It really is a time-honored tradition listed here at CNET to drop new phones on the ground — on purpose. So when Apple proclaimed that the new 5G-enabled Iphone SE is created with “the toughest glass in a smartphone,” the natural way my ears perked up.
The Apple Apple iphone SE is an update to the 2020 edition, but most of its adjustments are on the within. The cellphone has the exact same system style and design as the 2020 SE and the Apple iphone 8, such as the throwback home button.
CNET’s Patrick Holland calls the new Iphone SE a low-cost way to get an Iphone with a familiar style but get advancements like the tougher glass and the A15 Bionic processor from the Iphone 13. Nevertheless more recent features like Encounter ID or MagSafe are not integrated in this cell phone.
Try to remember what it looked like when we began.
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The glass may be the most important adjust for anyone anxious about the durability of the cellular phone, even if it is not exactly new. It’s the identical glass that’s employed on the back of the Iphone 13 and the Apple iphone 12 strains. But on the SE, it is applied on the entrance and back.
The entrance glass of the new Iphone SE does differ from the Iphone 12 and Apple iphone 13 line, on the other hand, with Apple picking out to use glass from earlier Apple iphone lines in its place of Apple’s Ceramic Defend coating as found on the Iphone 12 and Iphone 13. We put that Ceramic Protect glass to the test all through our Iphone 12 fall exam, during which the display screen emerged virtually unscathed though the again did get a couple of cracks.
That distinction in display screen material turned apparent quite swiftly as we commenced testing.
Fall 1
For the to start with drop, I held the Iphone SE at roughly pocket-top, or about 3 toes from the floor, and dropped it screen down.
Some may possibly say the examination was over at this point, given that the glass masking the display screen endured many cracks from top rated to bottom. Even though the display was continue to functional, the glass was jagged enough in locations that slicing my finger was a distinctive risk.
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Though the entrance of the cell phone was basically destroyed at this place, the back was continue to pristine, so I pressed forward.
Drop 2
For fall No. 2, I stayed at the exact 3-foot mark and dropped the cellular phone on its shiny Merchandise Purple back. Or at the very least I tried out.
On my to start with endeavor, the telephone landed suitable on the best edge of the aluminum frame and cartwheeled toward my toes. It only endured a couple of compact scuff marks on the frame and no harm to the back glass, so I declared a do-over. My exam, my principles.
Fall 2a was fairly additional correct, but the aspect of the telephone absorbed most of the impression.
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At this stage, the back of the mobile phone only confirmed a tiny crack in the glass up in the vicinity of the digital camera lens and some small scuffing around the edges. Not bad, thinking of it experienced been dropped 3 moments now.
The front of the phone continued to deteriorate. Cracking was considerable in excess of the entire display screen. On the base proper corner, compact items of glass ended up commencing to arrive off wholly, yet the monitor continued to perform commonly.
The lesson so considerably seemed to be if you are likely to drop the Iphone SE, try out and intention for the back again.
Fall 3
Typical method at this phase is to alter the height to 6 ft and continue dropping. Considering the fact that the front was these a mess presently, I opted to skip that side and fall it on the again side from 6 feet as an alternative.
What followed was nonetheless a further circumstance of operator error, as the phone landed solidly on the prime correct corner of the frame as a substitute of flat on its back again glass. A further fast inspection showed one particular slim crack emerging on the higher aspect of the again glass.
I was sure I had a improved drop in me, so known as an audible and went once more.
What we are going to call Drop 3a now (or technically No. 5) wasn’t my very best do the job, but I allow it pass. Largely due to the fact I could not convey myself to punish this cellular phone anymore.
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The base half of the back again of the cell phone formulated a important set of cracks that cascaded from left to appropriate. Two much larger cracks intersected on the higher-proper corner. Absolutely nothing a fantastic case couldn’t include up, as lengthy as the entrance was Ok. Of training course, it is not.
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There was now a gaping hole in the front glass to the appropriate of the dwelling button. Entire parts of glass experienced fallen out, and I could see straight into the guts of the mobile phone underneath the black bezel. Astonishingly adequate, the Retina Hd display screen was however working and reacting to contact controls. Best to keep swiping to a bare minimum nevertheless.
Invoking the mercy rule
Commonly at this point, I would climb up on the stepladder to drop the cell phone from 9 toes, but I determined there was not much place. The Iphone SE experienced experienced adequate. Our Apple iphone 8 drop examination, which is the very last time we run a fall take a look at on a mobile phone with this structure, was likewise extraordinary.
So this was barely a terrific day for my Iphone SE, but does that suggest this isn’t definitely “the toughest glass in a smartphone”? I are not able to really say a single way or the other. This isn’t really a scientific test carried out under controlled problems. It is really just an experiment to demonstrate what may possibly come about if you do what I did. But it’s possible Apple really should have splurged and applied Ceramic Protect after all.
As normally, the most important takeaway from these experiments is that no subject how difficult the glass is supposed to be, the very best way to protect your expenditure is to place your phone in a case.
And it would look Apple concurs. When achieved for remark, an Apple spokesperson stated “Iphone SE delivers wonderful longevity and is shielded by the toughest glass in a smartphone on the entrance and back. All styles have long gone by way of demanding genuine-world testing and are created to be resilient, but not indestructible. If everyone is concerned about dropping their Apple iphone and damaging it, we suggest using one particular of the quite a few lovely instances out there to protect Apple iphone.”
You can locate the video for this drop examination and a lot of additional of them on CNET’s YouTube page.
