How easy is it to break the new Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max?

While the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max seem to be tougher than the iPhone X, glass is still glass.

No matter how tough Apple claims its new iPhones are, if you're going to be using them in the real world then you either need to put them in a good case or have insurance to cover you are against damage.

SquareTrade, a leading protection plan provider, put Apple's claims that its new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max made use of "the most durable glass ever in a smartphone" to the test.

Well, a number of tests, in fact, featuring drop tests on the front, back, and sides, all carried out from 6 foot, a bend test, and a submersion test in beer.

Here are the results.

Here is a look at the damage the devices sustained:

While the iFixit teardown team couldn't find any evidence of additional sealing to increase the iPhone's water resistance rating from IP67 to IP68, SquareTrade's master technician noted that the adhesive used for bonding the new iPhones together seemed stronger than that used on the iPhone X.

"We were super impressed with the iPhone XS Max, which is much stronger than its discontinued predecessor, the iPhone X. However, as with the iPhone X, our tests show the all-glass design of the iPhone XS and XS Max make them highly susceptible to cracking, particularly from drops, the most common cause of damage," said Jason Siciliano, vice president global creative director at SquareTrade.

"Repair costs for the new iPhones are expected to be around $399 to replace a front screen and $599 to fix a shattered back. Considering $599 was the cost of the most expensive version of the very first iPhone, repair costs are now something to consider when buying a new iPhone. They're beautiful phones. Just hang on tight."

So the bottom line is that while the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max do indeed seem to be tougher than the iPhone X, with the iPhone XS Max seeming to be significantly tougher than it's smaller counterpart, glass is still glass and there's a pretty finite limit to what it can tolerate before it breaks.


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