iPhone 16 Pro Ceramic Shield durability tested in new videos

Now that the iPhone 16 Pro series and its starting price of no less than $999 are official, prospective buyers might be on the edge of their seats to know what would happen to one of these "latest-gen" Ceramic Shield displays if it were to be, for example, dropped up to ~12 feet off some stairs onto the concrete next to the Sydney Opera House.

But first, the Australian vlogger MadMatt claims to have pre-empted that reveal with the "world's first" drop test of the brand-new 16 Pro Max. 

The new top-end flagship did incur some scuffs, scrapes and a dead display at the end of that ordeal - yet might have gotten off light compared to the 16 Pro in the hands of AppleTrack host Sam Kohl.

The vlogger put the new device up against its 15-series forebear - and found that the former's display was finished within the first few drops whereas the latter (and MadMatt's Pro Max) did not.

However, it is just possible that it simply had some worse luck in that case, as the frame may have impinged on the newly enlarged, slimmer-bezel display at just the wrong point. 

Nevertheless, the 16 Pro's actual display glass did seem "tougher" overall, as the cracks that developed during its ordeal did not start to radiate outwards almost immediately as with the 15 Pro.

However, the 16 Pro also ultimately succumbed to full destruction, ending up with its very camera hump hanging by a thread: clearly, the rear panel is not as reinforced as the front glass.

Finally, it seems the new Desert Titanium paint-job will show more damage up compared to its Natural counterpart...therefore, it might be a good thing that Apple's new silicone MagSafe cases are 14% off on Amazon today (September 20, 2024).