Early tests show Ceramic Shield significantly improves iPhone 12 durability

AppleInsider

The new Ceramic Shield cover glass on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro appears to significantly improve durability and scratch resistance, early tests show.

Credit: Apple

Apple says that the Ceramic Shield technology includes nano-ceramic crystals grown within its glass matrix, which dramatically improves toughness. Along with a new design, the company says Ceramic Shield allows the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models to feature four times better "drop performance" than past handsets.

On Friday, YouTube channel MobileReviewsEh put those durability claims to the test with both a force meter and a Mohs hardness kit.

On the force test, which involved applying force measured in newtons to the iPhone, MobileReviewsEh found that the iPhone 12 survived 442 newtons of force. Compared to an iPhone 11, which withstood 352 newtons of force in the video, that's a big improvement.

The YouTube channel also attempted to scratch the iPhone 12's display glass with objects like keys, coins, rocks, and a box cutter. Ultimately, the device's glass came out unscathed.

In a Mohs hardness test, the iPhone 12 stood up to a 6 point test. A 7 point left some faint scratches on the device, while an 8 point left significant scratches. For comparison, the iPhone 11 started to show scratches with a 6 point.

Interestingly, it appears that the new Ceramic Shield only applies to the front glass of the iPhone 12, since the YouTube channel was able to scratch the rear glass just as easily as the screen on the iPhone 11.

YouTuber EveryThingApplePro found similar results in a series of drop tests.

The front screens on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were able to survive up to a 10-foot fall flat on their faces with minimal glass damage. That same fall onto the backs of the phones shattered the rear glass on both. It's worth noting that several types of drops conducted at 6 feet didn't do much to faze the displays on either device.

Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro only officially launched to customers on Friday, so expect to see more drop and durability tests in the days and weeks to come.

charlesn

I've been using an iPhone since the 4, and I have never had a screen scratch up the way it did on my 11 Pro Max. In fact, I've never had a deep scratch on any previous iPhone screen, but I had one on my 11 Pro Max within a couple of days and many more have followed since. And all I had to do was google "iPhone 11 screen scratches" and it was obvious that MANY were having the same experience. I'm not sure what Corning did with the formulation of the glass for the 11, but I sure hope they corrected it for the 12. 

Beats

These drop tests are dumb and a breeding ground for iKnockoff morons to claim "iPhone screens are glass!! lol".

jdw

The only drop tests that really matter for most people are the drops from about the chest level and below.  You're walking and it accidentally slips from the hand and hits concrete.  The fact the glass can survive such a fall on the side or facedown is nice to hear.

With that said, it's silly to own such an expensive phone and not also use a protective case.  The reason is because, as that video shows, you will at the very least scuff up the phone due to the impact on a hard surface.  Honestly, even if the glass doesn't crack, I personally don't want a scuffed up phone, so I will always use a case.  But it is nice to know that if the phone takes a very hard fall inside the case, even with no supplementary glass screen protector applied, the stock glass will likely survive such a fall.

meterestnz

Will I do motorcycle delivery full time with my 11 Pro max on an handlebar mount and have had no problems? I have to take it off at each delivery addy so gets lots of rough handling too. 

drdavid

meterestnz said:

Will I do motorcycle delivery full time with my 11 Pro max on an handlebar mount and have had no problems? I have to take it off at each delivery addy so gets lots of rough handling too. 

Never put a question mark where god put a period. 

adonissmu

I wish we could stop this. Many people want a phone for themselves and these people are breaking them on purpose.

greginprague

adonissmu said:

I wish we could stop this. Many people want a phone for themselves and these people are breaking them on purpose.

Seriously?? Then pre-order it sooner.  Many people wait to see videos like this before they’re comfortable buying the phone.  In our great federal republic you pretty much have the freedom to do what you want with the stuff you buy as long as you’re not hurting anyone.  

randominternetperson

drdavid said:

meterestnz said:

Will I do motorcycle delivery full time with my 11 Pro max on an handlebar mount and have had no problems? I have to take it off at each delivery addy so gets lots of rough handling too. 

Never put a question mark where god put a period. 

It’s clearly a rhetorical question. Yes he will do full-time motorcycle delivery with his phone on the handlebar mount with no problems.  

GeorgeBMac

I found the drop tests by EveryThingApplePro to be the most interesting (although the more scientific tests by MobileReviewsEh were more explicitly informative).

Both showed the new glass to be remarkably tough.   But the drop tests told me three things:

1)  The glass is getting so tough that the fall risk may be moving to other components of the phone.

2)  The steel frame of the 12 pro is far tougher than the aluminum frame of the 12.   That's important because a screen may not be able to be replaced in a phone with a damaged frame.

3)  The phones appeared to suffer internal damage before they suffered external damage (except for a scuffed frame).  That's reminiscent of 'touch disease' on the iPhone 6 (Apple's first large phone).   It was where the phone stopped responding to touch and was caused by a minor bending of the phone (often while in a pocket) which damaged some internal connection that slowly got worse and worse.

So, the message is:  buy a 12 pro (if you can afford it) and put a shock absorbing case on it.   (I doubt that most of the hard plastic cases would protect the internals from the shock).

lkrupp

adonissmu said:

I wish we could stop this. Many people want a phone for themselves and these people are breaking them on purpose.

These types make significant amounts of money doing what they do, way more than the cost of the device they are “testing”. Gotta feed the voracious hunger of the nerd herd you know.

leavingthebigg

I will just leave this here as a gentle reminder of an Apple invest in an American business. 

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/05/apple-awards-corning-first-advanced-manufacturing-fund-investment/

AI_lias

The drop test left the phone mostly intact? What does that mean? Was the glass chipped a little bit? Was it cracked?  Many cracks? 

retrogusto

Note to self: don’t drop my caseless iPhone from ten feet onto concrete. 

But seriously, it’s pretty impressive how many different types of innovation Apple is concurrently performing, alone or in partnership. Chip design, machine learning, glass tech, robotic recycling systems, computational photography, and probably many we hear less about. In the case of glass tech (no pun intended), the benefit is significant to consumers but difficult to market, because anyone deciding between brands is unlikely to prioritize such an abstract feature that is only visible after your phone hits the concrete. And if Apple were just focusing on a short-term cash grab, they might do better to engineer glass that breaks more easily, necessitating more servicing and replacements.

StrangeDays

jdw said:

The only drop tests that really matter for most people are the drops from about the chest level and below.  You're walking and it accidentally slips from the hand and hits concrete.  The fact the glass can survive such a fall on the side or facedown is nice to hear.

With that said, it's silly to own such an expensive phone and not also use a protective case.  The reason is because, as that video shows, you will at the very least scuff up the phone due to the impact on a hard surface.  Honestly, even if the glass doesn't crack, I personally don't want a scuffed up phone, so I will always use a case.  But it is nice to know that if the phone takes a very hard fall inside the case, even with no supplementary glass screen protector applied, the stock glass will likely survive such a fall.

It’s not silly. I went nude with my phones years ago because it’s nicer. I use a case if in a higher risk environment, like a nite at the bar, or in the gym. It’s fine. 

commentzilla

When these phones are dropped people are often walking and the phones drop and bounce, in a series of impacts. Unless you're rich get a case and a glass screen protector.

The best thing Apple did with these phones was to get rid of the stupid curved glass that was exposed above the frame of the phone. A fall on a corner, which are very common, almost guarantees a broken screen.

JFC_PA

One thing I’m looking forward to as a MagSafe benefit is a case that’s easier to get in and off. I don’t always need the extra bulk, and an easier removal would be a clincher for what my next case is. 

williamh

The rear case doesn't have the ceramic shield and it's much more expensive to fix than the screen.  That said, will it blend?

MplsP

These tests are certainly impressive. The problem with all of them is they are unrealistic; screen damage is very dependent on the particular angle of impact, so one drop from 5 feet can be totally different from another. The real proof will be in screen repair rates. From what I've seen so far I expect them to be lower, though.

I wish Apple would put the same coating on the back glass. shortly after I got my Xs I dropped it and despite the case, the back glass cracked. Fortunately I had Apple Care, but that's an expensive repair if you don't.

hmlongco

Agree that Apple should have used the same glass technology on both the front and rear glass. I mean, if you drop the phone it's basically 50/50 as to which side is going to get the most impact.