Smartphones aren’t exactly cheap these days, especially the cream of the crop which can start at $1,199 and go up from there. Allstate ran four smartphones (iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy ZFold 5, and Google Pixel Fold) through a series of drop, dunk, and breakability tests to see how survivable they are.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Allstate started with a Dunk Test in which each phone was submerged in six feet of water for 30 minutes. As one would expect given the IP-ratings of premium smartphones these days, all four models survived. However, when it came to drop tests, all suffered damage from a single six-foot drop onto a sidewalk.
“Even though the most advanced smartphones today are made with space age materials like titanium, Armor Aluminum, and Ceramic Shield screens, they’re still susceptible to damage when dropped on a concrete sidewalk. That’s especially troubling considering that our most recent survey shows that nearly half of Americans vastly underestimate the cost of smartphone repairs. That said, it looks like we may be retiring our Dunk Test. Liquid damage was once a leading cause of smartphone repairs and replacements. Today, it doesn’t rank in the top five.”
Jason Siciliano, Vice President of Marketing and Global Creative Director at Allstate Protection Plans
Key findings of the drop test include:
- Front Screen-Down Drop Tests: Both the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra shattered on their first face-down drop from six feet onto a sidewalk and were unusable. Both phones suffered raised and loose glass.
- Main Screen-Down Drop Tests: Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and the Google Pixel Fold survived two main screen-down drops from six feet onto a sidewalk with only minor frame damage, corner scuffing, and small screen dents. This could be in part due to the raised lip around the interior edge of both Fold main screens. Both were fully functional and usable.
- Back-Down Drop Tests: Both the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra shattered on their first back-down drop test from six feet. The S23 Ultra was still fully functional but was only safe to handle when in a case that covered its back panel. The iPhone 15 Pro Max was fully functional except for its Main Camera and Ultra-Wide Angle Camera, which were shattered. Like the S23 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was only safe to handle when in a case that covered its back panel.
- Outer Screen-Down Drop Tests: Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and the Google Pixel Fold shattered on their first outer screen-down drop from six feet onto a sidewalk. Both outer screens were unusable. Both Fold phones main screens were still fully functional but were only safe to handle when the outer screen panel was not in contact with the skin.
Damage to your phone is costly to repair, with the average cost for repairs and replacements pegged at $209. However, repairing premium devices like Allstate tested is much higher. While cases and screen protector helps, it can be worth getting repair or replacement plans, like Allstate Protection Plans, to extend the coverage on your valuable purchase.
On that phone, if you want to watch some cringe-worthy footage of some expensive smartphones being drop-tested, check out the video below.
What do you think about the Allstate drop and breakability tests? Have you purchased insurance for your premium smartphone? Let us know on social media by using the buttons below.
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