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iPhone 14 seems to prove as durable as it is dissectible in a new drop test video

The iPhone 14. (Source: Apple)
The iPhone 14. (Source: Apple)
The iPhone 14 has been revealed to have a rear glass back panel that may have much more ease of removal compared to its predecessor. This discovery has moved a device-teardown YouTuber to check if this means the cover might come flying off if a unit is dropped onto concrete. Fortunately, doing so from various heights resulted in potentially encouraging news for those interested in this new vanilla Apple flagship.

The first teardown videos for the iPhone 14 are now out there, and they contain indications that many right-to-repair or device-sustainability enthusiasts may find welcome. Apple's latest base-model mobile flagship has reverted to a design incorporating a "removable" rear glass panel.

This does not necessarily mean that it can be taken off on the fly, as with, say, the Nokia 8210. Instead, it entails a rear cover that can be pried off with relative ease in the event of a teardown thanks to clips rather than an inordinate amount of glue - something that cannot be said for its Pro Max sibling.

The panel also incorporates the 14's wireless charging coil and some other components such as microphones, in a manner not seen since the iPhone 4 series.

Therefore, it is strange that Apple did not herald this feature more during its debut, as it might have boosted the "planet-loving" point-count the Cupertino giant has been patently fishing for in the 14's design (with 100% of its gold and rare-earth requirements touted to have come from recycled sources).

In any case, PBKReviews has done some of its job for it in testing the (also IP68-rated) 14 for drop-resistance.

The vlogger's unit was dropped a total of 6 times onto a concrete surface from various heights onto either its front, back or sides; however, it apparently stayed on and fully functional throughout this ordeal, only perhaps losing some chips of paint or "beautifully durable" aluminium in the process.

On the other hand, its third-gen Ceramic Shield display did acquire a crack from the very first drop. Therefore, while the iPhone 14 might not lose the entirety of its back glass on hitting the ground, a case and screen protector might still be a great idea while ordering the device.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 09 > iPhone 14 seems to prove as durable as it is dissectible in a new drop test video
Deirdre O'Donnell, 2022-09-17 (Update: 2022-09-18)