A series of torture tests reveal that this year's iPhone models may just be the strongest iPhones that Apple has made.
The tests were conducted by SquareTrade, an extended warranty service provider, and involved the new iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and the Galaxy Note 5 of Samsung. All three devices were tested using a number of breakability factors that include gripability, weight, water test, corner drop, face down drop, bendability and thermo test.
A device is deemed strong if it gets a low breakability score. While all the three devices ended up belonging under the medium risk range, it was the iPhone 6s, which earned the best breakability score among the three.
Both the new iPhone devices scored well on bendability with the bigger iPhone 6s Plus gaining a better score than the iPhone 6s. It looks like the "bendgate" image does not apply anymore to the latest flagships. Apple learned a lot from past mistakes by making key changes to the design of the iPhone.
The new Apple devices also scored well in the face down drop test with both earning a score of 7 against the Galaxy Note 5's score of 10. Among all types of drop test (side drop, back drop, face down drop), it is the face down drop that is considered to be the harshest and the most reliable basis when one needs to know just how strong the handset's screen display really is.
However, both Apple devices didn't perform well in the thermo test. This type of test is intended to find out how the devices can tolerate sudden changes in temperature. While the iPhone 6s Plus scored a little better than the iPhone 6s, it was the Galaxy Note 5 which ended with the best score of 3.
Another type of test where the Galaxy Note 5 outperformed the devices from Apple is the water test where it earned an impressive score of 1 against the score of 2 earned by both Apple devices.
A video showed how the iPhone 6 was given a weight test. In the video, the device was seen as being placed on a machine with two elevated parts, making the device look unsupported in the middle part. With its screen facing upward, weights were then placed on the middle, which continue to become heavier as pressure was being applied.
In the end, it was the iPhone 6s, which earned the best breakability score of 4.5. Both the iPhone 6s Plus and the Galaxy Note 5 earned a score of 5.
According to SquareTrade, the breakability score is calculated by using several factors "from physical characteristics to the results of SquareTrade's drop, dunk, bend and temperature tests. The higher a device scores, the higher the risk of it breaking due to an accident."
