Apple's 10<sup>th anniversary iPhone, the iPhone X, is the most advanced and most expensive edition ever. Unfortunately, as teardown and drop test results conclude, it is also the most breakable iPhone and is the most expensive to repair.
The new iPhone sports a very sleek appearance with a new OLED screen that is almost bezel-less and a glass back that is designed for wireless charging. However, this means that it now has two surfaces that are breakable, increasing the risk of damage by a considerable factor.
Despite Apple claiming that the iPhone X's glass back is the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, drop tests done on the expensive phone proved otherwise. During a drop test done by CNET from only three feet high, the glass back of the iPhone X shattered on the first drop.
In drop tests conducted by SquareTrade, the iPhone X was dropped from a height of six feet onto a concrete surface. It was dropped on its edge, back down, and face down. The phone was also put through a 60-second tumble test.
The edge drop resulted in the display panel malfunctioning, but the glass on the back of the phone stayed intact. However, on every other test, the glass back shattered.
Because of how Apple designed the iPhone X, breaking the glass back requires the entire handset to be replaced, which will cost the user $549. This high cost is $150 more than the cost needed to repair a broken glass rear surface of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Apple also offers an extended warranty for $200, which covers the iPhone X for up to two incidents of accidental damage. Apart from applicable taxes, there would be a service fee of $29 for screen damage or $99 for other damages.
Users can also opt to use protective cases from popular manufacturers like Lifeproof, Otterbox, or Speck, although these will take away points from the iPhone X's very pleasing aesthetic.
