Samsung's Galaxy S22 devices appear to be more prone to damage when dropped than Apple's iPhone 13 models, according to drop tests conducted by Allstate Protection Plans. With major new smartphone releases, Allstate does the same set of drop tests to determine the degree of front, back, and side damage when a device hits the ground, and the testing indicates the iPhone's design is more durable.
When dropped face-down, the S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra displays shattered on the first six-foot drop onto the sidewalk, and two of the three were unusable due to the severity of the damage. The middle tier device, the S22, was usable, but had notable damage at the corners.
Comparatively, when Allstate Protection Plans drop tested the iPhone 13 models back in September, they fared better. In the face-down drop, the iPhone 13 survived a single drop with minor damage, cracking in the second drop test. The iPhone 13 Pro cracked along the bottom, but both phones were largely usable.
In the back-down test, the Galaxy S22 devices all had their back panel shattered, and while all three phones continued to work normally and the camera housing remained intact, it was not possible to safely handle the phones bare-handed because of the glass damage.
The comparable test on the iPhone 13 models saw the iPhone 13 survive two drops, ending up with minor cracks along the camera and the corner after the third drop, while the iPhone 13 Pro back glass shattered more similarly to the S22 devices.
Allstate did a side-down test for the S22 models that saw the S22 and S22+ survive with minor damage, while the curved glass S22 Ultra shattered at the corners and along the display. All of the smartphones remained functional.
A comparable test was not done for the iPhone 13, but back in 2020, the iPhone 12 models were dropped on their side in the same test and survived intact with minor scuffing because of the aluminum steel edges, similar to the S22 and S22+, which also use an "Armor Aluminum" frame.
The S22 Ultra has a curved display and thus takes more damage at the sides than Apple's iPhones. All in all, it seems the S22 may be more vulnerable to breakage than Apple's iPhone 13 models, which use Apple's "Ceramic Shield," purported to be more durable than traditional glass. Samsung's S22 devices are using Gorilla Glass Victus+, Corning's most durable glass.
In addition to being more prone to damage than the iPhone 13 models in Allstate's testing, the Galaxy S22 devices are also more vulnerable than the prior-generation Galaxy S21 smartphones, which used a plastic backing. Allstate Protection Plan vice president Jason Siciliano said that the design upgrades in the S22 and the S22 Ultra models have "resulted in durability downgrades when compared to their Galaxy S21 predecessors," increasing the need for smartphone cases and screen protectors.
As always, drop tests are variable and the results will depend on the angle that the smartphone happens to fall at. Allstate Protection Plans uses the same variables for all of its tests, but there's always an element of unpredictability, and even if the iPhone fares better controlled tests, that may not reflect real-world results.
With every all-glass smartphone like the Galaxy S22 and the iPhone 13, caution should be used to avoid drops and protective cases should be employed because neither Apple's Ceramic Shield and Samsung's Gorilla Glass Victus+ are reliable solutions against breakage.
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