-reinforced screen would save you from a shattered display, he’s got some bad news.
Not to spoil the surprise, but the larger iPhone 6 Plus cracked its big beautiful screen when dropped on its side the first time. Rahimi had just purchased it, after flying from California to Australia to pick it up. Ouch!
Here is Dave’s hard-hitting drop test:
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
16 responses to “Hard-hitting drop test takes iPhone 6 to its breaking point”
Aaaaaaand this is why I use a case. I learned long ago that you don’t even need a giant bulky Otterbox or Candyshell to protect against drops. The Incipio NGP is relatively low profile and the iPhone 4S has taken some nasty spills without a scratch in it. Also the ZooGue Social Pro is very very thin and also manages to do the job with significant pavement drops. Both cases I mentioned are some type of rubber as opposed to a hard polycarb. I know people like to go bare and I understand why, but those are the people I always see later with a cracked screen. Cracked screen isn’t even my worst fear as those can be replaced for $50-$100. It’s getting a badly dinged up or road-rashed body that bothers me.
iPhone 6 will be my 4th one and it will go bare as the previous ones.
None of them cracked or looked ugly in the end. They all resold good.
Why should i protect the device to keep looking good by hiding it’s look away from myself. Why should i preserve the look of it for the next owner while not enjoying it myself?
I try to handle it carefully and it worked out until now.
That’s what I think as well. Why do I preserve it’s look, for the next owner? Dropped my iPhone 5 several times and luckily, still looks as good as new. I’m getting the 6 plus though, and I hate for it to shatter on the first drop! I just hate covers with a passion. all apple devices are beautiful to look at!
You haven’t seen some of the spills mine has taken. I’m very careful with my phones but I’m a very active person and inevitably something causes it to pitch from my hand. While biking I’ve snagged the headphone cord and had it go flying 10ft while riding (at only) 15 mph. The case was trashed (had to get a new one) but phone was fine. OK my fault for trying to listen to an iPhone while biking and keeping it in my pocket. But dozens of times I can just be holding it and someone whacks me causing it to pitch onto pavement. I rather like the feel and look of some of the cases I use. For an active person it’s use a case or have a trashed phone.
More like, use a case or take better care of your $800 device.
One cyclist to another, don’t F***ing ride with headphones in.
Never had screen damage in six years, but this video makes me think. I’m already considering a case, also because of the extruding lens.
It doesn’t break on our test!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS8f-hVsDzA
At this point all phones this big and even not this big will break most of the time without a case. A case will help protect it but it can still break. Just be careful with your phones.
I can’t bare to watch these videos! Is this why he made all that effort to be the first person to get iPhones 6s?! To break them?! What a waste.
the kid must have a lot of money to fly out of California, pick up his spanking new iphone6 just to do a drop test… i call that crazyness! … #firstworldproblems
And just like that, the first day it’s released we start drop testing and destroying our $649-$999 phones.
Well, when you’re being paid to do so. I drove a $20K robot down some stairs to see how it’d fare (not well.) We used a high speed camera to record it, of course.
I’d like to take the time to let the new iPhone users know that my heart, thoughts and prayers go out to you all as you discover that when you drop glass onto concrete that it may break or shatter. I understand and empathize with your true devastation.
This experiment was so important and scientific.
I have waited hours for an an iPhone 6 just so a idiot can do this!
If you drop the same phone multiple times it is more likely to be cracked/damage after each drop…very flawed test here.