What Have We Learned From ​Twelve Years Of Breaking Cell Phones?

How Allstate Bots Broke Your Phone and What They Learned

Smartphones: critical to our productivity, navigation and communication. When they break, the consequences are dire.

Who’s looking out for your cell phone? Who knows, before you drop it, whether it will break?

For more than 12 years, Allstate Protection Plans has conducted Breakability Tests, where robots drop, bend, dunk, and fold the latest smartphones to assess their durability. The tests uncovered evolving risks, providing valuable insights into each generation’s unique vulnerabilities

Bend or Break?

In 2015, Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus made headlines for bending under pressure, like it would in a pocket. The Allstate Protection Plans BendBot confirmed it when it discovered that the Samsung Galaxy Edge cracked under the same pressure as the iPhone. "Bendgate" sparked widespread concern over the durability of thin smartphones, leading to manufacturers seeking ways to strengthen them.

Is bigger better?

Smartphone screens have gotten larger, but holding larger phones with one hand led to an increase in accidental drops. An Allstate survey found that 78 percent of users have dropped their devices while using them with one hand. Is the trade-off between ease of use and size worth the risk? The question remains.

Water worries

Without waterproofing technology, a minor spill or accidental dunk could wreak havoc on a phone. In a 2012 survey, liquid exposure accounted for 18 percent of smartphone damage. In 2014, the iPhone 6 struggled being submerged for 10 seconds in less than a foot of water.  Five years later, in 2019, the iPhone 11 survived functionality after being immersed by Allstate’s DunkBot for 30 minutes in five feet of water.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Modern smartphones, like the latest Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy, can be exposed to water for long periods without harm.

The foldable phone: A comeback

Foldable phones first came on the scene in 2008, but in 2019 they made a comeback. Met with skepticism, foldable phones are surprisingly durable. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold can endure up to 200,000 folds, or roughly three years of regular use, with only minor issues like pixel damage or hinge wear.

Tougher, but not unbreakable

Thanks in part to discoveries made by Allstate Bots, cell phone manufacturers now use materials like Gorilla Glass, aluminum, and even ceramic to withstand drops and scratches. Despite these advances, modern smartphones are not yet unbreakable. In recent drop tests, even flagship devices like the Samsung S24 Ultra with its titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor shattered after 6-foot falls. The iPhone 16, despite its aluminum sides and ceramic shield, had its screen cracked and corners scuffed after a drop.

 Protection is key

Smartphone durability improved greatly, but no one’s designed a device that beats the Allstate Protection Plans DropBot—or the unforgiving smack of a sidewalk. Given the importance we place upon them and the high cost of repairs, it’s essential to protect our devices. We must have cases and screen protectors, and protection plans can be a real money-saver when accidents happen. For more information, visit allstateprotectionplans.com.