A breakability test conducted in the UK has found that Apple’s iPhone 6 is more robust than the Samsung Galaxy S5.
The test, carried out by robots that assess mobile phones on their size, weight, panel strength, and drop endurance, gives marks out of 10 on a ‘breakability index’, with a score of 10 signifying the highest risk.
SquareTrade, the team behind the robots, said that Apple’s new iPhone 6 scored a 4 out of 10, compared to the iPhone 6 Plus scoring a 5, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 lagging behind with a 6.5.
SquareTrade also announced the UK results of a international study quantifying the amount spent by consumers on repairs to smartphones and tablets. In the UK, almost £5 billion has been spent on repairs in the last two years, claims SquareTrade.
Kevin Gillan, European managing director for SquareTrade said: "These figures make the term ‘hand held’ look like a bit of an exaggeration. They suggest that for many of us, holding on to our mobile phone is as straightforward as holding on to a slippery eel."
The robotic tests also examined how far the phones slide when pushed across a table on their backs, how well they withstand drops from 4 feet and how well they perform during and after being dunked in water for 10 seconds.
The iPhone 5s, which measures 4 inches and came out last year, also fared better than Samsung’s Galaxy S5, which measures 5.1 inches. The Samsung phone got poor marks on several tests including the slide test. The more a phone slides, the greater its chance of falling off the edge of a table.
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Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus passed the slide test, but the iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy’s S5 got poor marks in that area. The iPhone 6 Plus was the only one that didn’t do well when dropped 4 feet by the robot. The glass screen survived, but the case separated from the phone. All four phones fared well in the water resistance test.
