Apple iPhone 8 survives scratch, heat and bend test: Watch video

YouTube channel JerryRigEverything has conducted some intense tests, including scratch, heat, and bend to check the durability of Apple iPhone 8. (Source: JerryRigEverything/YouTube)

Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were launched by the company as minor upgrades to the the iPhone 7 series. But what really stands out is their revamped design, notably glass back and new gold finish. Plus, Apple has made the display much better compared to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which the company claims are the most durable in any smartphone. But some people might have questions about how much abuse the phone can take.

YouTube channel JerryRigEverything has conducted some intense tests, including scratch, heat, and bend to check the durability of Apple iPhone 8. Notably, the new iPhone has the same shape and feel as the last year’s iPhone 7. However, the metal back is now gone and it has been replaced with glass, which makes the new iPhone a bit heavy.

First up, the YouTuber started off with scratch test. Plastic phones have a scratch level 3 while glass usually has scratch level of 5 or a 6, he explained. Sapphire screen, on the other hand, scratches at 8 or 9. In case of iPhone 8, it got scratched at level 6, which is the exact same score as that of iPhone 7. This essentially means that iPhone 8’s display is impervious to razor blades, keys, and coins. However, a cover is still recommended for extra protection.

The home button in iPhone 8 and 7MP front camera weren’t affected by his razor blade as well, suggesting they won’t get damaged easily while in pocket or purse.

Coming to the glass back, it has a solid slab covering the entire rear surface which was not damaged by razor blade. The Apple logo and iPhone text are layered under the glass and not exposed on the surface, which is great as they won’t wear out easily over time. The LED flash as well as microphone hole with metal grille remained undamaged during the scratch test as well.

Apple has used Sapphire coating on the rear camera lens, which should ideally sustain scratch levels up till 8 or 9 on most scales. The YouTuber started off with scratching the camera lens with his razor blade, which is about a 5 and a half on most scales and the lens sustained no damaged. This makes Apple iPhone 8’s camera lens as durable as regular glass, which is great.

However, surprisingly there were visible scratch marks at level 6. According to the YouTuber, this could be because Apple is using its own proprietary blend of Sapphire – a lower-grade material compared to the actual pure Sapphire that is used in premium high-end watches or the full Sapphire display on the HTC U Ultra Sapphire edition, both of which do not scratch until 8.

Must Read: Apple iPhone 8 Plus first impressions: So what’s really new out here?

He points out another design flaw where the camera lens sticks even farther than the metal ring, leaving it unprotected. It scratches at a level 6 instead of level 8.

Next, he puts the metal frames surrounding the iPhone 8 to test. According to the YouTuber, Apple has done a good job with the sides which is capable of handling keys and coins well. However, his razor could remove some paint from the metal frames, so keeping that with iPhone 8 in purse or pocket is not recommended. The SIM tray, mute switch, lightning port etc all made of metal.

As far as heating test goes, the pixels in the IPS Retina display turned black within 10-seconds of subjecting it to extreme heat. But they recovered completely after cooling down within seconds which is a good thing. However, heating test is not recommended for regular users as the flame burns out the oleophobic coating on glass.

In bend test, the YouTuber found that iPhone 8 is indeed a well-built phone as there appeared no flex in the device during the test. There was no glass separation on the front or the back either. Another advantage with the iPhone 8 is that its rear glass panel as well as font screen has a plastic cushion around the edge to protect glass during fall.

Apple iPhone 8 was launched along side iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X by the company at its September 12 event. The iPhone 8 has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with True Tone. It is powered by the A11 Bionic chip, which is a six-core processor with four efficiency cores. The new iPhone is water and dust resistant, and it uses Touch ID for authentication.The front camera on the iPhone 8 series is 7MP with Retina Flash. Apple iPhone 8 features a single lens camera with 12MP sensor. It supports wireless charging and the phone will work with Qi chargers, which is the universal standard.