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On Friday, the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models started selling in stores and shipping to buyers who purchased them online. As in previous years, the iPhone’s release date brings us more details about Apple’s newest handsets than the first round of reviews, including the durability tests that many iPhone buyers want to see. The first drop test featuring the iPhone 17 Pro Max is out on YouTube from MadMatt, delivering an unexpected result. The glass on the front and back survived every single drop from traditional heights (knee to head height), with only the aluminum frame getting scuffs depending on the point of impact.
By the end of the test, the YouTuber started throwing the iPhone 17 Pro Max up in the air to see whether he could force the glass to break. It didn’t. The front and back Ceramic Shield glass survived being thrown in the air and landing on concrete. The iPhone 17 Pro Max still worked. The cameras were not harmed. The only real damage concerned the aluminum frame, which took a beating. Still, the main point here is that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is significantly more durable than expected, as you’ll see below. The iPhone 16 series did not have such luck during early drop tests about a year ago.
Why is the iPhone 17 Pro Max so durable?
Every iPhone generation gets the same drop test treatment as seen above. YouTubers try to perform drop tests as controlled as possible. They drop the iPhone onto concrete from specific heights to replicate real-life accidents. They drop the handset on the front, back, and sides from knee, waist, and head height. The iPhone inevitably breaks during this ordeal, no matter how durable the front and back glass might be. The screen cover or the rear glass panel might break first. The damage would then be amplified by subsequent drops.
MadMatt dropped the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the video above about 20 times, including throwing the handset twice in the air to test drops from a height of at least 12 feet. The glass did not shatter. Does that mean you don’t need a case and screen protector? No, it doesn’t. Under the right circumstances, the front and back Ceramic Shield glass might break. Also, the aluminum chassis will sustain damage, as seen in the clip. But it’s certainly good to know the iPhone 17 Pro Max is more durable than ever.
The new design Apple developed for the Pro models explains why the iPhone 17 Pro Max did so well. The phone features an aluminium unibody design with the metal protecting the camera module and curving inwards on the back to meet the Ceramic Shield glass. Also, this is the first year Apple is using Ceramic Shield protection on the back of the iPhone. On the front, a next-generation Ceramic Shield 2 glass cover protects the display. The front cover offers 3x better scratch resistance than previous models.
What about the iPhone Air?
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The YouTuber didn’t test all of Apple’s new iPhones, but the smaller iPhone 17 Pro should perform similarly since it has an identical design. However, that’s just speculation. All smartphones featuring glass covers risk accidental damage under the right circumstances, no matter how durable that cover might be.
It’ll be more interesting to see how the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air perform in similar tests. Both models feature Ceramic Shield 2 front covers like the Pros, so the displays might get similarly good protection during drops. However, the Air has a Ceramic Shield back with no metal to protect the camera plateau. The base iPhone 17 has a glass back identical to its predecessor.
Consumers buying one of the new iPhones will have a large selection of protective accessories to choose from. Apple sells several case options for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. The company also designed a Crossbody Strap accessory that can be used to prevent drops. The iPhone can’t fall if it’s tied to you. Some third-party accessory makers started selling iPhone 17 cases online even before Apple unveiled the new phones.
