Apple's iPhone 8 survives harsh scratch and bend test in new video

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in iPhone
As it does every year, Apple's latest iPhone model is being put through a battery of stress tests for the viewing pleasure of YouTube, with a new video showing off the handset's ability to withstand bends and all but the most brutal scratches.




Like last year, YouTube channel JerryRigEverything unboxed one of the first production iPhone 8 models on Thursday and immediately proceeded to destroy the display, back glass and metal chassis with an assortment of metal objects.

Apple touts the glass on this year's iPhone as the strongest ever employed in a smartphone, and today's video seems to back up that claim, at least to a certain degree. The front cover glass passed tests designed to simulate everyday activities, like leaving the phone in a pocket with keys. It even withstood light scratching from a utility knife.

A mineral test pick equivalent to a level 6 on the Mohs hardness scale left a permanent gouge in the screen, while a level 7 pick achieved an even deeper groove. The performance is on par with other smartphone displays, JerryRigEverything said. Unfortunately, the new glass back was not evaluated using the same tools.





The channel points out, as it did last year, that Apple seems to be using a lower grade sapphire material instead of "pure sapphire" on the protective element covering iPhone's rear camera. While most sapphire resists scratching until a level 8 or 9 pick, Apple's material exhibited visible marks when exposed to a level 6 pick.

Apple's 7000 series aluminum took some punishment from the utility knife, revealing a natural silver interior after the top anodized layer was stripped away, but this is to be expected from the material.

Moving on to the perennial bend test, the new iPhone passed with flying colors, showing no sign of flex even with the glass sandwich design. Notably, JerryRigEverything said the bend test failed to affect the phone's adhesive, which came undone in an identical evaluation of the iPhone 7.

Apple's iPhone 8 is shipping out to pre-order customers today alongside iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K. The new products debut ahead of this fall's big iPhone X launch, which is being prepped for preorders on Oct. 27 ahead of shipments on Nov. 3.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    Refuse to give this more views... :/
    calidoozydozenpscooter63
  • Reply 2 of 26
    tyler82tyler82 Posts: 1,100member
    Great phone, love my 7+
  • Reply 3 of 26
    A few things:

    1. Year in and year out this guy still doesn't understand how Moh's scale is to be used nor how scratch testing works. At this stage he's just dug in his heels and committed to doing it wrong and making, yet again, incorrect conclusions. (E.g. My personal favourite is when he falsely claimed the sapphire was ordinary glass based on making scribbles with metal picks.) A high-schooler has a better grasp of the concept.
    2. He's literally an unqualified, random amateur with a camera. I'd perhaps like him more if he didn't sound like cardboard, smug cardboard. Give your attention to someone who is going to put together a meaningful review, even "Will it blend" is better than this crap.

    In the world of reviewers you get to have your opinion, but you don't get to randomly make up conclusions based on handling a product for 5 minutes and posting it to youtube - no surprise he's not invited to a keynote announcement, invites aren't granted on the basis of self-importance.
    chiaredgeminipapscooter63mike1StrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 4 of 26
    This is as pointless as it gets. Use some kind of fracking science (it wouldn't even be that hard) of don't do it at all bonehead.
    calichiaEsquireCatsfotoformattmayStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 26
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Oh no!

    ItWontBendGate!

    Sell! Sell!
    calichiajbdragonlkruppwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 26
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    WHY?

    every fucking iPhone review has to mention the knockoffs and include trash talk against Apple.

    why can’t we just get a review? That’s it. 
    macseekerEsquireCatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 26
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Refuse to give this more views... :/
    I find it annoying also, but online has long been taken over by these SEO guys, so we best accept it. This video does hold Apple to account though on not using a more scratch resistant camera lens cover. Apple should up their game there.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 8 of 26
    jumejume Posts: 209member
    It's a spot on review. Just because it's Apple we can't say few bad things? Well we should! It's a premium priced phone so we expect premium build and premium materials. And if Apple cut's corners (camera lens protector) then they need to improve! Period.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 9 of 26
    jume said:
    It's a spot on review. Just because it's Apple we can't say few bad things? Well we should! It's a premium priced phone so we expect premium build and premium materials. And if Apple cut's corners (camera lens protector) then they need to improve! Period.
    The problem is that he bases this entirely on an arbitrary test which is not representative of the resistance of the material, the function it needs to perform or the rationale to why it is the way it is. Apple aren't "skimping" on materials, Apple are aware that sapphire has reflective properties which are not ideal for lens covers, so they have produced a 'sapphire' material which both protects the lens and has superior optical performance in comparison to off the shelf sapphire. This guy doesn't get it, because this guy is a moron with zero insight or qualifications to be objectively reviewing the product he's trying to "test" - this is nothing to do with his apple-related barbs, overall he's actually very flattering to the product.
    tmay2old4funpscooter63mike1StrangeDayscaliRayz2016watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 26
    I am shocked. It survives finger nails of some grumpy girls. That must be military grade. How about reinfocing glass and making as strong as 2007 iPod Touch so it survives accidental drop on hard floor? iPhone 6 had shi.. glass when running to bus it fell of from my shirt and I had cuts in my fingers when picking up wit that broken screen. One month after purchase and I had a problem. For Pete sake it is a phone so it is supposed t be practical and not super protected mojo for addictve people.
  • Reply 11 of 26
    foggyhill said:
    This is as pointless as it gets. Use some kind of fracking science (it wouldn't even be that hard) of don't do it at all bonehead.
    "It wouldn't even be that hard" <-- Pun Intended?
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 12 of 26
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    I am shocked. It survives finger nails of some grumpy girls. That must be military grade. How about reinfocing glass and making as strong as 2007 iPod Touch so it survives accidental drop on hard floor? iPhone 6 had shi.. glass when running to bus it fell of from my shirt and I had cuts in my fingers when picking up wit that broken screen. One month after purchase and I had a problem. For Pete sake it is a phone so it is supposed t be practical and not super protected mojo for addictve people.
    You drop the phone while running and it's the fault of the glass for breaking?! Ugh!
    StrangeDayscaliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 26
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,309member
    In case anyone cares, and off topic:

    https://www.dxomark.com/category/mobile-reviews/

    Dxomark was updated to better account for computational imaging; Apple's iPhone 7 was retested, the iPhone 7 Plus was finally tested, and now there are test of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus that have set the bar with room to spare, over the previous leader, the Google Pixel. 

    Que hoard of Android OS fans complaining about new test procedure and metrics.

    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 26
    jume said:
    It's a spot on review. Just because it's Apple we can't say few bad things? Well we should! It's a premium priced phone so we expect premium build and premium materials. And if Apple cut's corners (camera lens protector) then they need to improve! Period.
     Cut corners? It’s already looking like the best phone on earth. What sort of materials are the knockoffs using for their lenses?
    caliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 26

    I am shocked. It survives finger nails of some grumpy girls. That must be military grade. How about reinfocing glass and making as strong as 2007 iPod Touch so it survives accidental drop on hard floor? iPhone 6 had shi.. glass when running to bus it fell of from my shirt and I had cuts in my fingers when picking up wit that broken screen. One month after purchase and I had a problem. For Pete sake it is a phone so it is supposed t be practical and not super protected mojo for addictve people.
    I...I don’t even...
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 26
    As the test, whatever the merits of the methodology, is the same on the iPhone 8 as it was on the iPhone 7, it is undeniably useful. The iPhone 8 shows some improvements compared to the previous model, and that's nice. It is not invulnerable to scratches, even on the camera lens. Also useful knowledge, knowing what events are likely to be safe and what things will be risky. The need for extra protection with a case is clearly less, but most people will still buy one I expect. And now for the drop tests...
  • Reply 17 of 26
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    jume said:
    It's a spot on review. Just because it's Apple we can't say few bad things?
    I find your comment funny because only Apple gets shitted on while providing the best materials and the most secure OS that is proprietary.

    The guy has a right to be honest but he’s just another YouTube moron getting paid to create unnecessary controversy. Almost every Apple video thumbnail has the uploaded looking at the product like a confused dimwit with a clickbait title like “don’t buy the new iPhone” or “why you should watch this before buying the new Apple [product here]”. Listen to the words these guys use ONLY when reviewing Apple. He even unnecessarily says “you guys know I like to burn Apple” like why the hell was it necessary for him to say that?

    I saw an Apple TV 4k review titled “Apple TV 4k left me disappointed” and it was literally a guy unboxing it for a minute and not even connecting it to his TV. The reason for the title was because it didn’t come with a “special HDMI cable” that it needs. That’s it.

    Tell me, do you ever see the knockoffs or any company get this special treatment? Ever see a YouTube thumbnail with the uploaded making a moron face with one eye squinted with a title like “The new Sony TV is a FAIL!!”?

    edit:

    A quick “iPhone X” search pulls up these selected videos:




    edited September 2017
  • Reply 18 of 26
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    I am shocked. It survives finger nails of some grumpy girls. That must be military grade. How about reinfocing glass and making as strong as 2007 iPod Touch so it survives accidental drop on hard floor? iPhone 6 had shi.. glass when running to bus it fell of from my shirt and I had cuts in my fingers when picking up wit that broken screen. One month after purchase and I had a problem. For Pete sake it is a phone so it is supposed t be practical and not super protected mojo for addictve people.
    You should buy a case, or be more careful. Or both. 
    edited September 2017 watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 26
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    cali said:
    jume said:
    It's a spot on review. Just because it's Apple we can't say few bad things?
    I find your comment funny because only Apple gets shitted on while providing the best materials and the most secure OS that is proprietary.

    The guy has a right to be honest but he’s just another YouTube moron getting paid to create unnecessary controversy. Almost every Apple video thumbnail has the uploaded looking at the product like a confused dimwit with a clickbait title like “don’t buy the new iPhone” or “why you should watch this before buying the new Apple [product here]”. Listen to the words these guys use ONLY when reviewing Apple. He even unnecessarily says “you guys know I like to burn Apple” like why the hell was it necessary for him to say that?

    I saw an Apple TV 4k review titled “Apple TV 4k left me disappointed” and it was literally a guy unboxing it for a minute and not even connecting it to his TV. The reason for the title was because it didn’t come with a “special HDMI cable” that it needs. That’s it.

    Tell me, do you ever see the knockoffs or any company get this special treatment? Ever see a YouTube thumbnail with the uploaded making a moron face with one eye squinted with a title like “The new Sony TV is a FAIL!!”?

    edit:

    A quick “iPhone X” search pulls up these selected videos:




    What’s really shocking is that some people actually take these bullshit videos to heart and make buying decisions based on crap.
    watto_cobracali
  • Reply 20 of 26
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member
    I'll point back to this for his wrong conclusion on the sapphire  
    https://www.imore.com/yes-iphone-7-lenses-really-are-made-out-sapphire

    Should be a "solved talking point" by now, but meh. 

    Anyways, improper use of scratch testing aside, I do appreciate his bend tests, he's a strong guy and this does show the glass 8 is no more bendy. 

    Drop tests will be the next test. 
    watto_cobracali
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